Chikusa War Memorial
Chikusa-ku, Aichi-ken
Built in dedication to the victims of World War II, the Chikusa War Memorial towers above the stone cemetery in one of Nagoya’s most expensive suburbs. The stone monument is rumored to close in August during Obon (Japan’s holiday for family and deceased ancestors), as there have been stories of hearing sobbing, screaming, and cries for help from the interior of the statue. Foreigners are particularly said to be the most affected, as people have claimed to feel crippled by emotions of immense guilt, anxiety, and fear if they approach the statue. Behind the statue, there is a cluster of trees where a hanging man can be seen at night.
The cemetery is rumored to be haunted by a shadowy figure who will follow and breathe on the necks of visitors. At one of the access points to the cemetery there stands a wooden shrine. People have claimed to smell something festering within the shrine, and there are unverified accounts of a human corpse having been found locked inside. Locals also warn of ghost dogs and cats from where people have been unable to afford a proper burial for their pets, and unceremoniously dump the bodies into the overgrown and less-maintained areas of the cemetery.
Running alongside the memorial is a lesser-used street which is rumored to be cursed. What once was a field and track for sports and recreational use has now been closed indefinitely due to vandalism and the suicide of a woman after being scorned by a lover. Further along the street there is a building of apartments which is said to have closed due to a string of mysterious deaths (though whether it is natural or human-caused is unknown). Access to the apartments is strictly prohibited and carries a hefty fine for those who enter.
