Oshima Island
Sakai-ku, Fukui-ken
Situated nearly opposite to the Tojinbo Cliffs is Oshima Island (雄島). Known as the island of the Ojima God to the locals of the area, it remains almost untouched by civilization apart from a small lighthouse, shrine, and storage shed. Although scenic and lush in local floral and fauna, Oshima Island has a morbid history of death, curses, kidnappings and paranormal.
A red, cement bridge connects Oshima Island to the mainland. It is said that the hands of those who jumped from the cliffs of Tojinbo reach from the water to grab and drag those who try and cross the bridge at midnight. There have been rumors about strange lights, ghostly apparitions, and decapitated heads appearing on the bridge.
There are many warnings about the island including not to walk the perimeter in a counter-clockwise direction for fear of being cursed, and not to venture across the bridge at night as it is believed drowned spirits make the island their home after dark. Because many of the bodies of jumpers from Tojinbo wash ashore, Oshima Island is rumored to have a morgue. There is also said to be an apparition of a woman who wanders around the small, white lighthouse at night.
Although recently it hasn’t been an issue, Japanese locals being kidnapped by North Korean boats posed a serious dilemma. Oshima Island was said to be a popular kidnapping area. To this day there are signs posted around the island and mainland which state to beware suspicious boats and report unusual activity to police.
This particular ghost spot struck my interest after my husband told me his friend had a frightening experience after visiting Tojinbo and Oshima Island. He ignored the warnings of walking the island in a counter-closewise direction and not to enter at night. While travelling home by car, he discovered his GPS was malfunctioning. A short time later he received a shock when what seemed to be a bowling-ball sized lump of black, human hair fell onto his windshield. He said that within the clump of tangled hair, there seemed to be two eyes staring at him. Upon later researching possible causes, he discovered similar stories from other drivers saying that after visiting Tojinbo and Oshima Island, something seemed to leap from a height onto the oncoming car. He said this was particularly unsettling as the road surroundings were level or shorter than the car, so there was no explainable way that something like that could fall vertically. Since then, he has refused to return to that area.
