Gakkou no Kaiden:
The Wrath of the Kuchisake-Onna
Have you heard the legend of the Kuchisake-Onna? If not then you're in for a treat. The legend is old and well known among the school children of Satoyama. According to rumors, there was once a very beautiful woman who once lived in Satoyama village. Being a very beautiful woman she often wore her hair down and often she wore a revealing dress that was hidden by a ruby red jacket. Now this woman was very vain and despite being married to the local police chief she was often seen hanging around the more unsavory sections of town. Often with one or two construction workers hanging at her side.
And before long she started having an affair with the many construction workers that hung around the bars and taverns that dotted the outlying area of Satoyama Village. One night while her husband was working overnight at the police precinct she invited a few of her construction worker friends over to her house, and one by one she took them to her bedroom and enjoyed them to the fullest. Then a little after midnight her husband returned, to notice his wife sitting in the living room, wearing nothing but her housecoat and surrounding her were three big construction workers.
A blind rage took over the man. Before he could catch himself he reached down and pulled out his Colt Police issued revolver and put a bullet in each of the men's heads. Killing them in a blink of an eye. He then turned toward his wife and with rage burning in his eyes he reached down and pulled out a pocket knife. With a mad grimace he advanced on her. Soon he overtook her as he wrestled her down to the ground he popped the knife in her mouth and sliced her from one corner of the mouth to the other. All the while screaming at the top of his lungs.
“Who would think you're pretty now? Who would think you're pretty now?”
Now according to legend the woman died from loss of blood, nobody knows what happened to her husband. One account says he fled the village and found employment in Tokyo. But of the woman, the legend says her spirit returned as an Onryo and now she haunts the village, appearing at night wearing a red coat and a surgical mask to hide her wound. She often appears at night, and she'll approach you. She would look very pretty, she would then ask you a simple question.
“Am I pretty?”
If you answer yes, then she'll remove the surgical mask. Showing she had been cut from one ear to the other. If you scream or yell out, she'll strangle you. If you keep calm she'll ask you again.
“Even now?”
If your answer is yes, this time. She would then reach in and pull out a Kama she carries in the confines of her coat, she would then slit your mouth ear to ear like hers. Because now she is making you pretty. If your answer is no, she would stab you with Kama killing you because you were rude to her. The only way to escape is to either throw your pocket change at her, because she loves money and will follow the path of the coins and leave you alone so she can collect them or give a neutral answer.
And the legend of the Kuchisake-Onna. I hope you enjoyed it. Now stay tuned for our next urban legend. “The Frosty Kiss of the Yuki-Onna”.
Gakkou no Kaiden:
The Frosty Kiss of the Yuki-Onna
Satoyama is a rural village located in the mountains. The mountains that surround Satoyama are heavily forested. And since the Edo period logging has been one of the oldest businesses of the village. Generations of young men have followed in their fathers footsteps and gone into the mountains to harvest the trees that grow there. Merchants from Tokyo pay a high dollar for the wood harvested from the mountainside.
This story was told to me by my uncle, who was only seventeen at the time and an apprentice woodcutter. At the time he was assigned to help a master woodcutter named Haruto Suziki who was an old man whose hair had turned white as snow. And whose skin had begun to sag. His hearing too started to go and his strength was starting to fail him. But despite his advanced age he still had his wits about him and he was the most knowledgeable of the master woodcutters. For he knew all the trails and pitfalls of the mountain. And knew the names of every stream, creek and river one must cross. His woodcraft too exceeded even the most seasoned of masters.
Anyway, what had happened was this. One day while my uncle and his master went into the mountains to collect wood as they normally did. To get to the part of the forest they were working in, they had to cross a river. The river was called the Mogami River and it flowed down from a hidden pond deep in the mountain. Now, a small footbridge spans the Mogami now where there was in my uncle's day a ferry crossing. A old ferryman who earned a penurious income maintained the crossing. Before the bridge was built the ferry was the only way to cross the river.
Anyway, returning to the story. Early that morning my uncle and Haruto Suzike, the master woodcutter, crossed the river with the help of the ferryman. The clear winters sky was free of any clouds though a cold winter wind was blowing down from the snow covered peaks of the mountain. But as the hours ticked away, the weather became colder and the wind grew stronger, and even with their thick fleece coats to keep them warm the two woodcutters started to feel the bite of the wind. My uncle also said it felt like somebody was watching them. The wind bit them, and soon by mid afternoon the two men decided to withdraw from the mountain.
When the two reached the ferry crossing, they noticed the ferryman had already gone home for the day. Leaving the two stranded on barren banks of the Mogami river. At first the two thought about swimming across the river, but the water was cold and the wind was strong and the river was about to breach its banks. To brave the swim was to invite death.
And so the pair started to roam the bank, looking for any shelter they could find. And by luck they found a Quonset Hut hidden in the brush. Seeing their backs pressed against the wall and that the wind was starting to howl now and small flakes of snow were starting to press against their skin, they decided to take shelter there and hopefully pass the night in warm comfort.
Now inside the Quonset hunt they found what appeared to be their salvation. The hut had storm windows and was well insulated and in the center was a wooden stove that had plenty of firewood piled up beside it. The floor though concrete had been swept clean and tucked to the side was a mountain of warm woolen blankets and cotton futons. A further search revealed fully stocked pantry lined with all manner of canned goods and condiments.
It was a stroke of luck indeed. The old man seemed to be a good cook and soon started to prepare a feast with the canned goods and condiments they found stuck away in the pantry. While my uncle secured the door and built a fire in the wooden heater. Soon the inside of the Quonset hut was warm and toasty. But outside the wind blew and whistled around. The windows became frosted and the hut seemed to sway back and forth like a ship caught out at sea. The storm dampened the mood and once they were finished eating both men decided to turn into bed. The old man Haruto Suzike soon fell into a deep sleep, but my uncle stayed up. Listing to the sound of the wind blowing outside the thin walls of the Quonset Hut. He stayed up for hours till around midnight he fell into a frightful sleep. Then around four forty four in the morning something happened. The fire went out and the door was thrown open.
And there in the doorway stood a woman, a very tall woman with silky coal black hair and deep, piercing blue eyes that froze my uncle's blood. The woman seemed as white as the snow that surrounded her. The woman floated toward old man Haruto Suzike who was still asleep, she then bent down and blew her breath on him. In a matter of seconds the color drained from the old man's face and he became a blueish color. Once she was finished with the old man, she turned toward my uncle. But then she paused. She looked him up and down before speaking.
“I had attended to kill you like the old man there. But because you are so handsome, I will spare your life just this one time. But if you tell anybody, even your own mother about what you saw here tonight. I promise I will find you and I will kill you.” And with that the woman left.
My uncle told me this story a few weeks ago before he left to go collect wood in the mountains. He's yet to come down from the mountains. I believe whatever he saw that night kept its promise.
In our next story the spirit of a cat that was hit by a speeding car takes revenge on the driver that ended its life. So please join next week for “The Revenge of the Bakeneko”.
Gakkou no Kaiden:
The Revenge of the Bakeneko
The school children of Satoyama enjoy a good ghost story. Ghost stories cool the blood and help keep one cool in the long summer months. The next story concerns a school teacher by the name of Himari Takashi who once taught at the local junior high school. Now Satoyama is a rural village, fewer than six thousand people reside within the village. And with it being so rural few people own cars. Himari Takashi was one of the handful of teachers who owned a car. She was known for being something of a reckless driver and often late for class.
One day while driving to school she was going well beyond the speed limit of the village. As she rounded a corner a stray white cat walked in front of her speeding car, she had little time to hit the breaks and smashed into the cat, the cat rolled under the wheels of the car and its red blood smeared the tarmac. Since she was already late for class as she often was. Himari Sensei failed to stop and check on the cat or even use her phone to call the vet.
She assumed the cat was dead. But she was wrong, the cat was very much alive. Wounded but alive. So assuming the cat was dead she sped on to class. Now later in the day one of her students approached her desk holding a box. Himari sensei was overcome by curiosity as she leaned over and peered into the box. And to her horror she noticed the box held the injured cat that could only meow softly, as if it was begging for mercy. At that point the village had a very skilled veterinarian who was considered a saint by many, who often did life saving operations for little or nothing. He was only a stone's throw away and could have been summoned at a moment's notice and cat life could have been saved.
But Himari Sensie refused and instead she collected the box. The students begged for her to take the cat to the veterinarian for treatment as they wanted to keep the injured cat as a class pet. The teacher was overcome at that moment with guilt and horror and so smiling she took the box from the student and promised she'll seek help. With that she bowed her head and carried the box away. Once she left the classroom though she carried the box that held the cat toward the school's incinerator and placed it down with the other trash. The cat meowed pitifully. The cruel woman left the box by a mountain of bags to be burned that day.
Later that night when Himari Sensie was on night duty, a woman appeared in the classroom she was looking over, she was dressed in a traditional white burial kimono. The woman stood by one of the windows of the classroom, the one that overlooked the playground that was bathed in shadows. For a moment the woman just stood there, till she slowly turned around and to Himari Sensei horror her face morphed and became very feline. And her hands became claws, the women then sprung at Himari and started to scratch her.
Himari Sensie screamed as she felt her flesh being cut by thousands of tiny claws, the claws were sharp as razor blades and cut her deep and clean, clean enough that the flesh folded back. Overcome by pain she stumbled from the classroom and into the street. She stumbled right into the oncoming headlight of a passing goods truck. The last thing she saw was the blinding yellow light of the headlight and the blaring of its horn before the truck smacked into her, breaking every bone in her body and smashing her head in like a watermelon.
Now that is how this story would end. With Himari Sensie laying out on the ground, her head busted open, her blood seeping into the tarmac. And oddly enough a dozen or so cats gather around her lifeless corpse, licking at the blood, lapping it up if you will.
But no, our story does not ended their. Now in Japan its customary that the dead be cremated. And it would be at cremation of Himari Sensie that the cat's spirit would have its final revenge. As the story goes, as Himari Sensei's coffin was being slid into the oven, the cat's spirit used its magic to bring Himari Sensei back from the dead. Himari Sensei found herself trapped within the confines of the coffin. And the cat's spirit gained its final revenge by burning Himari Sensei alive in her coffin.
If you've enjoyed this story, please leave a comment below. Also please join us next week for another ghost story. Our next story features the ghost of a girl rising up from a well to haunt the boy who killed her. So please stay tuned for. “The Yurie of the Well”
Gakkou no Kaiden:
The Yurie of the Well
Our next story dates back to the Taisho Period. Satoyama was first awarded the statues of a self-governing township in the Taisho Period. And the current school was built in the Taisho Period. Now when the school was first opened to the public the governor of Gifu Prefecture bestowed upon the new headmaster ten porcelain plates that were valued at a hundred yen a piece. The Headmaster then entrusted these ten porcelain plates to the newly elected president of the student council for safe keeping.
Now the president of the student council was a upperclassman who was known for being something of a bully, he came from a powerful landowning family that owned all the prime rice growing land and many of the other students rented their small holdings from this father who had once been chief of the village but was now the mayor. In fact, many of his extended family members filled very important positions in the village. Including his younger brother who was now chief of police.
Now attending the newly built Satoyama High School was a very beautiful farmer's daughter named Ichika Tamura. Now Ichika Tamura's father was a humble man, not a very rich man but wealthy enough to own a large plot of land just outside the village and when the rice was ready to harvest in the autumn he would often hire the beggars at the roadside to help harvest his rice and for their labor they were paid the generous wage of two yen a day.
Now the president of the student council was an upperclassman who was named Haru Oda. Who was cunning as he was handsome. Many of the female students at the school had crushes on him. And when Haru Oda asked the farmer's daughter Ichika Tamura to serve as secretary to the student council. Upon learning the news that Ichika Tamura was to be the new secretary to the student council many of her female classmates turned green with envy. The position was a paid one that came with a salary of ten yen a week, a tidy sum in those days.
At first Ichika Tamura was overcome with joy, the extra income meant she could help her family, she also dreamed of attending one of the many prestigious universities in the capital city of Tokyo once she graduated and the money she earned from being the secretary to the student council would help cover some some of the tuition.
But it soon became clear that Haru Oda had selected her on her looks alone and not on her own merit. For soon he started to flirt shamelessly with Ichika Tamura who rejected his advances. Haru Oda was not a man to be taken lightly and took Ichika's rejections of his advances as an insult to his honor. One day before she was to start work Haru took down one of the treasured plates and threw it down on the floor of the room it shattered into a thousand little shards. When Ichika showed up to work, Haru scolded her and blamed the breaking of the plate on her. Saying she would have to pay to have the plate replaced for face being expelled from school.
Now Ichika Tamura was easily agitated and started to count the plates over and over again. Starting at one and ending at ten. Till at last Haru at wits end and wishing for the bedlam to end, reached over and wrapped his strong fingers tightly around Ichika's throat and with a burning rage in his eyes he closed his hold till Ichika stopped moving. Once his rage had passed, Haru was overcome by horror as he looked upon the lifeless body of the young woman who was spread across the floor of the room. But using his wits he ordered some of his underlining, fellow council members he could control through his family connections to help him move the lifeless body.
Since it was late in the afternoon the hallways of the school were empty. So they carried the lifeless body down the empty hallway. They carried her down the hallway, through the front door to the old well that was located behind the school. Under Haru's watchful eye they heaved the body of Ichika into the well and it vanished into the darkness below. Once that was done, Haru turned his eyes toward the two underlings and then in a cruel, cold, emotionless tone of voice threaten to not only kill them but bring ruin to their families if they ever breathed a word of what happen to anybody in the village and beyond.
Shaken the core Haru's underlings took an oath then and their not to breathe a word of what they saw. And so using the power of his family he covered up the murder. Skillfully wielding the power of the student council he ordered the well that hid Ichika's body sealed and a new one constructed. And he thought the matter settled. Or so he had hoped.
One night, a fortnight after the murder had taken place, Haru was staying late to finish some very important business for the student council when he heard a sound coming from the courtyard. It sounded like somebody was counting, counting in a very slow manner. Haru wanted to return to his work. It was already late, the hour of the Ox by the old counting or two o' clock in the morning by the new western method of keeping time. And most of the villagers save the night watchmen should be in bed. A few might be stumbling out of the sake houses that dotted the lonely mountain roads, but what business did they have here at school? None whatsoever. Nevertheless, Haru found his curiosity piqued by the counting and so he started toward the courtyard.
Once he reached the courtyard he spied the old well through the fur and pine trees that still dotted the earthen yard. Those trees still stand to this day and are said to the Kami that guard the school from harm, mountain slides and floods. But returning to the story, through the trees, Haru spotted the well, and rising up from the well was the ghostly form of a woman. Her jet black hair hung down like strings on her shoulder, her face was white as flour and her eyes were burned brighter than any bonfire he had ever seen before. In a loud voice that pierced the cool night called out.
“ONE!” before moving on to “TWO!” Then before moving on to “THREE” and so on till it reached the number nine then the ghost would toss her head back and scream, the scream was so loud that Haru could fell his head starting to split in two. Frightened, Haru ran for his life. Once he came to his senses he decided that the vision was nothing more than a hallucination brought on from the stress of his job as student council president. Maybe he was coming down with a fever or a cold, anyway he was sure it was just his mind playing tricks on him.
Anyway he refused to brighten and returned to work the next evening and once more the ghost appeared, counting, always pausing at nine and always screaming at the end. And so it went for weeks each night the ghost would appear and count, always counting and always pausing before screaming at the top of her phantom lungs. As the weeks dragged on, the effects of the ghost's nightly visits became apparent. Haru's sanity started to slip, he started to sleep less and less, he ate less and less. He gave up bathing and washing his hair, his eyes became sunk in and swollen. And then one day, the headmaster of the school found him in front of the well. He had committed Seppuku.
And while the ghost of Ichika Tamura had indeed claimed its revenge from beyond the grave, the death of Haru Oda by his own hands did not end the haunting. The haunting is carried on to this very day. Their still reports of the ghostly Ichika Tamura rising up from her watery grave and counting..
If you enjoyed this story, please join us next week as we hear a tale of dark magic in. “To Curse Someone Visit the Shrine at the Hour of the Ox” wow that is quite a long title! Anyway hope to see you then gentle readers!
Gakkou no Kaiden
To Curse Someone Visit the Shrine at the Hour of the Ox
Not too long ago there were two friends, their names were Ichika Nakamura and Sakura Suzuki both attended Satoyama High School. Now Ichika Nakamura and Sakura Sakura Suzuki had been friends since childhood. By all accounts the two should have been very close, almost best friends. Because the Nakamura family lived right across the road from the Suzuki Family and both families had served Oda Nobunaga when he had taken control of Mino Province during the Sengoku period.
But despite the closeness in age, and family ties the two were rivals, though most thought their rivalry was of the friendly short. Since Kindergarten they had challenged each in various fields, from seeing who could run the fastest to who could get a higher grade on an exam. Ichika Nakamura always seemed to have the stronger hand, she was the fastest runner of the pair, she got better grades, she developed sooner than Sakura Suzuki and was the first one to get a boyfriend.
Jealous flames burned in Sakura 's eyes as she watched Ichika prosper. And though Sakura outpaced many of her classmates she was always ranked toward the top of her class and was well ahead of her peers. She always seemed miles behind Ichika who seemed to excel at every sport and be very proficient when it came to her academic studies. Her social life too seemed to bloom as she was always surrounded by a group of loyal followers.
Late one night, during the summer holidays, Ichika Nakamura was returning home late one night from a party. It was a moonless night, and even the twinkling stars above were hidden behind dark, iron gray clouds. An unseasonably cold wind blew down from the snow capped peaks of the mountains and caused the pine and oak trees to shiver. Since the hour was late, Ichika thought she might save some time by taking a shortcut home, so she decided to follow a road that would lead her past an old shrine.
Carefully, she started to climb the stone steps that lead to the shrine. She was halfway up when she heard something, it sounded like something or somebody was hammering something into one of the trees. While Ichika's first thought was to keep going, she felt her curiosity piqued and so she decided to step off the stone path onto the ground and look for the source of the noise. The cold wind bit at her as she made her way through the trees. The darkness made it hard for her to see anything beside the shape of the trees and the outline of a few buildings, till at last she saw something. The flickering of yellow and orange light.
Taking a deep breath Ichika peered out from trees and in a clearing she noticed something that made her blood run cold. Because standing in the clearing was a girl who appeared to be around her age. Only the girl was wearing a strange costume. The costume was the most frightening thing about the whole thing. The girl wore a white kimono and obi and had covered her face with thick white face powder, an upturned trivet was placed on her head. Candles had been attached to her legs of the trivet and were burning bright. Her feet were bare, she noticed, and she also carried a small mirror between her breasts, a fearsome looking dagger was tucked behind the obi and a comb was held between her teeth.
Ichika blinked and leaned in a little closer to get a better look, she noticed the girl was holding a doll that had been made of straw with her left hand and was pressing the doll down, she was also hammering a long iron nail into the center of the doll. Each time she brought a small hand held hammer down upon the head of the nail, the sound would echo. The echo seemed to fill the forest.
Ichika became frightened and she started to back up. But as she started to back up, she stepped on a twig, the twig snapped under her weight. The girl stopped her hammering and turned toward the source of the noise, her eyes quickly caught sight of Ichika. The girl quickly dropped the hammer, and reached down and pulled out her dagger. Once her dagger was in her hand she started to charge Ichika.
Ichika of course took off running, she ran as quick as she could down the hill. The girl followed, Thankfully was a fast runner and thankfully she soon fell into a steady stride. But the girl was right behind her; she was mere feet behind her, just out of striking range. Ichika prayed and started to run faster and soon she felt her feet leaving the ground and landing on the black tarmac of the road. Gathering her wits about her she started to run toward town.
Thirty minutes late and a very out of breath Ichika burst through the doors of a nearby police box. Staffing the police box was a policewoman and a policeman. Both were about to settle down for an evening snack of donuts and coffee.
“I saw something!” Ichika said in a hurried tone of voice. “I saw somebody dressed like a monster at the shrine and now they're chasing me!” She added as she rushed into the waiting area. “Also they had a knife or something! Somebody please help me! I'm scared!” She yelled at the top of her lungs as she rushed into
“Calm down!” The policeman said as he stood up. “Please calm down Miss and tell us everything!” He added as he got up from his chair and hurried toward the door. Drawing his side arm he peered out into the darkness. After a few moments of looking around he noticed nobody was chasing the girl. So he returned to the side of Ichika and in a calm, comforting tone of voice said.
“Miss, nobody is chasing you. It's late, you must have just dreamed it up. Please return to your home.” He said as he stood up and walked over to the coffee pot. But Ichika was too afraid to leave the police box. And after much pleading begged the policewoman and man to follow her back to the shrine. They agreed and so they phoned ahead. Informing the head monk at the shrine of their pending visit. They also told the monk the story Ichika told them, of the horrible woman.
The monk seemed very concerned and told the policewoman that he would meet them there. And so Collecting their things, the policeman and policewoman asked Ichika if she could guide them toward the spot where she saw the ghoulish woman. Ichika agreed and bravely set off, it took about thirty minutes for them to reach the spot and for the old monk to hobble down the concrete steps but once he reached the tree his old brown face became pale and his eyebrows started to knit up in concern.
“Somebody.” He said reaching up and removing the long nail from the tree. The nail had not been driven deep into the tree and was easily removed. “Was trying to cast a curse upon you.” He said in a solemn tone of voice. “Somebody wished you great harm.”
The policewoman and man blinked. And Ichika blinked and blinked again as she reached out and took hold of the straw doll. “Does this mean I'm going to die of a curse?” She asked as she turned around and peered into the aged face of the monk.
“No, if you saw the person who tried to curse you. Then the curse must rebound on them.” And with that the monk left the group and returned to his quarters. That morning Sakura Suzuki died of a massive heart attack. She was found by her mother.
Gakkou no Kaiden:
The Lantern of Forbidden Love
Not too long ago there was a couple that lived in the village. Their names were Akari Takahashi and Asahi Maeda. Both attended the Satoyama High School, both had known each other since childhood, and despite their youth they both shared a love that was deeper than the ocean and higher than a mountain. Akari Takashi being the romantic type had promised Asahi Maeda her virginity and Asashi Maeda being the stout gentleman of samurai descent that he was, likewise promised to keep himself pure for her. This promise was made in the spring of the year when all the mountain side seemed to be coming back alive after a horrible winter.
Now a few days before the Obon celebration, Akari Takashi left Satoyama village to visit the nearby city that lays at the foot of the mountains. She wanted to do a bit of shopping and to buy a new kimono to replace her old one. And so early in the morning she collected some money from her mom, along with a shopping list, and packed a Bento Box. Once her lunch was packed she mounted her bike and took off. Thinking only a fun filled day of shopping and sightseeing was ahead of her.
I'm not sure what kind of day Akari Takashi had in the city, but I'm going to assume it was a fun one, and that time must have slipped through her fingers as she visited with her family members and spent time with her many cousins, and of course she shopped in all fancy boutiques that lined the main street of the city and of course I'm sure she dined at all the fancy cafes and restaurants. Because it was well past sunset when she finally started for home. The wire basket on her bike was filled with treasures and souvenirs to remind her of a fun-filled day in the city.
Now Akari Takashi had expected the bike ride back to Satoyama would take her at least three hours, maybe four depending on how fast she peddled. So she called her mom and told her she'll be very late coming home and not to expect her home till the hour of the Ox. That is between one or three o' clock in the morning. Her mother, alarmed, begged her to stay in town and to spend the night with one of her cousins that lived in town or to at the very least find a cheap room at the local. Because it was a moonless night and no stars could be seen in the heaven's above.
Now as the story goes, Akari Takashi did not heed her mothers warning and instead started for home once the evening sun had vanished behind the tall snow covered mountain peaks that loom above the fertile floor of the valley. It was a hot, humid, moonless night. The road that smacked around the mountain was narrow and perilous with plenty of blind curves and hairpin turns. There were no street lamps to illuminate the road and so Akari Takashi had to strain her eyes to see what was in front of her.
Through heaven's own luck she made it through the dangerous part of the route without any trouble. And it seemed just as the morning sun was about to rise over the snow covered mountain peaks that should have defied all odds and made it safely back home. Then something happened, from around the corner came the headlamps of an oncoming truck, the horn of the truck was blaring a warning. Blinded by the bright lights, Akari Takashi could not swerve to avoid an oncoming conclusion.
It was over in a blink of an eye. The truck smashed into Akira Takashi, mercifully breaking her neck first before every other bone in her body. Akari Takashi was killed on impact. And her death sent shockwaves through the school and the small community of Satoyama who came together to mourn her death. Her class, small as it might have been, was shattered too.
But, life must go on. And while the community grieved, the pattern of the seasons continued without interruption. Akari Takashi's classmates graduated from high school, rice was planted and harvested, the late summer rains sweetened the earth and before one could blink a eye. It was Obon time again.
Now Asashi Maeda had not forgotten about Akari Takashi, and still treasured her memory. He had graduated from High School, though he was ranked at the bottom of his class. His grades were not good enough to secure a scholarship for further education, instead he took to his family's trade of being a woodcutter and spent his days toiling in the mountain forest that grew on either side of Satoyama.
Then one night, a few nights before the Obon Festival was to take place, Asashi Maeda was greeted with a strange vision. In his vision, the mournful ghost of Akari Takashi appeared before him, dressed in a beautiful floral kimono. The ghost cried out, and accused Asashi Maeda of forgetting about her! The Phantom Akrai Takashi pointed a quivering finger at Asashi Madeda and suddenly his mind conjured up an image of a neglected grave. One that was covered in vines, choked by weeds, one that was blanket by all manner of litter, discarded drink bottles, empty soda cans, and wads of bundled up newspaper that bounced around.
“How could you let my grave become such a trash heap!” Cried the phantom Akrai Takashi as she drifted away! “I thought you loved me! I thought you loved me! I thought you loved me!” The phantom repeated as her voice died away and the vision started to fade away, like grains of sand being carried away by a stiff breeze.
The next morning Asashi Maeda awoke in a cold sweat, his nightshirt clung to him, his breathing was deep, hard, and nasally. As he tried to calm his beating heart, he tossed his sheets and blankets to the side as he lifted himself from the cotton futon. As the early morning sun streamed through his window, he decided that he should visit for the first time in almost a year the grave of Akai Takashi.
So under a burning July sun. Asashi Maeda hiked toward the village's cemetery. Once he reached the graveyard he sauntered through the gates and slowly made his way toward the lonely grave of Akai Takashi that was located in the newer section of the cemetery. Once he reached the grave, he did indeed find it in a near ruined state, for it was indeed covered in vines, choked by weeds, and littered with empty soda cans, and wads of bundle up newspaper. It seemed the Takashi's, consumed by the grief of losing their daughter, decided to move away from Satoyama following the funeral of their daughter. Where they had moved too, nobody in the village knew.
But, as a result, nobody had been around to tend to the grave of Akai Takashi and it had fallen into decay and ruin. The sight of the abounded grave drove Asashi Maeda to tears, and soon he was picking up the trash. The work was hard, but he pushed steadily through the mid-day heat till the setting of the sun. One the sun had set and night had fallen. Asashi Maeda allowed himself to rest.
But then something happened. From around the corner there came a glow, an unearthly glow, the glow seemed to bounce and soon the sound of footsteps on the flagstone path could be heard, then after a few moments had passed the phantom form of Akai Takashi appeared, holding in front of a lantern.
But something had changed about her, instead of a vengeful wraith, Akai Takashi appeared as a radiant woman who was dressed in a beautiful floral kimono. She smiled toward Asashi Maeda and with womanly charm invited him closer with a crooked finger. Enchanted, Asashi Maeda left the stone bench he was resting upon and followed Akai Takashi into a nearby abandoned temple.
What happened next, nobody knows, but the next day they found Asashi Maeda dead with a doornail, his face pale as flour and his body cold as an ice cube. The old monk that found him, refused to touch him, he only shook his head and in a mournful tone of voice said the young man had been bewitched by some spell and had met with a tragic end. But I believe Akai Takashi had just come to collect her boyfriend so they could cross over the Sanzu River together.
The End.
Gakkou No Kaiden
The Shadow Army of the Takanda Clan
Did you know the grounds upon which Satoyama High School was built was once a battlefield? During the Sengoku period an army of five thousand ashigaru and two thousand samurai were led into this valley by the famous Takeda Clan general Akiyama Nobutomo. Their goal was to take over this valley and take the castle that commanded the crossroads and allowed garrison the view of the surrounding countryside.
The castle garrison was commanded by the famed Oda Clan general Mori Nagayoshi who commanded around four thousand ashigaru men. When word reached Nagayoshi that a powerful Takeda Army was moving toward the castle, it was expected that he would hold up in the castle and wait for reinforcement from Gifu. Instead Nagayoshi rallied his men and marched out of the castle, he would meet Nobutomo in the field and defeat him there.
The place the two generals met was a field just north of the then tiny hamlet of Satoyama. On one side of the field the powerful Takeda Clan gathered and prepared to charge, the field was flat, and perfect ground for a powerful heavy cavalry charge that the Takeda were famous for. Indeed that is what Nobutomo had planned for, to send his prized two thousand strong heavy cavalry in first, smash the Oda front ranks to bits and pieces and then send in his ashigaru men with their long spears and pikes to finish the job.
Nagayoshi knew he was outnumbered and knew his chances of victory were slim. But he had an ace up his sleeve. For he possessed two thousand tanegashima guns. He ordered his gunman to up front and to form ranks, one man would fire and then hand it off to another man who would reload while the other man fired. He would hold his remaining three thousand men in reserve.
For two days the two armies faced each other. It was early Autumn then and it rained on and off for those two days, nothing heavy just enough to make the ground moist. Nobutomo fumed at the delay, but Nagayoshi used the time to build trenches on his side to trap the horsemen. The two days also allowed him time to bring up some reinforcements. Though these only numbered around five hundred. He also had more supplies brought up, this included thousands of extra bullets, thousands of extra pounds of black powder, along with rice, and tea.
Finally on the third day Nobutomo could wait no more and gave the signal from his command post to commence the attack. The thundering sound of charging horse's echoed off the steep cliff faces as the first wave of heavy Takeda cavalry charged toward the Oda's position. Nagayoshi was not frightened though and ordered his men to hold firm. Once they came within range though, a hail of bullets was fired at them.
Horses and men fell like autumn leaves. A second wave followed the first, again the muskets of the Oda clan brought down the proud and noble warriors of the Takeda. The field was soon covered with gray smoke. A third wave followed, and again the muskets of the Oda clan stopped the powerful onslaught of mounted warriors.
Nobutomo cursed Nagayoshi and then decided he would lead the next attack, leaving his command post he marched toward the place where the remains of his army had gathered. He ordered those remaining samurai to dismount and to join in with the charge of the ashigaru, a charge he himself would lead. He was sure at this point the Oda had run out of powder and that now their powerful muskets would be nothing more than clubs. How wrong he was. He was sure of victory and promised a reward of a thousand ryu to each man who brought a head of Oda retainer to him. He also promised vast riches and land to the man who brought the head of Nagayoshi to him. And with that being said, he lead out the attack.
Nagoyashi at this point remained firm. And ordered his men to remain firm. The field at this point had become upturned and was deeply rutted, it was also littered with the remains of horses and slain Takeda warriors. The advancing wave of Takeda warriors would have to charge over the dead bodies of the horses and of their slain brothers in arms.
Once the Takeda came within range. A withering volley of musketry was brought down on the Takeda. The front ranks of the attack melted away, the second rank shuttered, but still spurred on by their commander the Takeda men moved through the hail storm of bullets. Till at last it seemed they were about to reach the main Oda line. Nobutomo sensed victory was at last at hand. And pushed toward the front of the attacking host. It would be he who killed Nagoyashi and took his head.
But alas, Nobutomo was killed by a stray musket ball. With their commander dead, the remaining Takeda troops began to panic and they abandoned the attack. Seeing the remaining Takeda forces fleeing in disorder Nagoyashi ordered his men to now attack. And so he did, the remaining Takeda forces were routed from the field and those who escaped melted into the countryside. Some went over to the Oda side, others took up trades. And in the end Takeda suffered a humiliating defeat. And the Oda won an impressive victory.
The Oda Army moved on to fight other battles. And the field was cleared and the dead were buried in unmarked graves. Time moved on, the fighting came to an end and the warring states period gave way to the Edo Period. Peace returned to Japan. And for two hundred years Japan would know peace. But from time to time, a farmer would see a phantom column of ghostly ashigaru men marching across the field. Normally an hour before dust and an hour before dawn.
Local's thought it was the souls of those who were killed in the battle trying to return home. The field was soon abandoned out of fear of the ghost. But the ghost kept marching on. Even when the school was built it was reported the ghost of the slain men kept marching. And so to this day, they keep marching on. Trying to reach home. It's said if you see them, you would be forced to join their endless march.
Gakkou No Kaiden
The Curse of Tsumugi-chan
If you ever go into the principal's office you will notice that sitting right of the desk is an old fashioned doll that is sealed in a glass case. At the bottom you will see a sign that reads. “Warning: This doll is cursed, please do not touch it, and please do not touch the glass case.” Many think that this is a joke. But there is a good reason for the doll being sealed up and locked away in the principal's office.
In the early nineties there occurred a series of events that cast a long shadow over the students of Satyoma High School. The following events gave birth to a popular urban legend called “The Curse of Tsumugi-chan.”. The first tragic event that is accredited to Tsumugi-chan, the name which the doll often goes by, happened when a young boy let's call him 'A-kun' started playing around with a magnifying glass he had taken from the science supply room. 'A-kun' wanted to see if could catch the dolls on fire, since it was a bright and sunny day. So he placed the doll outside on the playground and held the magnifying glass up to catch the rays of sunlight. A small circle of light appeared at the back of the doll's hair and a few minutes later it started to smoke.
Luckily a teacher happened to pass by and seeing what mischief 'A-kun' was up to, rushed up and snatched the magnifying glass away from him. She then scolded 'A-kun' for improper use of school equipment. She then took the doll away too and let 'A-kun' off with a warning. Later that night a mysterious fire broke at 'A-kun' house, the fireman arrived just in time to save him, but all of his hair burned off his head. And he spent several weeks recovering in the hospital.
After what happened to 'A-kun' rumors started to spread among the students that the doll was cursed and anybody who damaged it would meet with misfortune. And so many students started to avoid the doll, until one morning a girl, lets call her 'B-chan' by mistake knocked her over and tore her shoulder. You see 'B-chan' was carrying a heavy stack of books from one classroom to the other when her shoe laces became undo and thus she tripped over them. As she fell forward, the large stack of books started to tumble forward. The books knocked off the doll that happened to be sitting on the ledge, as the doll tumbled down the stitching on its shoulders came undone and the doll became damaged.
The girl panicked and quickly collected the book and rushed to the other classroom. Leaving the doll laying on the floor. That afternoon, 'B-chan' was waiting for her friend on the top of the stairwell of the third floor. All of a sudden she felt an invisible hand push upon her back and soon she found herself falling down the wooden stairs. She landed on the bottom land, alive but her shoulder was bruised. She was rushed to the hospital via an ambulance where it was discovered that she had dislocated her wrist and broken her shoulder in the fall.
Upon her release. 'B-chan' took to doll to the local nearest Buddhist temple were a old monk told her that the doll was haunted by a frighting ghost a little girl who had been killed in a bombing raid in war. The girl had been fleeing with her mother when she had dropped her doll, breaking free of her mothers hand she rushed back to pick up the doll when a bomb fell near her, killing her. The Buddhist monk said the doll should be sealed up, and offered to take it in, but feared the evil presents of the doll.
The last event, and the most tragic of them, was when two boys, let's call them 'C-kun' and 'D-kun' , were fooling around one day in the hallway. They were late for class and thus they were running full speed down the hallway. One of the boys 'C-kun' slipped and pumped into the doll, the doll fell over and its head rolled down the stairwell.
What happened next was reported by his friend 'D-kun'. A few moments after the doll was knocked over, a ghost of a little girl appeared in front of my 'C-kun'. The doll was dressed like a farmer's daughter from the war era. Tears were running down her cheeks as she pointed toward the doll and asked them how they could ever do such a terrible thing. A moment later the girls face became pinched and her skin turned green and before their very eyes she transformed into a fearsome Oni. One with green skin, deep red eyes, huge teeth and golden colored horns and with superhuman strength she reached out and took hold of 'C-kun' and making a inhuman noise she tore off his head. Killing him.
After that the principal of the school had the doll taken back to the same Buddhist temple that 'B-Chan' had visited before. The monk once again refused to touch it, but instead blessed the doll and advised the principal to have the doll sealed behind a glass case. The principal did as the old monk had suggested and so to this day the doll remains sealed within a glass case, putting safety aside so nobody touches it.
And so, hopefully nobody will touch the doll, but what about the ghost of the little girl? I don't know, but according to some she still hangs around the doll. Guarding it, I don't think the monk's blessing was strong enough to cut the cord that binds her to this world. I believe she is still waiting, waiting to dish out justice to anyone who dares harm her treasured doll. And thus the ' The Curse of Tsumugi-chan' endures and will endure for as long as the stories that surround the doll are told and retold by each class.
Gakkou No Kaiden:
The Legend of Hanako-san
Did you know the bathroom on the third floor of Satoyama High School is rumored to be haunted by a ghost? According to an old urban legend, a girl named Hanako Sakurajima once attended school here, the girl was often bullied and teased by the other girls. So intense was the bullying that Hanko Sakurajima decided one day to take her life. She did it by slitting her wrist in the third stall of the girls bathroom on the third floor. So unpopular was Hanako Sakurajima that nobody noticed she was missing. In fact a full day passed before her lifeless body was discovered in the third stall.
Hanako Sakurajima's death was more of an inconvenience than a tragedy, the school had to close for a day while police conducted some interviews. Many of Hanako's classmates treated it like a holiday, nobody attended her funeral. And the school authorities seemed content to forget about it. No formal investigation into bullying was ever launched. And many of the teachers saw Hanako's suicide a stain on the school's honor. A certain level of bullying was to be expected and it was often thought that those who could not deal with it were weak. In fact many of the teachers spoke ill of Hanako following her death, since her death inconvenienced them and made them postpone their lessons.
A little while after her death. Strange things started to happen in the bathroom on the third floor. Rumors started to float around school that Hanako had returned from beyond the grave. Her torment soul had returned as Onryo. A vengeful spirit who has returned from the afterlife to seek revenge on those who had harmed them. Girls who used the third floor bathroom often reported strange things. Things like door opening and closing on their own. The water faucet turns on and off on its own.
Some even reported being pushed or shoved, some even had their hair pulled or their skirts flipped. Still others reported hearing disembodied laughter of crying. After a while people stopped using the bathroom. And students were often assigned the task of cleaning the bathroom as a punishment for their misbehavior.
Now, not too long ago there was a girl, let's call her 'A'. she was a tomboy, loud, commanding, fearless, she often spoke her mind and was something of a bully. As you know, 'A' recently got out of the hospital, according the teachers she tried to commit suicide by slitting her wrist, but was saved by the Girls P.E coach who wrapped the wound and called an ambulance. She was rushed to a local hospital where a doctor managed to close the wound. And save her life. But since then she has been afraid to go into any of the bathrooms alone.
Well, what if I told you that 'A' had really been attached to Hanako-San? I doubt you would believe me, but I spoke with 'A' after she was attacked and that's what she said had happened. According to her, she had been told to clean the bathroom on the third floor as punishment for cutting class again. After collecting her cleaning supplies from the broom closet on the third floor she started to march toward the bathroom.
Now, according to her, when she entered the bathroom the door closed on its own and the door to the third stall opened on its own. After a few minutes it closed on its own. This did not bother 'A' in the least bit instead she decided to mock whoever was making the doors open and close by themselves. She said something like,
“Oh you are a silly ghost! Are you Hanako-san? I heard you were a coward and killed yourself here because you could not stand up for yourself. That was a really foolish thing to do!”
Her voice seemed to echo in the empty chamber that was the bathroom. But nothing happened, and so 'A' feeling sure of herself started to clean. After all, who's afraid of a ghost of a girl who killed herself? Who would be timed by such a weak willed girl? Not her. And so she started to clean, a quarter of an hour passed. And then another quarter of an hour and soon the bathroom was spotless. 'A' thankful that her work was done, smiled and collected her cleaning supplies and started toward the door.
But the door was locked. It was like somebody or someone was pushing upon it. Then the door of the third stall slowly inched open and there in the doorway stood a young girl with bob black hair, her eyes were blood red and she wore a red jumper dress with a white blouse under it. In her hand she held what appeared to be a box cutter. Slowly she advanced on 'A' and in a low tone of voice she said.
“It's not nice to tease the supernatural.”
And that dear reader is why you should not tease the supernatural or taunt Hanako-san.
Gakkou No Kaiden
Kimodameshi
Each summer the teenagers and children of Satoyama play a game called Kimodameshi or “The Test of Courage''. In the game, a person is normally dared to venture alone to a location that is supposed to be haunted. Once there they are to retrieve something from the location, to prove they really went there. Sometimes they are required to take a picture of the place and leave a token as proof of their midnight visit. In other parts of Japan this could be a supposed haunted house, an abandoned hospital, or an abandoned school. Normally only a dark path will lead one to this supposed haunted location.
In Satoyama an old, abandoned Shinto Shrine that is located deep in the mountains is a popular location that young men will often venture to at night to prove their courage. The shrine is ten kilometers from the village. To reach the shrine one must first navigate a dark, overgrown forest with only the light of a lantern and the brightness of the moon to guide their steps, then they must climb a lonely mountain trail.
Once they reach the shrine they are supposed to leave an offering of a ten yen coin and snap a picture of the front of the shrine. Then they are supposed to leave a white candle with there name carved down the center. Come morning they are supposed to return with their friends and those who dared them, the candle being there would prove then visited the shrine, and the picture would prove they went at night. The time stamp on the photo would also help prove their claim.
Now, the story I'm going to tell you is the story my sempai told me when I first moved to Satoyama from Tokyo last year. Its an account of the dangers of the shrine. And the supernatural threats that lurk along the mountain trails at night and under the low hanging branches of the forest. She claims she heard this tale first hand, and that the one who told it to her has now vanished. Or more properly been spirited away.
Now my story concerns the midnight trek of a boy named Suguro Misato. He was something of a daredevil. He often tended to boast about his courage and was the star of the Kendo team. One afternoon one of his teammates dared him to visit the old Shinto Shrine at the hour of the Ox. Now the hour of Ox was known to be the hour when ghosts, goblins, witches, and monsters were at their strongest and when the boundaries between this world and the spirit was at it's thinnest.
Sugur Misato was not afraid of any ghost. And boasted if he ever encountered one, he would vanish them with his wooden practice sword. And so he agreed to the bet, and as soon as the sun had set he started down the road that would take him to the old shrine. The night was hot and humid and so he dressed lightly.
Feeling bold, Sugur decided to take a different route than the one normally taken. This one would lead him through an old, abandoned cemetery that had fallen into disrepair. Now normally even during the day when the sun was shining the cemetery would seem like a foreboding place to be, with broken flagstone pathways, litter with broken vases, and its row upon row of aging stones, covered with moss. But at night it seemed downright nightmarish.
Sugur, considering himself a stout, modern day samurai, paid no attention to shadows the graves cast as he marched boldly down the broken pathway. But then something happen, a ghostly white hand reached out from the graves and snatched him by arm and dragged him down to the ground. Sugur leap to his feet and spun around.
And there before him stood a floating pair of white hands. Stunned Sugur dropped his sword and started to rush down the broken pathway. The hands chased him. Running full speed, at a reckless dash, Sugur soon cleared the graveyard. Frightened, he thought about turning back, but that would mean he would have to face the phantom hands again.
Taking a deep breath Sugur peered at the opening in the forest that stood before him, an old dirt road ran through the forest. He would have to take this dirt road, then climb a steep mountain trail before he could reach the shrine. He could feel his heart giving away, but, he reminded himself who he was and so he started to hike into the forest.
The inside of the forest was darker than the night that surrounded him. In his hast to set off on his quest he had forgotten to bring with him a lantern, though he had his phone and a white candle with his name carved into the center. The forest path curved in front of him, and often he had to feel his way forward. Step by step he advanced, then a few paces ahead he saw something coming toward him. It was a bright ball of yellow light.
Sugur paused and peered toward the light, the light started to move toward him. Once the ball of light was three meters away from him, Sugar felt his blood run cold. Standing just ahead of him was an old man that was holding a lantern. The old man was dressed in the robes of a monk. But his face, his face was smooth as an egg and void of any features.
Sugur overcome by fear, bolted away from the old man, he then paused, if he went the direct he came he would have to face the floating ghost hands, if he kept going down the forest road he would have the face the faceless monk. Caught between two supernatural being, Sugur decided to dive into the forest. And so he did, he left the main road and started to wander through the forest. By luck, he managed to find the main road again.
Sugur was now scared out of his mind, but was sure he had to prove his courage. And so he pushed on.. and soon he had put the forest behind him. Now it was only the lonely mountain trail to climb before he could claim victory. The trail was steep and soon Sugur was sweating bullets as he forced himself to climb up the steep grade.
Now halfway up the mountain trail one will come to a stream. The stream is swift, and the water is deep and cold. Sugur soon reached this stream and was forced to pause. He had been dreading this part of the test, you see at one point in time the shrine had built and maintained a footbridge reaching from one bank of the stream to the other. The bridge had fallen into disrepair when the shrine had been abandoned and a year or so ago the rotten remains had been washed down stream when the melting snow had swollen the stream and forced it out of its banks. Leaving Sugur no choice but to wade across the stream.
And so holding his Lantern up. Sugur took a deep breath and started to wade into the icy cold waters, the current almost knocked him down and the solo's of his plastic shoes struggled to find purchase as he inched across the slimed covered rocks that formed the bottom of the stream. Once or twice he almost lost his balance, but he struggled on. Halfway across the stream, a green webbed claw reached out from the waters and wrapped itself around Sugur leg. The talon pierced his skin and drew blood, Sugur yelled in pain and stumbled forward.
For a few minutes he thought he might drown as he failed around in the swift flowing stream. The water around him turned bright red as blood flowed from his gash on his leg into the water, but at last, Sugar managed to kick himself free and quickly managed to wade to the other side. Once he reached the bank he fell down, he was out of breath and his leg looked like a wild beast had wrapped its claws around it.
It was now the hour of the Ox and the sun would rise soon. And Sugur still had a ways to go. So gathering his strength, Sugur started to walk down the old, mountain trail. Each step he took caused his wound to open a little more. He limped alone though, his solo thought was getting to the shrine before the sun rose over the pines. Because if he failed to reach the shrine before sunrise then all of this would have been in vain and he would have failed his test of courage.
As he neared the shrine, Sugur felt his strength starting to fail him. His chest was now heaving up and down and beads of sweat were now appearing on his forehead and his breathing was deep. Each step he took seemed to require an untold amount of strength. But then he heard something, deep within the forest that surrounded the old dirt road that led to the shrine he heard what appeared to somebody driving a nail into a tree. Sugur, weak, but overcome with curiosity, decided to see what the tapping sound was.
He had only gone a few meters when to his horror he saw something. Standing in a grove of sacred trees was a woman who was dressed in a white kimono, her face was also painted white and she wore an iron crown upon her head. Three floating candles surrounded the crown, the orange and red flames seemed to almost flicker and dance around. She also wore a mirror around her neck. The woman seemed to be nailing a straw doll into one of the sacred trees.
Sugur swallowed hard and started to back away. This test of courage was proving too much for him. He slowly started to back away, but as he started to back up the hill, his foot caught on a branch and he fell forward toward the woman. The woman turned around and out of the corner of her eye she spotted Sugur laying on the ground. The woman, alarmed at being discovered, reached into her kimono and pulled out a small knife.
Raising her voice to a yell she started to charge at Sugur, who had just enough time to recover himself from his fall. He then felt his blood run cold as he watched the woman come charging at him, the naked blade of the knife catching the dying rays of light of the full moon as she closed the gap between him and her. Sugur closed his eyes and the last thing he felt was the knife being driven into his neck.
Or so he thought. When he opened his eyes, he was not in heaven nor was he in hell. Instead he was surrounded by four white walls and he was hooked up to a breathing machine. An IV was poked into his arms. Confused and scared he pushed the call button that was next to the bed, a moment later a nurse appeared in the doorway of his room.
The nurse amazed that Sugur was awake called for a doctor who informed Sugur that he had been out for three full days. He also told him that a forester had found him. And when he was found he was badly injured, so bad they had to airlift him and fly him to the nearest hospital. But the good news was that now he was awake and his injuries were healing. And they expected him to make a total recovery. And that how Sugur test of courage ended. So I would like to say, what really happen though is this, after he was released from the hospital, he wrote down all that happen to him that night and started to walk toward the mountains. He was never heard from or seen again. It was like Sugur had vanished into thin air.
Gakkou No Kaiden
The Futakuchi-onna
This story was told to me by a student in classroom 1-B. According to her, some years ago a mysterious transfer student by the name of Yuna Kagesaki joined the school halfway through the school year. And by all accounts she was a true beauty to behold with long, straight black hair, porcelain skin, heart shaped face, almond shaped eyes and petite frame she became an object of desire for all her male classmates who flirted endlessly with her. Though with demure charm she rebuffed all their advances.
But there was something odd about Yuna Kagesaki, something that all her female classmates noticed at first but her male classmates only noticed as the days went on. During lunch, Yuna Kagesaki would sit in a corner and look at her classmates. She never seemed to bring lunch. Nor was she even seen to eat anything, not even a snack. And most alarming of all, she never seemed to drink anything, even on the hottest day.
But she never seemed famished and never complained about being hungry or thirsty. In fact Yuna Kagesaki never seemed to talk at all. And though she was quite popular with the boys, she never seemed to revel in the attention they seemed to shower on her, and she never seemed eager to join her classmates when they invited her to join them at lunch time. In fact she seemed perfect content to sit in her little corner and watch them.
Now, rumors started to spread about Yuna Kagesaki, some said she was too poor to afford food and yet she was too proud to beg, and accept charity. Others said there was no transfer student by the name Yuna Kagesaki. But most thought she was just a picky eater and the rustic palate of the students did not suit her refined taste, after all according to the rumors that surrounded her, she had transferred from metro Tokyo.
And after all, according to another rumor the Kagesaki family had brought a new cottage out in the country and that her father was a wealthy businessman who had moved his family to this rustic village to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city. So the rumor that Yuna Kagesaki was too poor to afford her school lunches was often written off as such a rumor. But still, how to explain the fact that she never seems to eat anything.
Now in Yuna Kagesaki class there was a shy girl named Karin Maaka, who wanted to prove her courage to her fellow classmates. And so she volunteered to follow Yuna Kagesaki home and spy on her, after all if the girl was too shy to eat around her classmates, and as she always seemed to skip lunch, surely when she reached home she would be famished. And so with her mind made up, Karin Maaka decided to follow Yuna Kagesaki home one evening and discover her secret.
A few days passed before Karin Maaka decided to put her plan into action. Then late one afternoon, as the sun was starting to set over the mountains, and long after the final bell had rung, Yuna Kagesaki finally started for home. She had drawn the short straw that day and had to stay behind and clean the bathrooms of the school and straighten her homeroom. It's a custom in Japan that students must help keep the school clean, you see. And today was Yuna Kagesaki's turn.
And so with the sun setting over the mountains and the wind whistling through the trees, Yuna Kagesaki passed through the iron gate and started down to walk down the lonely streets. It was late in the afternoon and most of the main business had already closed for the day.
In fact, only the police station, the small clinic, and the few convenience stores that called the village home remained open. Karin Maaka expected Yuna Kagesaki to stop at one of these convenience stories and pick something up. A late afternoon snack. But she did not, instead she kept walking, she walked right past them, in fact she walked quite fast and Karin Maaka had to struggle to keep up.
Soon the girls were leaving the populated village center, the row of houses and shops and neat and order streets gave way to rice paddies and patches of woods. Houses outside the main village center were rare and spaced pretty far apart. I'm not sure how far the girls walked. But once they were alone, Yuna Kagesaki stopped dead in her tracks, and without turning around said.
“Would you like to know my secret Maaka-San?” She said without turning around to face Karin.
Karin blinked and blinked again and only nodded her head.
“Very well. I'm quite hunger and I think you would make a tasty meal.” Yuna Kagesaki said as she took a deep breath. At that all the hairs on her head started to move as if they were alive. Karin Maaka blinked again and just stood there; it was like she paralyzed with fear.
The long, back strands of hair parted and there in the middle of her head was a huge gaping mouth with row upon row of sharp teeth. A long, red forked tongue came from the middle. Before Karin Maaka could scream, the hair shot at her and wrapped around her wrist. A moment later Karin found herself being pulled toward the open mouth. Karin had time enough to scream before her world went blank.
The very next day Yuna Kagesaki's classmates learned that she would be changing school's again. Her father had been promoted and the family would be moving to far away Kyoto. Yuna Kagesaki, always the demure young lady, bowed formally to her classmates and thanked them for all the kindness they showed her in the small amount of time they had been together.
And the desk that Karin Maaka normally sat it, was empty. A few days passed and Karin Maaka was posted as missing and her face appeared on milk jugs across the region and Yuna Kagasaki left the village. What became of Yuna Kagesaki I have no idea, I believe she still roams Japan, looking for her next meal And Karin Maaka of course was never found. I mean how could she be? She was in Yuna Kagasaki's belly.
Gakkou No Kaiden
The Haunted Doll of the Annual Traffic Safety Lesson
Each bring the police women of the traffic division of the Satoyama Police Department host an annual “Traffic Safety Lesson” for the children and teenagers of the village. Kindergarten children are taught basic traffic laws and general guidelines. Elementary School children are taught more advanced traffic laws and are often given top to each other safely. Middle School children are often given a chance to show what they have learned and often take on leading roles in lessons. Junior High School students are often given lessons of their own to teach and last, but not least High School students often volunteer their own free time to help the policewoman conduct lessons. The last two are often presented with special rewards at the end of the lessons. The lesson is normally conducted over a period of one or two days, sometimes even three days.
Now the lessons are really a series of fun-filled activities, such as a puppet show, live demonstrations and lectures. One of the live demonstrations features a male crash test dummy that is named “Ken-Kun'' the dummy is often paired with a female crash dummy called “Sakura-Chan” before the live demonstration the school children are given a chance to learn a little about each dummy. I'll give you an example using “Sakura-Chan ''. The biography for “Sakura-Chan” is that loves cooking, and aspires to become a famous chef one day. She is also really into fashion, and dreams of one day becoming a beautiful bride. She also really adores the major majokko anime “Little Witch in the Dark Forest!” In essence “Sakura-Chan '' is supposed to be your average middle school schoolgirl. She is often supposed to have a crush on her classmate “Ken-Kun” but the students must promise to keep that bit of information their little secret.
On the other hand “Ken-Kun is a fan of the very popular live action super sentai television “Space Ranger chosen to Defend the Planet Earth from the Evil Moon Creatures!” He also likes to catch bugs, fish. He too is often supposed to have a crush on his classmate “Sakura-Chan” who sits beside him in math class but is too afraid to ask her out. That is one of the many facts about himself he will share with the student body when he is introduced to them.
Now around the second day of lessons. The children will learn the importance of looking in both directions before crossing a very busy street. To teach this lesson a sketch is normally performed by two high school students. One of them is supposed to cosplay as “Sakura-Chan” the other is supposed to cosplay as “Ken-Kun” but in lean times, one of the male students has been known to be drafted to play “Sakura-Chan”. Anyway the two perform what is supposed to be a romantic scene. Normally the two are shown sharing an oversized Bento Box during the school's lunch hour. Normally Ken-Kun is supposed to be blushing and Sakura-Chan is supposed to be Ken-Kun Blushing.
It's then that Ken-Kun would surprise Sakura-Chan by asking her if she would like to go to the movies this coming Sunday afternoon. Her favorite anime “Little Witch in the Dark Forest!” Has just released its first full length animated movie entailed. Little Witch in the Dark Forest!: The Cold Revenge of the Snow Queen Yuki-Onna!. And Ken-Kun has gone out of his way to reserve two online tickets for the Sunday matinee showing. Overjoyed, the normally reserved Sakura-Chan will leap to her feet and wrap her tiny arms around Ken-Kun's broad shoulders and knock him to the ground. While shouting yes she would love to go with him at the top of her lungs.
The next scene shows Sakura-Chan getting ready for her date, she does her hair, she paints her nails, and she applies a little make-up, and finally she picks out a stunning pink dress from her closet. Once she is dressed she picks up her purse and heads out the door. The scene then cuts to Ken-Kun who is talking to one of his friends on his cellphone while walking toward the theater. He cuts his conversation short as he sees Sakura waiting for him on the other side of the street.
At this point the lesson is driven home. Sakura-Chan overjoyed at seeing Ken-Kun rushes across the street without looking both ways first, at this moment the person playing Sakura-Chan is instructed to roll behind something and hide, while the crash dummy that's dressed just like Sakura-Chan is tossed into the road, just as a white moving van comes speeding down the street and crashes into Sakura-Chan. The crash dummy is tossed to the side like a rag doll and the white moving van speeds up and speeds away.
A few tense moments later a dozen extras rush in and an ambulance is called. The crash dummy is then loaded up on a gurney and pushed into the back of the waiting ambulance while a pair of paramedics start working on trying to save the dummy. The policewoman giving the lesson then leaves the group of children who have been watching, she rushes over and talks to the paramedics and after bowling returns to talk to the children. In a stunned voice she tells the children that Sakura-Chan is being transported to a nearby hospital and that the hospital will be keeping her updated on her condition.
Ten minutes past slowly by and the policewoman is giving another lesson. This one on what the street signs mean, when suddenly her cell phone rings. She tells the children that this might be the hospital calling to tell them about their friend Sakura-Chan. She boys and then steps away to take her call. One of the older teenagers then takes charge of the lesson. Another ten tense minutes pass before the woman returns and in a sad, defeated tone of voice tells the gathered group of children that their friend Sakura-Chan did not make it, despite being rushed into surgery as soon as she reached the hospitals. The Doctors and nurses could not save her life. The policewoman sighs and says in a mournful tone that Sakura-chan would still be alive and enjoying her date if she had just looked both ways before crossing that busy street.
Now according to a friend of mine, one who volunteered to play Sakura-Chan, something strange happen one year that caused them to abandon that skit. One year right after they tossed the crash dummy into the street something weird happened. The dummy started to talk, at first the policewoman thought it was one of the volunteers playing a very mean trick on her, the girl who had volunteered to play Sakura-Chan that year was something of a rookie ventriloquist with some noticeable skill. But then the dummy did something that was almost impossible for it to do. It turned it's head and faced the crowd of children.
Then the horrified crowd noticed that the doll seemed to be bleeding from the corner mouth, as a dark, crimson red trickle of what appeared to be red blood pooled around the doll, the shrill voice of the doll echoed across the area.
“Please mommy! It hurts, it hurts so much!” The crash dummy was reported to wail as its plastic eyelash's fluttered and a salty tear ran down its plastic cheeks. “Make the pain stop!” The doll was then reported to have coughed as the pool of blood spread across the stone paved street. The crowd had been stunned into silence. The policewoman quickly left the scene and rushed toward the area where the young woman was hiding, but instead of finding a giggling prankster she found a cowering volunteer who looked on in horror as the crash dummy's face turned around and peered toward the two.
“How could you do this to me mommy!” How could you do this to me mommy!” And to the horror of the policewoman and the volunteer, the eyes of the plastic dummy seemed to flutter once more before closing. After that incident the police department stopped putting on that skit for the children, and found a less dramatic way to drive the message home that one should look both ways before crossing a busy street. And the test dummies, oh they remained on school ground. The Sakura-Chan dummy and Ken-Kun dummy are stored at the very back of the shed that sits behind the school's gym. Every once in a while the shed needs to be cleaned out, and then the doll is reported to cry out again.
“It hurts mommy! Please make the pain go away!” Some claim the doll has become haunted by the spirit of a little girl who was really killed trying to cross the street one day and is still calling out for its mother. What do you believe?
Gakkou no Kaiden:
Beware of the Water Demon!
The mountain village of Satoyama is surrounded by thousands of small rice paddies that are fed by countless streams that flow down from the snow capped mountains that surround the village. In the hot, humid summer months the children of the village often play in the cool streams. Be it swimming, fishing or just lounging in the shadow of a tree that has grown by the waters edge. These nameless streams are often a popular escape from the heat of summer.
But did you know that the clear, cool waters of these mountain brooks are the hunting grounds of a water demon? The demon is said to take the form of a humanoid turtle that is around the size of a child, and often looks like a cross between a turtle and a monkey. The creature is called the Kappa and is often said to lurk in the reeds and its favorite type of prey are careless swimmers and fisherman that cross its path. Indeed it is often said to carry them off to some hidden water cave where it drowns them before feasting on them.
Now the story I'm going to tell you was told to me by an old fisherman called Matsumi Miyazaki. Miyazaki-San is a tall man, taller than the rest of the villagers, and countless seasons of fishing the nameless streams of mountains for his supper have turned his skin the color of old leather. It is with his permission that I share this story he told me one summer's evening as he and I sat on his front porch.
When Matsumi Miyazaki was a young man he would spend any and all free time searching the mountains for streams that would yield a rich harvest of trout that he would sell in the village market. Miyazaki-San was also something of a mountain man who in the autumn would search the mountain of mushrooms to sell and in the winter would search the snow covered mountain in search for downed trees that he would chop up and sell for firewood.
Now around to Miyazaki-San one day about forty two years ago he was fishing has he normally does in the summer for trout to sell at the evening market. He was having no luck and his wicker fishing basket was empty. As he hiked along the waters edge he noticed how inviting the water seemed. How cool and refreshing it seemed and so thinking that since the fish weren't biting that afternoon he would instead take a dip and refresh himself.
And so Miyazaki-San started to strip himself down to his bare skin, when he noticed a around, black shape appearing in the water in front of him. Miyazaki-San was quickly overcome by curiosity and leaned over the bank to get a closer look at the large black shadow that seemed to move under the water.
A mount later, a strange turtle-like creature popped out of the water and wrapped its webbed hands around Miyazaki-San and quickly pulled him into the water. Now Miyazaki-San was not a weak man by any means and he tried to fight the creature, but even his strength seemed to fail him as he tried to break the iron grip of the creature.
Then something happened. The strange turtle-like creature, peered into Miyazaki-San's eye and seemed to smile and in perfect Japanese said. “I will save you for later. You're too handsome to eat. Also your flesh is too tough. It must age some more before I dine on you.” And with that it released Miyazaki-San from its grip and swam away.
Stunned, though grateful Miyazaki broke the surface of the water and clawed his way up a nearby bank. Then panting like a dog, he discovered the river had carried him far away from where he left his gear. Now, how to end this story. A few weeks ago Miyazaki-San stopped by my place and told me he was going fishing in the mountains and he invited me to come along with him. I was sick at the time with a horrible head cold and so I had declined his offer. He understood and wished me a quick recovery. That was the last time I saw him. Or the last time any of the villagers saw him. His gear was discovered by a stream a few days later. Something had snapped his fishing pole in half, and smashed his fishing basket. His fishing hat with all his lure was later found a dozen miles downstream.
Some say he must have slipped and fell into the water. Yet his body was never recovered. I think the Kappa came back to claim him after all these years. After all, what is forty years to a water demon? If you liked this story, please read on. There are more Kaiden just around the corner. Just around the next page.
Gakkou No Kaiden
Hyakki Yagyo – Night Parade of a Hundred Demons
According to the old folks in Satoyama village, on certain nights between June and August, a parade of one hundred different Oni and Yokai are said to march through the narrow streets of the village. The local monks at the nearby temple will warn you it's best to stay safely shut inside your home on these certain nights unless you wish to encounter such a terrible sight. But be warned if you do encounter such a parade you will spirited away and be forced to join in the march, forever.
Now, this story was told to me by an old villager. I will call her 'Granny-San' because that is what the other villages call her. She is a shy, old woman, who lives alone in the mountains and only comes to town a few times each week to buy what little she requires from the small shops of the village. Her income comes from rent the local farmers pay to use her land to grow rice and other such crops.
She told me this story late one autumn afternoon while she and I were sitting around her kitchen table. I had come across her earlier that day while I too had been shopping for a few things I needed. And had offered to carry her groceries home for her, since the shop's delivery boy was out of town that day, visiting his girlfriend in neighboring Gifu City. And as a small token of her gratitude she invited me in to enjoy some tea and sweets with her. As we enjoyed our tea, she told me this story.
Now Granny-San had been born and raised in this village, her family as she'll proudly say have made Satoyama their home since the Tokugawa Period (1603 – (1876) when the local Lord opened the village to settlement by the common people.
Now when Granny-San was young she used to love collecting stories about the supernatural. And would often write them down in her notepad to share with her friends and family. One night, a visiting monk from a nearby temple was visiting with Granny-San. The monk was an old man, with a shiny bald head. With bushy eyebrows that looked like white fuzzy caterpillars. The monk often visited Granny-San's house to play a game of Go with her father. After their game the two men would sit out on the porch and drink tea and talk about the weather. Or certain events that were going on in the village.
One afternoon the talk turned to the supernatural. The old monk told Granny-San's father Yokai and Oni that they lived in the mountains. Were gathering for the first parade of the summer season. And told Granny-San's father that his family should remain inside on the first night after the new moon. As that would be the night of the parade and their house was located on the route they wished to take.
Now Granny-San at the time was a young inquisitive girl who wanted to know everything. She also happened to pass by when the talk of the supernatural came up. The talk of the supernatural piqued her curiosity and caused her to move a little closer so she could eavesdrop onto the conversation. As she listened at the door she learned of the parade that was to take place. And decided then and there she must witness such a sight.
Now what happened then? Well it happened that night was the first night after the new moon. And using the excuse that she needed to return a book to a friend she slipped out an hour before sunset and once she was out of sight she hid herself in some mulberry bushes that grew on the side of the road. Once she was hidden she started to wait till the sun set. As she waited she felt herself grow tired and so she laid down upon the hot earth. As soon as she laid down upon the hot earth sleep overtook and she fell into a light, but uneasy sleep.
Full darkness had fallen about the time Granny-San awoke from her nap. She awoke to the sound of cymbals banging together, drums being beaten, flutes being blown. And a bedlam of noise. Slowly she looked up and noticed that the street seemed to be filled with all manner of demons and monsters. She knew some of them from the folk stories her grandmother had told her.
Dozens of Kappa's marched side beside one behind the other, in their webbed hand they held polished cymbals and at every other step they would bang them together. Causing the windows in the nearby houses to rattle. Above them floated dozens and dozens of Yuki-Onna whose ice cold breath froze all gutters and turned the water in them to ice.
Next legions of other demons she did know the name of came, walking side by side, and one behind the other. The sound of their laughter filled the air and it sounded like the cackle of a dozen different witches. Demons with skin the color of lava marched too, each one holding a bright burning torch that seemed to drip hot waves that cooled as soon as it touched the ground.
Granny-San told me she became so frightened that she tossed herself down on the ground and started to shiver as the parade passed her by. At this she ended her tale, but I had to ask her, why was she not spirited away like the old story says?
At this her old wrinkled face grew dim and she seemed to grow sad.
“Because.” She said at last. “After the demon's with skin like lava. I saw row upon row of human's. It said if there is a human that you knew in the parade they will spare you. All the human's were chained together and linked together so when one moved the other had to move.” She sighed. “In the front I saw my mother who had died of cancer the season before last. I think her spirit took my place.”
And if you want another scary story. Please go ahead and read the next one.
Gakkou No Kaiden
Andou-San the Red Head
Our next ghost story concerns an wrathful spirit by the name of Andou-San the Red Head. According to legend, Andou-San is said to haunt the stairwell between the second and third floor of Satoyama High School. Why does she haunt the stairwell? Well according to legend Andou-San transferred into Class 2-B in the middle of the school year and despite her best efforts she was shunned by her classmates. Andou-San came from Tokyo and her accent was a bit out of place among the plain spoken folks of Satoyama. She was also a rare beauty who had been an upcoming idol before her father decided to uproot the family from their settled life in Tokyo and move them to Satoyama so he could take over the family's farm.
Now here is how the story goes. Andou-San was not only shunned by her classmates, but she was also bullied too. Andou-San suffered in silence for as long as she could. But one night she could not take it anymore. So one night she silently entered the school house and climbed to the very top of the building. Once she reached the top of the building she removed her shoes and jumped off the ledge. A few seconds later she smashed into the ground and her head broke apart like an egg that had been dropped by a careless hand. The blood pooled around her and dyed her hair red. Since then her spirit has been reported to be seen walking up the stairs on nights of the new moon.
If you happen to spend the night at school, as some students do. And you happen to encounter Andou-San between the second and third floor. She will ask you one question and your fate depends on how you answer her. That question being, “Is my hair red?” If you say “Yes” she will reach out and with supernatural strength smash your head down into concrete steps. Killing you and your blood will dye your hair red as well. If you say “No” then she will say “You're a fool.” And with her supernatural strength she'll pop your head off and toss it out the window.
The only way to escape Andou-San is to run past her and reach the door that leads to the second floor. That or run from her and reach the door that leads to the third floor. She can not follow you, but if you run all the way toward the roof. Andou-San will follow you and make you jump just as she jumped all those years ago.
Now, this story was told to me by Tohru Kai. Who is a senior at Satoyama High School. She is also the president of the school's “Ghost Story Club” An unofficial school club whose aim is to collect, chronicle, and investigate the various ghost stories that the people of Satoyama tell each other. And one of those stories included looking into a recent sighting of Andou-San.
According to Tohru Kai she had to spend the night at school that night to help her classmates to the finishing touches on an school project. I think they were transforming one of the empty classrooms into a maid theme cafe. I think they were turning the empty classroom into a maid cafe because it was their club's project for the school wide culture festival. Funny I thought the “Ghost Story Club” would do something with a paranormal theme. Like putting on a haunted house or something. But back to the story.
Anyway Tohru it was around ten' o'clock at night and Tohru was returning from a very important mission. Tohru's classmates were having to work late into the night so their project could be completed on time. And snacks, would be needed. And Tohru had drawn the short straw that evening and had been the one selected to go fetch provisions from the only remaining business that would still be open this late at night. Satoyama's only gas station. A aging seven eleven.
Anyway, she struggled to breath as she climbed the concrete steps. She was holding a heavy plastic bag in each hand. The plastic bags were filled with bottles of soda, chips and other salty snacks. It was a hot and humid night. And beads of sweat were soon forming on her cheeks and on her forehead. And tried as she might, she could not get the legend of Andou-San the Red Head out of her mind as she climbed up the concrete steps.
As she climbed from the first to second floor her heart started to race a little. Her breathing became harder and harder and her hands started to tremble. The beads of sweat rolled down her face and splashed on the concrete steps. And the plastic bags grew heavier and heavier with each step she took. Her arms even started to tremble under their weight.
Then the felt it, an icy blast of cold air circled around her and made the tiny hairs on the back of her arm stand straight up. Tohru's whole body started to tremble as she heard what sounded like phantom food steps starting to climb the stairs behind her.
Swallowing hard and gathering up her courage. Tohru started to climb the concrete stairwell again. The night was hot and humid and once more she found herself having to pause between the second and third floor of the school. As she paused to catch her breath she heard a voice behind her say.
“Is my hair red?” The voice.
Tohru froze and slowly turned around and there mere inches from her face stood the ghost of Andou-San the Red Head. Her uniform was caked with dirt, grass, and blood. A deep, fissure appeared to run down the middle of her face and her hair seemed matted with dried blood and her eyes glowed yellow like the eyes of a cat.
“Is my hair red?” Andou-San asked again as she drew closer and closer to Tohru. So close Tohru could smell her rancid breath and smell the foul blood that covered her hair and her clothes.
Tohru swallowed hard and tossed the bags of salty snacks, and pop bottles at the ghost before sprinting past the ghost and out the door. Tohru told me she had never run so fast and so far in all of her life. She took the steps two at a time and seemed to leap from one step to the other as she bounded past the ghost. She did not stop till she reached the local Shinto Shrine!
Now, Tohru's encounter with Andou-San might have ended with her escaping. And living to sit down with me over tea to recount this story, other encounters other students have had with her seem to end with Andou-San taking revenge. Before we left, I asked why so many Japanese ghost stories that take place at school seemed to center on ghosts or as the Japanese call them Yurei, of bullied classmates coming back to get revenge.
To this she said.
“In Japan.” She paused, her pause told me she was taking her time to look over her words, it was like she wanted to select the right words for what she was about to say. Like she was preparing for a very profound statement.
“In Japan. we believe if a person dies because they were mistreated in life. Like for example, Andou-San was bullied by her classmates, and as a result she committed suicide to escape the daily torment of her classmates. And so her ghost, her Yurei as we say in Japan, was transformed by that trauma into an Onryo. An Onryo is a Japanese word that means 'Vengeful Spirit' but is also sometimes rendered as 'Wrathful Spirit' or 'Hatred Spirit' these ghost Yurei because of their hate are capable of causing harm in the world of the living or injuring or even killing their enemies. I think I was lucky to escape Ando-San that night. Because very few have.”
And with that she finished her tea and left.
If you are in the mood for chilling tales of the supernatural. Then please keep reading. We have a few more stories we would love to share with you before this collection comes to an end.
Gakkou No Kaiden
The Ghost Sachiko-Chan The Pool
This is the next to last I will be sharing with you. This story will focus on the ghost of a girl named Sachiko who's wrathful spirit is said to haunt the swimming pool of Satoyama High School. Now, there is a tradition in the village that during summer, the swimming pool of Satoyama is to remain open at all times, even if a lifeguard is not on duty. The pool after all was only built because the whole village came together and pooled their limited money and resources together. So many feel the school's pool belongs not only to the students of Satoyama but the village as a whole.
Now, many of the cottages and houses in the village did not have air conditioners and many depended on small electric fans to provide a measure of comfort in the blistering heat waves of summer. One sure fire way to cool off on the short, brutal summer the mountain region was known for. One trusted method used by the villagers to cool off at the height of the brutal summers was to take a late at night or early morning swim when the water in the pool was still pretty cool.
But as with the Kappa that are rumored to infest the many streams, brooks, and shallow rivers whose name are only known to the many woodsmen and huntsmen that make a living scourging the woods and mountains that surround the village. The school pool is too supposed to be haunted by a wrathful spirit, a ghost. A ghost of a girl who drowned in the pool some thirty years ago. And like the Kappa she is said to lurk in the shadows and like a striking cobra her powerful arm is said to pop out and wrap her strong fingers around the ankles of those standing nearby in a tight vise-like grip.
Then in a chuckling tone of voice would say.
“The water is fine! Please come in and join me for a swim!” And with that she would drag the person into the water and drag them down into the deep, dark water of the pool and try as they might there is no way to escape her strong grip. Soon they would feel their lungs start to fill with water and soon their world would slowly darken as the cold, icy grips of death took hold of them.
The only way to escape her deadly grip is to calm your mind and focus your heart and chat a Sutra to the Buddha. The chanting of the holy words are supposed to cause the ghost to loosen her hold enough to escape her from deadly vice grip.
I will now tell you the story of how this girl came to haunt the pool and an encounter one of my students had with her. Now, Like I said before, the school pool is to remain open at all hours of the day and night. It's never closed, students are free to swim even without a teacher being present to watch over them. One night during the summer of nineteen ninety nine a girl named Sachiko and her two friends went for a late night swim. One of the free Sachiko was the weakest swimmer. And stayed well into the shallow end of the pool while her two friends played and frolicked in the deep end of the pool.
As the night wore on and the full moon reflected down upon the glass surface of the pool. The sound of frolicking friends turned to frantic screams as Sachiko caught a cramp, called out to her friends to help her, and tried they did, but in the darkness they could not really find her. In fact they did not find her until early that next morning. The students of Satoyama High School were greeted with the area around the pool being roped off with neon orange tape.
That was not all, two female police officers were spotted carrying an orange body bag out. Sachiko and two friends followed behind the body bag, crying and holding each other. As they watched their friend take her last ride to the city morgue.
Now a few days of mourning have passed. But soon Sachiko's death was forgotten and while some talk was tossed around town of closing the pool down or at least limiting the hours the pool was open, that talk got nowhere and the matter was dropped.
Though it seemed Sachiko's wrathful spirit would not let the matter rest. Passing patrol's of policemen on foot would often report seeing a silhouette of a girl standing at the edge of the pool. When the patrolman would shine his flashlight toward the silhouette it would vanish into thin air. Other times, during swim lessons students would report that something or somebody was tugging on their legs. Once or twice the weaker swimmers would get dragged from the shallow end of the pool toward the deeper end and often or not it would take the effort of the whole class to keep them from drowning.
Now, one night three students from my English Class. Let's call them Student 'A', Student 'B' and Student 'C' were swimming in the pool after the school had closed down. Among the two students, 'A' and 'B' were the strongest swimmers. And 'C' was the weakest. 'C' being the weakest, decided to stay in the shallow end of the pool while 'A' and 'B' swam in the deeper end of the pool.
All of a sudden 'C' felt something pulling on her ankle. Frightened, she tried to swim to the edge of the pool. But whatever was pulling on her ankle refused to let go and dragged her toward the deeper end of the pool. Frightened, she called out for her friends to help her, and both indeed dove in and tried to help her, but they were too late. For according to 'C' before they could reach her she felt herself being dragged under the water.
As she was dragged under the water, she noticed the outline of something or somebody. A ghostly form of a girl whose skin looked like milk and who's eyes glowed a dark, hollow red. The girl grinned and seemed to almost laugh as 'C' started to struggle. Deeper and deeper the girl pulled her down till 'C's' feet touched the concrete bottom of the pool. Silvery rays of moonlight filtered down around her. And the girl grinned and seemed to float around 'C' who struggled to breathe.
Then something happened. 'A' and 'B' dove down and reached 'C' . None of the girls reported seeing the ghostly girl and only said they saw 'C' laying down on the concrete floor of the pool. Using all their strength they hauled the girl to the surface of the water and quickly pushed her toward the edge of the pool and quickly all three scrambled up. 'C' was having a hard time breathing and and so 'A' thinking quickly rushed to her bag and pulled out her mobile
'A' quickly dialed 119 The Japanese equivalent of 911 and was directly connected to local emergency medical services. Meanwhile 'B' stood by her friend and prayed and wrapped her tightly in a towel. It was then that 'B' noticed splashing in the water, like somebody was swimming toward her, and there in the moonlight she saw her, the ghostly form of the pool girl rose up from the water like a phantom and lurched toward 'B' screaming as she did so.
'B' screamed and dragged 'C' away from the edge of the pool. Meanwhile 'A' had completed her call. And as she did so she noticed that climbing out of the pool was the ghostly form of the girl. The ghostly form advanced toward 'A' who screamed and dropped her phone, her phone shattered into a million and one pieces as it landed on the concrete.
Thankfully, 'A', 'B' and 'C' escaped the wrath of the pool girl that night. 'C' spent a few days in the local hospital but made a full recovery and 'A' and 'B' were treated for shock at the same hospital. The pool was closed for a few days while the police conducted a search. The police search lasted only a few hours, as none of the officers wanted to be around the pool any more than they had too. They felt like something or somebody was watching them.
Now, we have only two more tales to tell before this collection of ghost stories comes to an end.