Old Isegami Tunnel
Toyota-shi, Aichi-ken
In the mountainside near Toyota City, there is a tunnel which dates back to 1897. Not to be confused with the new Isegami Tunnel opened in 1960, the old Isegami Tunnel is tucked higher in the mountains away from the main highway. Due to increased traffic, the newer tunnel was opened and the old Isegami Tunnel was abandoned (although it is still accessible by car).
The reports about the old Isegami Tunnel are mixed, with many sources claiming to have experienced paranormal phenomena, however there are also arguments stating many of the reports are due to media sensationalism and are inauthentic.
Stories about ghosts stem from the construction days of the tunnel of worker casualties, however there have also been reports of ghostly children and women inhabiting the old and new tunnel. Although there is little documented history of deaths from in or around the tunnels, many people claim they feel a general unease about entering the old tunnel or will experience the feeling of being exhausted once inside. Other stories include hearing disembodies voices, being overwhelmed with feelings of nausea, and children’s handwriting appearing on the windows of cars.
There is a rumor from several truck drivers who use the new Isegami Tunnel that there is a woman who will walk alongside the road. If a driver feels pity for her and offers a lift, she will soon disappear without a trace from the passenger seat once reaching the other side of the tunnel. It is believed this woman, who is often seen wearing a white kimono, perished in a landslide during a typhoon. Her two children also died in the same storm and are reported to be seen wandering the new tunnel. It is believed the woman and children are the inspiration for director Manda Kunitoshi’s movie ‘The Tunnel’, based on the same location.
On the mountain above the old Isegami Tunnel, there is a park which does not seem to still be in use. Although not as atmospheric as the tunnel itself, this park is surrounded by beautiful woodland scenery and offers an alternative hiking route to the other side of the mountain.
