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The Haunted Halls of Honolulu Hale: Ghosts in City Hall

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Is the City Hall in Honolulu, Hawai’i haunted? According to staff working there, the Honolulu Hale has more than one ghost wandering its hall. From ghostly children running in the building, and the ghost of a woman hanging around the bathroom, this place’s activity continues after dark. 

Honolulu Hale, the iconic City Hall in the capital of Hawai’i there have long been whispers about it being haunted. The building was built in 1927/28, in a stately Mediterranean-style facade on 530 South King Street. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

The Honolulu Hall is not just a hub of civic activity—it’s also a hotspot for ghostly encounters. While Honolulu Hale is well-known for its political significance, it seems to hold secrets far more mysterious than any municipal affair.

Honolulu Hale: The City Hall of Honolulu, showcases its iconic Mediterranean-style architecture amidst lush surroundings. For a long time, this building had been thought to be haunted, and legend says its not only one ghost.

The Ghostly Employee of the City Hall

There are many stories about who and what is haunting the building although the details of the haunting seems to be lost in time. Still, there are some rumors that seem to echo through the halls and many staff and visitors talk about the sound of children playing in the building. After dark when no one is suppose to be there, the sound of their laughter and playful cries can be heard.  

There are also talks about the apparition of a female and there are several theories about who she was. Could it be the spirit of Princess Ka’iulani as some are suggesting? Could it be the ghost of a former employee perhaps?

No matter who it is, it seems that the ghosts haunting the Honolulu Hale disturbs the workers there, even during working hours. Staff members working today have reported hearing the sounds of file cabinets opening and slamming shut in empty rooms. The clicking of typewriter keys—long outdated and obsolete—has been heard echoing through the corridors, despite no visible typist.

The White Woman in the Bathroom

In addition to the ghostly children and the mysterious woman in the offices and hallways, there is said to be the ghost of a woman in white haunting the bathroom on the second floor. 

The other story is about two women who are arguing on the third floor. They are never seen, but can be heard by the security staff at night. But of course, when they investigate it, there is no one there. It is said that two female employees heard them when working late, and they swore they would never work after hours again.

Listen to a security guard working in the city hall tell about his experiences:

A Haunting Legacy

Is Honolulu Hale truly haunted by a restless spirit, a former employee who refuses to clock out, or are these experiences simply the result of overactive imaginations? Some say the building’s history has seeped into its very foundations, with its long corridors and shadowed corners holding onto energies of the past.

The Haunted City Hall: The iconic Honolulu Hale, City Hall of Honolulu, renowned for its Mediterranean-style architecture and rumored ghostly encounters. Punchbowl Street side of new wing, Honolulu Hale.

Some also said that the basement was used as a morgue to store dead bodies after the tragedy of Pearl Harbor and that the spirits lingering in the city hall comes from this tragedy. 

As City Hall continues its daily operations, the ghostly happenings serve as a reminder that not all history stays buried. For those who walk its halls, Honolulu Hale is more than just a place of governance; it is a place where the living and the dead may very well meet, each quietly observing the other, separated only by the thin veil of time.

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References:

Haunted Honolulu: These Are The Creepiest Places In Oahu 

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Honolulu Hale – Wikipedia 

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The Haunting of Kaimuki House: A Tale of Terror and Tragedy

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One of the most well known haunted house stories in Hawaii is said to be inside of a mysterious house mostly known as the Kaimuki House. Throughout the decades, tenants and owners have gone through terrible ordeals they all claim is from something supernatural, and that the entity of the house wants to hurt them. 

In the quiet neighborhood of Kaimuki, Honolulu, stands a house that has long been the source of fear and whispered legends. Known simply as the Kaimuki House, this unassuming residence harbors a dark and terrifying past that continues to send shivers down the spines of those who dare to recount its story.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

The Kaimuki neighborhood is filled with many older homes where sometimes many generations have never sold once. The houses on the rolling hills between Kapahulu to the west and Kahala to the east was mostly first built in the 1940s, some as early as the 1910s. Today though, many of the original houses has been torn down to give way to newer one. 

One of the things that made people move here initially was actually the 1900 Chinatown fire in Honolulu. Many of the Chinese and Asian families who were left homeless made a new start her, and when we have a closer look to the haunted rumors, seems to have brought with them some of the Asian ghost stories as well, and in this case, a spirit from Japanese folklore have taken the center stage of the haunting surrounding the house. 

Kaimuki House: Exactly what house in Kaimuki is haunted is up for debate. This is the image mostly used when depicting it, although the original house is said to have been demolished and this duplex built on top of it.

The Murders of the Kaimuki House

At the core of the hauntings there are said murders happened that perhaps was the catalyst for the haunting the next residents would experience throughout the decade. There are actually several supposed murders that were said to happen in the Kaimuki House and started the haunting. 

One of the murder legends tells about a father who killed his two children as well as his wife in their home in Kaimuki. The son and the wife’s bodies were later buried in the backyard, but the body of the daughter was never found. 

There is also a story about a lesbian couple who moved into the house in Honolulu as a fresh start. One of the women ended up having an affair with a man. The boyfriend then killed both her and her lover before killing himself in the house. 

In both of these cases there are not many corroborating evidence for the murders, but are often relayed as facts. What is true though is that playwright Hannah Li-Epstein wrote a play based on the lore of the house called The Kasha of Kaimuki, telling the story of the lesbian couple moved into the house and came face to face with the spirit haunting the ghost in that were in theaters in 2021. 

The Young Couple Calling the Police

Some of the more famous stories told about the house reached the newspapers, but people are said to have complained about stuff happening in the house for ages before it ever reached headlines. Before the house reached infamously, it is said that a young couple moved into the house. Not long after the neighbors claimed to have heard a lot of loud bangs and crashes from the house. They thought it could be case of domestic violence and called the police. When the police arrived at the scene though, they met the couple who had another story to tell. According to them, they had been attacked by an unseen force. 

A Night of Unimaginable Horror

Source

Then came the summer of 1942, who brought with it a night of sheer horror that would cement the Kaimuki House’s reputation as one of the most haunted locations in Hawaii. On that fateful evening, of August 13th the police were called to the residence by a hysterical mother at 1:25 am, her voice filled with panic and dread. She pleaded for help, claiming that an evil spirit was in her home, threatening the lives of her children.

When police sergeant Moseley K Cummins and patrolman Robert Ansteth arrived at the scene, they were met with a scene so chilling that it defied all logic and reason. The Hawaiian children, a boy of 10 with his two sisters of 18 and 20 were on the sofa, screaming. The mother was at their side, waving ti leaves and threw Hawaiian salt at them to rid them of the ghost she thought was attacking them. 

She told the police afterward that her son had noticed the smell of ghosts around 10 p.m. The ghost got angry at him for being found out and attacked the boy, then moved on to strangling or choking his sisters. 

The mother said that the one to blame was her husband who had left them. 

Over an hour passed and the police and family had to leave the house to kahuna at 3 a.m, leaving the family at the sister of the mother. 

The debacle held the neighbors awake and even made the news in Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The story and article grew, and so did the exaggerations of what really happened there that night. In later years the legend of the haunted house often claims that the children were thrown around, levitated and the spirit are even said to have slapped both the children and police officers. Some sources even claim that the children died of their injuries. 

The Rented Haunted House

In 1967 there appeared an ad in the Honolulu Advertiser that caught the eyes of many. It was a renting out bedrooms and in Kaimuki there was a 2 bedrooms for 155 dollars a month said to be haunted. 

Here, there was not a specific address given either, but now it was truly official. The house in Kaimuki was haunted. 

The Next Haunting

Years passed and the neighbors around the house remembered the story vividly and the house was by then considered haunted. Or was it? In neither of the news articles any address was given, but the legends have certainly combined the two. 

In 1972, on October the 31st, there was another news article telling about a haunted experience from the house. The editorial was specifically written for Halloween, but was written by Charles Kenn and Rubellite ‘Johnson, two respected Hawaiian historians. So was it really based on facts, or where they just having some Halloween fun?

According to the legend, three girls were sharing the house and yet again the police were called when strange things started happening there. 

A patrol car arrived late at night to the house as the girls had heard strange noises inside of the house. It sounded like someone was moving around and talking, one of them had even felt a hand on her arm.

They were so scared and didn’t want to stay in the house a moment longer, making the police follow behind their car to one of the girl’s mothers in Papakolea. 

As they were driving down Waialae Avenue, the girls pulled the car into the parking lot of the Oasis Cafe. Today the place is where the public storage on Waialae and Kapahulu is. 

According to the police report, the girl sitting in the middle of the front seat was said to be fighting off someone. No one could see what, but whatever it was, it was choking her. The policeman jumped out of the car to help, but there was nothing he could do. He said in his report: “A big, strong calloused hand that could not possibly belong to a teenage girl grabbed my arm and twisted it. I radioed for assistance.”

The officer that came to assist thought there would be a fight meeting him at the parking lot. The girls were hysterical and his colleague simply said: “There is a ghost in the car.” 

They managed to get the girl who had been choked into the police car and made the girls car follow them. But when they started the car, the motor died and wouldn’t start again. They put her back in the girls car and it immediately started again. 

Back on the road they managed to get about five yards before the door of the car belonging to the girls flew up and the choked girl fighting the ghosts fell out on the road. She was tearing at her throat like she was still being choked and the two policemen were not strong enough to pull her hands away. 

The police sergeant, a Hawaiian man, remembered what his grandmother had told him to help chase away ghosts. He ran into the cafe and grabbed a handful of Hawaiian salt and a glass of water. He sprayed it on everyone and it seemed to work and the girl got calmer. 

The Obake Files Book

In 1994, the American history professor and writer published a story about the legend and really cemented the story about the Kaimuki House as a Hawaiian legend. Although fictional, the book looked at many of the well known ghosts stories from Hawaii and used them as a backdrop. It certainly gave rise to the old legend again and this is were the kasha ghost from Japan comes in. 

The Kasha Spirit: An illustration of a Kasha, a spirit from Japanese folklore associated with the haunting tales of the Kaimuki House. Kasha means ‘burning chariot’ and is a Japanese yōkai that steals the corpses of those who have died as a result of accumulating evil deeds.

The Demolition of the Kaimuki House

Now, the original house built in the earlier part of the 1900s are said to have been demolished in 2016. In its place though another house was built on the property, and even to this day, we have people that have stayed in it, claiming to have experienced some of the haunting. 

But exactly were is the Kaimuki House? In neither of the accounts the address is mentioned, but many have pointed to it being on the Harding Avenue, more specifically on 8th and Harding. There once was a true murder that happened in the house, but could it really have been the house people talk about?

When ghost teller took a drive with Glen Grant in 1999, who had looked into the case, he pointed to the second to the last house on the left of 2nd Avenue and Harding. According to him, this was the true Kasha House of Kaimuki and he said there might have been a headstone in the back of the house where the ghost from the Kasha story was buried.

Could it be in the same place, only different buildings as time has passed and houses have been torn down and rebuilt during that time? There also used to be houses condemned to build the highway going through there. Could the house have been one of those condemned buildings, and could the haunting have manifested in the neighboring houses in the later tales?

The Kaimuki House Today

The Kaimuki House remains a place of dark mystery, its walls still echoing with the terror of that long-ago night. Over the years, the house has been the subject of numerous reports of paranormal activity. Residents and visitors alike have claimed to hear disembodied voices, see shadowy figures, and feel an overwhelming sense of dread within its confines.

But what about today? According to one blogger, he claims to have lived in the house for a year. According to the blogger, the original house is gone and a bland two-story duplex built there instead. 

The blogger named Keith Mann, together with some friends, moved into the brand new, cheap, clean and big place. Although knowing about the legend of the Kaimuki House, the blogger didn’t fill in the blanks that this was the house until changing the address online. 

At least five different people approached the blogger when hanging laundry, scared and in disbelief that anyone would live there. According to people around in Kaimuki, no one stayed for more than 3 months after moving in. 

Although initially spooked the family upstairs had lived there for some time already and the blogger didn’t want to move anymore. But still, there were some things happening in the house that seemed haunted. 

Every night, the blogger would wake up at 4:33 AM, jolted awake to an ice cold room, and the gut telling that something was very wrong. When this happened, the battery powered smoke alarms would beep in unison. The feeling of being watched didn’t stop, even though no one was home. This exact routing happened three times. 

Whatever the truth may be, one thing is certain: the Kaimuki House is a place where the boundary between the living and the dead is frighteningly thin. Those who pass by often quicken their steps, unwilling to linger near the site of such inexplicable horror. The house, with its tragic history and ghostly inhabitants, stands as a chilling reminder that some places are best left undisturbed.

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References:

https://www.mysteries-of-hawaii.com/hawaiis-most-haunted/kaimuki-kasha-house

Ghosts Next Door: The Mythical Truth of The Kasha of Kaimuki 

Kaimuki Homes for Sale | All Real EstateThe Kaimuki House Is Easily Hawaii’s Most Haunted House

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The Choking Ghost of the Honolulu Fire Department and the Old Kakaako Station

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Are there Choking Ghosts haunting the Honolulu Fire Department? For decades there have been tales about firefighters seeing something. Especially around the Old Kakaako Station there are ghostly legends.

Among the fire stations in Oahu, lurks a ghostly presence that even the bravest firefighters find unsettling. Known as “The Choking Ghost,” this mysterious and malevolent entity has made its presence felt at the old Kakaako Station of the Honolulu Fire Department, leaving behind stories of terror that are whispered among the firefighters who have experienced its eerie grip.

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But what is a choking ghost, and why does it seem like they are especially active haunting the islands of Hawaii?

Old Kakaako Fire Station

The Kolohe Spirit Haunting the Fire Station

For years, firefighters stationed at Kakaako have reported chilling encounters with this unseen force. This is said to have happened both at the historic Kakaako Fire Station from 1929 on South Street as well as the newer station on Queen Street from the 1970s.

The experience is always the same: in the dead of night, as the station lies in darkness and the city sleeps, an overwhelming sensation of weight presses down on their chests. What begins as a vague pressure soon becomes a terrifying experience, as the firefighters feel an invisible hand tightening around their throats, choking them. The sensation is suffocating, and though it only lasts a few moments, those who have experienced it describe the terror as lingering long after the encounter ends.

Unlike typical ghostly encounters that involve fleeting glimpses or eerie sounds, the choking ghost is invasive and aggressive, targeting its victims in their most vulnerable state—when they are asleep. Despite the frightening nature of these encounters, the spirit’s attacks have never resulted in serious harm, leading to its classification as a “kolohe spirit”—a mischievous ghost that enjoys playing pranks on the living.

What is a Choking Ghost in Hawai’i?

The origins of the choking ghost are shrouded in mystery. Some speculate that the spirit could be that of a former firefighter who met a tragic end and now haunts his old workplace, seeking attention or revenge. Others believe that the entity might be an ancient Hawaiian spirit, disturbed by the modern structures and activities encroaching on what was once sacred land. The lack of concrete evidence or a clear backstory only adds to the fear and intrigue surrounding this ghostly presence.

What makes the choking ghost particularly unnerving is the uncertainty of its identity and intentions. Is it simply a prankster spirit, toying with the firefighters for its own amusement? Or is there a darker, more malevolent force at play, one that takes pleasure in instilling fear and discomfort? The firefighters who have felt its grip may never know the answer, but the encounters have left a lasting impression.

A Former Firefighter or Smallpox Victims?

But why is the fire station said to be haunted? Some blame it on the smallpox epidemic from the mid 1850s. Right by the old station a graveyard is, where around 1000 bodies of this epidemic were buried. This is something that many believe has caused the haunting the firefighters have said to experience. 

But according to some sources, the ghosts haunting the old fire station are not limited to the victims of smallpox, buried close by. There is also said to be an old man with a ghostly dog following him haunting the old station on South Street. Who he was is not certain, but many claim that he must be an old firefighter still lingering in the area. 

Fighting Ghosts with Ti Leaves

Measures were needed to be taken to keep the ghosts at bay. In the living quarters of the firefighters Ti leaves and Hawaiian salt were placed in the corners to ward off the evil spirits said to linger there and hopefully purify the area. 

Ti Leaves: The Ti plant of Hawaii is said to have protective abilities from spirits. Among a lot of ethnic groups in Austronesia it is regarded as sacred and they believe they can hold souls and thus are useful in healing “soul loss” illnesses and in exorcising against malevolent spirits, their use in ritual attire and ornamentation, and their use as boundary markers. Red and green cultivars also commonly represented dualistic aspects of culture and religion and are used differently in rituals. Red ti plants commonly symbolize blood, war, and the ties between the living and the dead; while green ti plants commonly symbolize peace and healing. / source

There were also plans to take care of the bodies from the smallpox epidemic who were uncovered while construction keeps happening around the area. 

If it has worked remains to be seen. But now you also have the newer firefighters on the new station that claim they have never experienced anything strange while working there. What goes on in the old one, set to become a museum, is more uncertain though.

The Ghostly Attraction of the Honolulu Fire Department

The legend of the choking ghost has spread beyond the fire department, drawing the interest of supernatural enthusiasts and ghost hunters alike. The old Kakaako Station has become a destination for those hoping to capture evidence of the paranormal, with many reporting strange occurrences during their visits. Orbs of light appear in photographs, unexplained cold spots are felt, and the eerie silence of the station is occasionally broken by the faint sound of footsteps where no one is present.

Despite the ghost’s fearsome reputation, the Kakaako Station remains a functional and important part of the Honolulu Fire Department. Firefighters continue to serve their community with courage and dedication, even as they share their space with a spirit that refuses to leave. The choking ghost, with its unnerving pranks and mysterious origins, has become an indelible part of the station’s lore—a reminder that even in a place dedicated to saving lives, there are forces beyond our understanding that we must face.

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References:

https://archives.starbulletin.com/2002/08/18/news/story1.html

South Street fire station has a ghostly past

Haunted Places on Oahu | To-Hawaii.com 

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The Haunted Rumors from the Dorms at the University of Hawaii at Hilo

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Are the dorms at the University of Hawaii at Hilo haunted? Often dubbed the Eerie Dorm, and is said to be haunted by a young boy who was killed at the site many years ago. 

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo (UH Hilo) is known for its lush, sprawling campus nestled between the ocean and the mountains on the Big Island of Hawaii. A perfect place for studying, but what is lurking in the shadows of the dormitories?

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Because beneath the University of Hawaii at Hilo picturesque surface lies a darker history, one that whispers of hauntings, eerie dormitories, and restless spirits. Founded in 1945 as Hilo Center at Lyman Hall of the Hilo Boys School, UH Hilo has grown into a significant institution, but it hasn’t shaken off its haunted past.

The Origins of the Hauntings

UH Hilo’s residence halls are all named with the Hawaiian word for “house,” or hale. These dorms are Hale Kauanoe, Hale Kanilehua, Hale Kehau, Hale ‘Ikena, and Hale ‘Alahonua. But according to local legend, one of these dorms, often referred to as the “Eerie Dorm,” holds a chilling secret. If we are to believe what theshadowlands reports, it is the Hale Kanilehua that is the haunted one although it is rarely mentioned which one is the haunted one. 

Hale Kanilehua, meaning House of the Sound of the Rain Falling on the Lehua Blossom, is a classic dormitory layout shared by two residents and often thought to be the one dormitory that is haunted. The dorm was allegedly built over the site of an old haunted house. 

Hale Kanilehua

According to the tale, during the demolition of this house, a young boy was tragically killed while playing too close to the construction site. His spirit, it is said, has lingered ever since, haunting the dorm that now stands on the property.

The Little Boy in the Hall

The most common and unsettling reports of ghostly activity involve the spirit of the young boy. Students living on the ground floor of the dorm—specifically on the girls’ side—have reported seeing him late at night. He is often described as a shadowy figure, small and childlike, playing with a ball in the hallway. The chilling sound of his laughter echoes through the dorms, often followed by the rhythmic bouncing of his ball.

But the boy doesn’t just stick to the ground floor. Students on higher levels have heard the unmistakable sound of small footsteps running up and down the hallways in the dead of night, though no one is ever there when they look. Some have even reported feeling a playful tug on their bed covers, as though the boy were trying to pull them off.

Lights, Voices, and Cold Spots

The little boy isn’t the only spirit said to haunt the dorm. Stories tell of the previous homeowners—the family who once lived in the old house maybe—still lingering in their former abode. Students have experienced lights flickering or turning on and off by themselves. Some have heard voices late at night, as if someone were having a conversation just out of earshot, yet when they investigate, they find no one there.

Other students have complained of sudden cold spots in their rooms or hallways, despite the warm Hilo climate. These cold spots are often accompanied by a feeling of being watched, as if unseen eyes are always lurking nearby.

The Mysterious Moving Objects

Another common tale of the haunting at the University of Hawaii at Hiloinvolves objects mysteriously moving on their own. Books shift across desks, personal belongings disappear only to reappear in strange places, and even furniture has been reported to inexplicably shift positions. 

Toilets have been known to flush by themselves when no one is near, and faucets turn on without any physical contact. Some residents believe this is another manifestation of the restless spirits that inhabit the dorm, always looking for ways to make their presence known.

Haunting or Hallucination at the University of Hawaii at Hilo?

While some students chalk these experiences in the dormitory at the University of Hawaii at Hilo up to overactive imaginations or campus folklore, the sheer number of reports makes it hard to dismiss the hauntings entirely. From eerie footsteps to ghostly laughter, the strange occurrences in the Eerie Dorm have become a part of UH Hilo’s legacy, passed down from one generation of students to the next.

As for the boy and the previous homeowners, their stories remain a part of the university’s haunted lore. Whether real or imagined, the spirits of UH Hilo seem determined to stay, making the campus not just a place of learning but also a site where the past refuses to rest.

For those brave enough to spend the night in the haunted dorm, the question remains: Will you be the next to hear the laughter of a ghostly child or witness the flickering lights that signal the presence of those who came before?

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References:

Haunted Places on the Big Island of Hawaii 

Spooky Haunted Places In Hawaii – Resortica Hawaii 

University Housing 

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo – Wikipedia 

Shadowlands Haunted Places Index – Hawaii

The 52 Most Haunted & Supernatural Places on the Big Island of Hawaii 

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Aka Manto (赤マント): Japan’s Nightmare in the Bathroom Stall

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The question about red or blue paper has scared Japanese students for generations now. The spirit of Aka Manto (赤マント) is still haunting the toilets of schools to this day, and is still a mystery of where the legend comes from. Was he a bloodsucking vampire? Serial killer? Perhaps an ancient god? 

You’re in a dimly lit school bathroom in the remote and old part of your school. You are the last one in the building, and you just needed a moment of peace. Then, from the stall next to you, a deep, unsettling voice asks a simple question:

“Would you like red paper or blue paper?”

You have already heard the stories and you know you’re about to die in one of the most gruesome ways possible.

Let’s talk about Aka Manto, Japan’s most murderous toilet ghost.

The Legend of Aka Manto: The Wrong Answer Could Kill You

Aka Manto: This is an artistic rendition of Aka Manto by Matthew Hoobin. Source: Wikimedia

Aka Manto is not your average ghost, but often described more of a demonic entity or yōkai who lurks in public restrooms, particularly school bathrooms. Very often it is in elementary schools in a specific stall in an older or not often dark and forgotten toilet, especially the older squat toilets. It is often the fourth stall that is the cursed one as the number four is associated with death. 

The legend of Aka Manto goes something like this:

After Aka Manto asks if you want red or blue paper, you only have bad choices. If you say “red paper” (赤い紙, akai kami), Aka Manto will slice you apart, drenching the walls in your blood. You die in a pool of your own gore, forever staining the stall red.

If you say “blue paper” (青い紙, aoi kami), Aka Manto will strangle you to death, draining your face of blood until you turn blue. Some versions say he sucks the life out of you, leaving nothing but a pale, cold corpse.

Trying to be clever and bring your own paper? Bad idea, as it will vanish mysteriously. If you ask for a different color like yellow, Aka Manto drags you into the underworld, and you are never seen again. If you try to run away? The stall door won’t budge, and your fate is sealed. If you stay silent? He kills you anyway. Basically, once Aka Manto asks the question, you’re doomed, in most cases.

Origins: Where Did This Nightmare Aka Manto Come From?

Like all great urban legends, Aka Manto’s origins are murky. He’s been around for decades, at least since the 1930s in Nara City, terrifying generations of schoolchildren and unsuspecting restroom-goers. In 1940, the legend spread to Kitakyshu and even reached the Korean Peninsula under Japanese rule because of Japanese students. At least the legend of the red paper and the blue paper was a well known legend, but when did the red cloaked man appear in the story? 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Japan

One theory is that Aka Manto was once a man—maybe even a student—who wore a red cloak and a mask. Some say he was handsome, but so obsessed with his looks that he wore a mask to keep people from seeing his face. Today, the word manto mostly means a cloak or cape and he is often depicted as this. But back when the urban legend first started spreading, manto referred to a shorter, sleeveless kimono jacket. 

Others say he was a vengeful spirit, hunting down those who disrespected him in life. Whatever the case, he died tragically—and now he haunts bathrooms, forcing his victims to “choose their fate.”

The Unsolved Murder Creating Aka Manto

In some versions he was a serial killer and Ako Manto is said to be connected to The Aogetto Murder Case in 1906 in what is today Sakai city in Fukui Prefecture. A man in his 30s wearing blue, in some variations red, came to a shop as a messenger and asked Kaga Murayoshi (30) to follow him to help his sick aunt in Shinbo village. Murayoshi trusted him and followed.

The man used the same method to lure his mother, Kiku (59) and his wife, Tsuo (25) as well. He tried to take the two year old daughter as well, but the mother had asked a neighbor to look after her. The woman refused to let him in when he came to the door, asking for the daughter. The eldest daughter was spared as well, as she was babysitting another house. 

They never returned, and the relatives in Shinbo village said they were not sick and had not asked for a messenger. Behind the Murayoshi family home, they found bloodstains in a boat by the Takeda River, finding Tsuo and Kiku’s bodies floating in the river, but never finding Kaga’s body. 

Although they believed this murderer must have had a strong hatred for the family, they could never find any motives for it or suspects. The case is still unsolved.

Was this a true murder case however? For most it’s considered a legendary one more so than a true murder mystery, as most details of the case changes every retelling as well there have been no original sources or documentation about the case. 

Inspired by Paper Doll Kamishibai Play

There is also a theory that the story of Aka Manto came from a mix of several real crimes mixed with popular media at the time.. One being the rape and murder of a young girl in Yanaka in Tokyo, although proof of a specific case has not been found. The other one comes from a harmless story from a popular kamishibai play at the time called Aka Manto by Kōji Kata. It told the story about a gentleman wizard in a red cloak that takes a shoeshine boy as his apprentice. 

Mixing these two stories together created fear and a commotion in Osaka and the kamishibai was confiscated by the police because of it. There are however different tales about what year it was confiscated, if it was in 1936 or 1940. 

Kamishibai: Meaning (紙芝居, “paper play”) is a form of Japanese street theater and storytelling that was popular during the Great Depression of the 1930s and the postwar period in Japan until television took over. Kamishibai were performed by a kamishibaiya (“kamishibai narrator”) who travelled to street corners with sets of illustrated boards that they placed in a miniature stage-like device and narrated the story by changing each image. Many think that the legend could have been inspired by this. Source: Flickr

Bloodsucking Vampire Tales from a Socialist Banker

In Ōkubo, Tokyo, the legend form tells of a vampire during the Shōwa era in the early 1900s. Corpses started appearing after being attacked by someone in a red cloak. 

This vampire theory is most likely connected to another story. Some say the urban legend is actually from a socialist banker in the 1930s to unsettle people and that he was arrested because of it. The motive is uncertain and a little bit random. If this actually happened is uncertain though, as it’s just a memory from a novel by Nobuo Ozawa. There are however real news clippings talking about a similar case about a communication employee, not a bankman. 

“Crackdown on rumours/Communication employee detained” “
In the wartime imperial capital, there have been many malicious rumors circulating, such as rumors that are disrupting politics and the financial world, and the story of the “Red Cape Hunchback” who is sucking blood that spread from Oji to the entire city, which are causing fear. The Metropolitan Police Department Intelligence Division has decided to carry out a thorough crackdown on these rumors to eradicate them from their source. On the 25th, it notified each police station under its jurisdiction to carry out strict inspections and internal investigations, while the Second Investigation Division also cooperated with this, and since the 23rd, a certain communication employee, Tomonori Tsune (38), of 3363 Oikurata-cho, Shinagawa-ku, has been detained and interrogated by Inspector Kobayashi. Since the middle of this month, he has been spreading rumors in the financial world that Prime Minister Hiranuma has been assassinated, which is said to have caused considerable shock in the banking world. Since these types of rumors are often spread for personal gain, the Metropolitan Police Department is also closely pursuing his background.”
– Published in the Yomiuri Shimbun in the evening edition of February 25th (dated the 26th) in 1939. source

Other Theories Behind the Red Cloaked Man

One theory of the ghost of Aka Manto comes from a rumor from Osaka around 1935. It said that a man in a cloak would appear in a dimly lit shoe locker in the basement. A year or two after this it spread to Tokyo and further and turned into the urban legend we know of today. A similar legend circulated in Kobe in the 70s and 80s about someone, or something, wrapping children in a red blanket and abduct them into the demon realm. 

The Toilet Ghost Phenomenon: Why Are Bathrooms So Haunted?

If you’ve noticed a pattern, you’re not alone—Japan has way too many bathroom ghosts.

Because bathrooms are liminal spaces—places where people are alone, vulnerable, and isolated. Plus, back in the day, Japanese toilets were dark, creepy holes in the ground. If anywhere was going to be haunted, it was the bathroom. There are also the cases of toilet gods from more ancient times that used to be worshiped. 

Toilet Gods from Older Days

To understand why there are so many legends of spirits haunting the toilets in Japan, we must understand the folklore that existed before the ghost stories. In Japan, as well as many other cultures, Toilet Gods and deities were popular and worshiped from the Edo period until the early Showa period. This is in large part because of the association between human waste and agriculture, therefore making the toilets a fertile ground so to speak. Toilets were often dark and unpleasant places where the user was at some risk of falling in and drowning. The protection of the toilet god was therefore sought to avoid such an unsanitary fate.

According to a different Japanese tradition, the toilet god was said to be a blind man holding a spear in his hand. The Ainu people of far northern Japan and the Russian Far East believed that the Rukar Kamuy, their version of a toilet god, would be the first to come to help in the event of danger.

Most often, it was a benevolent god, but it happened, like in Okinawa, that the God could become a place of haunting evil spirits. The fuuru nu kami, or “god of the toilet” from the Ryūkyū Shintō of the Ryukyu Islands is the family protector of the area of waste. The pig toilet, lacking this benevolent god, could become a place of evil influence and potential haunting because of the accumulation of waste matter, rejected and abandoned by the human body. This version of the spirits residing in toilets is more reminiscent of the Korean Cheuksin (厠神): South Korea’s Vengeful Toilet Goddess. 

Read More: Cheuksin (厠神): South Korea’s Vengeful Toilet Goddess 

Toilet Gods and Colored Papers

In Kyoto, it is said that if you go to the toilet on the night of Setsubun, a monster called Kainade (Kainaze) will appear who will stroke your buttocks, and that if you chant “Red paper, white paper,” you can avoid this supernatural occurrence; there is also a theory that this evolved into a school ghost story. In Makabe County, Ibaraki Prefecture, it is said that blue and red, or red and white, paper dolls are offered to the toilet. 

Such stores of a spirit and colored papers being offered in the bathrooms have plenty of old tradition in Japan.

Originally, the act of offering to the gods changed to “I’ll give you some paper, so don’t behave suspiciously,” and the toilet god became more of a yokai over time, with people asking, “Shall I give you red paper, or blue (or white) paper?” 

After the war, there were a lot of old traditions that were left behind, and created the foundation for new ones. Gods and goddesses became ghosts and spirits, and only the skeletons of the legends reminiscent the old tales. 

Can You Survive an Encounter with Aka Manto?

Aka Manto is one of Japan’s deadliest urban legends, a spirit that proves you’re never truly safe—even in the most private places. But is there an end to the legend where you actually will survive?

If asked about what paper you want, there are two choices recommended.

You say, “I don’t need any paper.”

 You say nothing and calmly leave the stall.

If you’re lucky, Aka Manto lets you go. If not… well, you’ll be another restroom horror story.

So the next time you step into a restroom, especially one with a suspiciously empty last stall, ask yourself:

Do you really need to go?

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References:

Aka manto | Yokai.com

赤マント – Wikipedia 

青ゲットの殺人事件 – Wikipedia

赤い紙、青い紙 – Wikipedia

青ゲット殺人事件――都市伝説となった事件 – オカルト・クロニクル

http://snarkmori.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-136.html 

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The Haunted Hilo Memorial Hospital and the Ghost Children from the Deadly Fire

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The legend says that after a deadly fire that took the lives of the children in the nursery as well as the nurses, the ghost of the children can be heard playing and crying in the Hilo Memorial Hospital in Hawaii. What really is the truth behind these ghostly tales?

In Kaumana, Hilo, an old, nearly forgotten hospital sits shrouded in mystery and ghostly rumors. Built in the 1890s, this hospital on the Big Island of Hawaii was once a place of healing, but over time, its reputation has been overshadowed by chilling tales of the supernatural. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Now partially destroyed due to a fire that gutted much of the structure, the Haunted Hospital of Hilo, as it has come to be known, stands as a silent witness to tragedy—both real and imagined.

Source

The History of the Hilo Memorial Hospital

Hilo Memorial Hospital, as it was once known as, was constructed in the Italian Renaissance palace architectural style. When it opened, patients were transferred from an older facility, which was subsequently dismantled. Its materials were repurposed to create outbuildings for the new hospital, such as servant quarters, a cook’s cottage, and a nurse’s dormitory. For many years, it operated as the primary medical center for the town and surrounding plantations.

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However, as with many old buildings, the hospital eventually closed its doors. It used for a long time after its closing to house Hawai’i Island Adult Care, providing daytime services for the elderly. But despite its current use, the haunted stories that have surrounded this place for decades refuse to fade away.

The Tragic Fire and the Haunting Nursery

According to local legend, years ago, a catastrophic fire broke out in the Hilo Hospital nursery. The fire is said to have been so fierce that it burned several babies and their nurses alive. The souls of those who perished in the blaze are rumored to haunt the hospital’s remains, forever bound to the place of their tragic end.

Visitors to the abandoned parts of the hospital claim they’ve heard the unmistakable cries of infants echoing through the crumbling halls. Disembodied footsteps and strange noises—scratches, taps, and soft weeping—have been reported by those brave enough to explore the site after dark. Some say that on certain nights, the overwhelming smell of burning flesh still lingers in the air, a grim reminder of the tragedy that supposedly occurred there.

KELSEY WALLING/Tribune-Herald file photo

But did this fire ever really happen? Strangely, despite the vividness of the legend, there is no solid evidence—no documented date, no records, and no newspaper reports—confirming that such a fire ever took place. Even long-time Hilo residents and historians have been unable to verify the event, raising questions about whether this tragedy is rooted in fact or merely a tale passed down through generations.

The Spirits of the Elders and Ghostly Children

The hospital may have closed, but the stories of its hauntings have persisted through the years, even as the building found new life as a care center for the elderly. Lizby Logsdon, a Community Outreach coordinator at Hawai’i Island Adult Care, spoke to the Keolamagazine in 2016 about the haunted rumors: 

“Yes, there are ghosts,” says Lizby Logsdon. “Most people would agree. I haven’t heard anything recently, but it’s not uncommon for the elders to hear children outside playing when there are no children outside.” “One evening, I had to go back into the Golden Heart Wing,” she recalled. “Just upon getting to that entrance, I kind of got the oojies. I found a line of crayons between the tables, heading into the shower room.” When she returned to her colleagues, they noticed her pale face and asked if she had seen a ghost.
source

Staff members and some of the elderly patients have also reported hearing the distant laughter of children outside, playing in areas that are otherwise empty. Could it be the spirits of the children said to have perished in the fire, or are these apparitions tied to something even older, something deeper in the land’s history?

A Ghost Story Without Evidence

Despite the chilling stories and firsthand accounts of paranormal experiences, the truth behind the Haunted Hospital of Hilo remains elusive. No concrete evidence exists to confirm the fire that allegedly destroyed the nursery, and none of the local historical archives mention such a catastrophic event. Nonetheless, the hospital’s reputation as one of Hilo’s most haunted places endures.

Even without documentation, the experiences of those who have worked in and around the building suggest that something unusual lingers within its walls. From phantom cries to shadowy figures, the hospital seems to be a place where the line between the living and the dead blurs, a place where the past refuses to let go. So if not by a deadly fire, where does these ghostly children that are said to haunt the old hospital come from?

The Future of the Haunted Hospital

Some Hilo residents express concerns over future plans to develop the land around the former hospital, perhaps fearing that whatever spirits may be resting there might not take kindly to further disturbance.

The Haunted Hospital of Hilo may never fully reveal its secrets. Whether the stories are true or simply local legends passed down through time, one thing is certain: the hospital, with its crumbling walls and ghostly reputation, will continue to captivate the imaginations of those who hear its tale.

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References:

Then & Now: The Old Hilo Hospital – Ke Ola Magazine 

Haunted Places on the Big Island of Hawaii 

Trick Or Treat Special: Old Hilo Hospital, Babies Cry – Big Island Pulse 

Spooky Haunted Places In Hawaii – Resortica Hawaii 

Shadowlands Haunted Places Index – Hawaii 

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The Legend of Toire no Hanako-san: The Ghost Haunting School Toilets in Japan

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For decades now, students have been terrified of the encounter with Hanako-san, the toilet ghost said to haunt the bathrooms in Japanese schools. Said to have died in one of the stalls, she now lures students into their death. 

In the dimly lit bathroom on the third floor in the school building, there is a third stall believed to be haunted. No one ever uses it, but someone dared you to go to it. It’s just a game, they said, and curious, you wanted to see for yourself, if the story is really true. If you knock three times on the third door and ask “Hanako, are you there?” you will hear a faint voice answering from the inside. “Yes,” the voice says. 

The door opens and a girl with short hair and a red skirt drags you into the bathroom, never to come out again. 

Urban School Legends: Japan have a rich universe of urban legends and ghost stories set at their school, on their way to school. Many of them are the product of a specific fear in society, some are remnants of old folklore and tradition. The tale of the toilet ghost, Hanako-san looks to be a bit of both.

The Legend of Hanako-san

Hanako-san’s origins are a mystery wrapped in a horror story. There have been many versions of the school ghost story of Toire no Hanako-san (トイレの花子 (はなこ)さん), meaning Hanako oof the toilet, over the years. 

Unlike some ghosts that belong purely to folklore, Hanako-san’s story has adapted to the times. She appears in horror movies, manga, anime, and video games, keeping her legend alive and well. In fact, she’s so famous that even outside Japan, people know her name. She’s been compared to Bloody Mary, Slender Man, and even the Girl from The Ring—but Hanako-san came first, and she’s still one of the most feared spirits in Japan.

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Toire no Hanako-san is often described as a young girl with a short bob and wearing red, often a red suspender skirt or school uniform with a white dress shirt, making her visual constant figure throughout the many variations of her legend and origin.

School Uniform: Although not explicitly stated, the appearance of Hanako-san is most likely a school uniform, naturally so as she was said to be a student dying in the school bathrooms. Her colors of red and white however seems to be from much older times and is the same colors they used when worshiping the ancient toilet gods.

The Victim of Bullying

The modern version of the toilet ghost in Japanese girl’s schools bathrooms paints Toire no Hanako-san as a victim of relentless school bullying. Through the many versions of Hanako-san, it seems the way she died reflects a real threat the current society focuses on and fears. Is this the students biggest fear in modern times?

Humiliated and tormented, Toire no Hanako-san sought refuge in the bathroom, where she ended her life. Now, she haunts the very place where she was last seen, waiting for someone to notice her.

The Girl Killed in the Bathroom

Another version suggests Hanako-san was the victim of a violent crime, perhaps another fear that really took hold of parents and students in the more modern era of Japan, after the war ended. Toire no Hanako-san was hiding in the bathroom from someone out to hurt her. 

In some version it was from an abusive parent and she had her hair bobbed like that to hide the scars from the beating. 

Some say that she was hiding from a deranged killer. No matter who it was, they found her. Some say she was stabbed, others say she was strangled—either way, Toire no Hanako-san never made it out alive.

The World War II Bombing Tragedy

One of the most widely accepted tales places Hanako-san’s death in the 1940s, during World War II and is perhaps one of the earliest iterations of the urban legend. In 1944, the alarm went off and she was hiding in the school bathroom during an air raid. In some versions she was too afraid to leave the bathrooms. Some say that the children were playing hide and seek and she was hiding in the toilet and didn’t even hear when the alarm went off.

A bomb hit the school building, with most children having been safely evacuated. But Toire no Hanako-san was trapped, and the bomb killed her in the stall as the school burned down. Her spirit never left the toilet.

Other Origins Stories From Around Japan

Who was Toire no Hanako-san originally? What was her true name and where does she come from? There are origin stories from all over Japan, all claiming that this is where it all started. Some say that the legend started after a young girl fell to her death from a library window in Fukushima. Or an elementary school student who fell through an open drainage hole and died. 

In a television program, 巷のウワサ大検証!それって実際どうなの会, aired in 2025 investigating urban legends, they claimed that she was a ghost by an evacuated girl who went missing in 1944 and a boy saw her ghost in the third toilet. The following year on 3rd of March snow blocked the toilet and somehow killed several students. Some say that she is buried in a garbage dump at a school in Saitama Prefecture or behind the gymnasium at a school in Tokyo.  

Hanako is also not only haunting toilets, as there is a story called Hanako of the Persimmon Tree. This story tells about a young girl picking persimmons and giving them to a nursery home. But on the way, she died in a traffic accident and became a ghost, haunting the Persimmon Tree. 

When Did the Legend Start?

The Legend has been around for a long time now, and is traced back to at least the 1950s. Along with many urban legends at that time, it gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s when children spent a lot of the time at school and an occult revival boom swept over Japan, making people particularly interested in urban legends and ghost stories. 

But what happened in the 1950s that created this legend?

The Power of Toilet Ghosts: Hanako-san Isn’t Alone

To understand why there are so many legends of spirits haunting the toilets in Japan, we must understand the folklore that existed before the ghost stories. In Japan, as well as many other cultures, Toilet Gods and deities were popular and worshiped from the Edo period until the early Showa period. This is in large part because of the association between human waste and agriculture, therefore making the toilets a fertile ground so to speak. Toilets were often dark and unpleasant places where the user was at some risk of falling in and drowning. The protection of the toilet god was therefore sought to avoid such an unsanitary fate.

According to a different Japanese tradition, the toilet god was said to be a blind man holding a spear in his hand. The Ainu people of far northern Japan and the Russian Far East believed that the Rukar Kamuy, their version of a toilet god, would be the first to come to help in the event of danger. Most often, it was a benevolent god, but it happened, like in Okinawa, that the God could become a place of haunting evil spirits. The fuuru nu kami, or “god of the toilet” from the Ryūkyū Shintō of the Ryukyu Islands is the family protector of the area of waste. The pig toilet, lacking this benevolent god, could become a place of evil influence and potential haunting because of the accumulation of waste matter, rejected and abandoned by the human body. This version of the spirits residing in toilets is more reminiscent of the Korean Cheuksin (厠神): South Korea’s Vengeful Toilet Goddess. 

Often the gods were given red or white girl dolls and flower decorations in the toilets. Today the tradition of worshiping toilet gods more or less gone, although toilets are often still decorated with flowers. This has also been a theory as to why Hanako is said to wear white and red clothes. Also her name, Hanako (花子), which consists of two Japanese letters meaning “Flower” and “Child” is said to come from this belief.

Toilet Gods: Often leaving little dolls or idols for the toilet dolls, they have also connected this tradition when the legend became a ghost story. Here from the movie, Hanako-san of the Toilet from 2013 about the urban legend. Watch here

Although most toilet gods are of a very masculine figure, there are examples of an old goddess from China that might have influenced the legend as well. The story of The Lady of the Privy, the Purple Maiden or Zigu as she is called, was said to be a concubine who was killed in the toilet, coming back as a toilet ghost. 

Read More: Zigu (紫姑): The Lady of the Latrine – China’s Most Unsettling Restroom Ghost and Goddess 

After the war, there were a lot of old traditions that were left behind, and created the foundation for new ones. Gods and goddesses became ghosts and spirits, and only the skeletons of the legends reminicents the old tales. 

Other Toiler Ghosts

Believe it or not, Hanako-san isn’t the only terrifying restroom spirit in Japanese folklore. Bathrooms, especially in schools, seem to be prime ghost real estate. Maybe it’s the isolation, the eerie silence, or just the general creep factor of public restrooms, but whatever the reason, Hanako-san has some supernatural company.

Other Bathroom Horrors in Japan:

Aka Manto (赤マント, “The Red Cloak”)

A male and malevolent spirit that appears in school restrooms and is said to preferre the last stall in the women’s toilet in school and public restrooms. Once you sit down for business you hear a male voice and asks you a simple question:

“Do you want red paper or blue paper?”

Pick red? You’re slashed to death, covering the walls in blood.

Pick blue? You’re strangled until you turn blue.

Pick neither? You can try to run, but many say he kills you anyway.

Kashima Reiko (加島礼子) or Teke Teke

A ghost with no legs who haunts school restrooms. She lost her lower half in a train accident, and now she crawls around, asking people where her legs are. She is also haunting urban areas and train stations at night, often then called Teke Teke, the sound she makes by dragging herself on her hands and elbows.

If you don’t answer correctly, she’ll cut off your legs and take them for herself.

Clearly, Japan takes its bathroom horror very seriously.

Summoning Hanako-san: A Dare You’ll Regret

In later years, a game was created around the legend of Hanako-san. If you’ve got a death wish (or just an unhealthy curiosity), you can summon Hanako-san—but be warned: not everyone who calls her walks away unscathed.

Popular Media: As a popular story, Hanako-san has been adapted into plenty of movies, animes, books and even one Japanese music artist is emulating her. This helps keep the legend of her alive. Here from the movie, Toire No Hanako San Shin Gekijyo Ban. Watch here

Here’s how it works:

Find a school restroom—specifically, the third stall of the third-floor girls’ bathroom.

Knock three times on the stall door.

Ask: “Hanako-san, are you there?” (花子さん、いますか？, Hanako-san, imasu ka?)

And then?

If she’s not there, congratulations, you live another day.

If she is there, you might hear a soft giggle, a faint whisper, or the distant echo of a child’s voice saying, “Yes, I’m here.”

If you’re really unlucky, the stall door slowly creaks open, revealing… something you should never have seen.

What happens next depends on the version of the legend:

Best-case scenario? Hanako-san just disappears. Worst-case scenario? A pale hand reaches out, dragging you inside the stall—where you vanish forever.

In some legends you can ask her to play a gay, and she agrees, asking what to play. If you say “Let’s play choking”, she will actually be choked to death… again. 

In Yamagata they probably have the most bonkers version of the legend where you call out Hanako when you leave the toilet. If she responds in a displeased voice, you know something bad will happen. They also have a variation of the legend where Hanako-san actually is a three meter long lizard that eats anyone when it lures them towards it with its girly voice. So that is that…

In Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture there is Hanako san in the girl’s toilet and a Yosuke-san in the boy’s toilet. If you walk around the toilet three times in the boy’s toilet and call out for Hanako-san, a bloody hand will appear from the toilet. If you call out his name, you have three seconds to run away, or you will be killed.

Why Is Hanako-san Still So Popular?

Despite being a legend that dates back decades, Hanako-san refuses to fade into history. She still haunts schools today, with students daring each other to summon her, and rumors of real sightings still circulating.

So, let’s be honest: if you ever find yourself alone in a Japanese school at night, standing in front of the third stall on the third floor…

Are you really going to knock?

Maybe. Maybe not.

But if you do, and you hear a soft giggle from behind the door, I suggest running. Fast.

Because Hanako-san is waiting.

And she never left.

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References:

トイレの花子さん – Wikipedia 

A-Yokai-A-Day: Hanako-san (or “Hanako of the Toilet”) | 妖怪シリーズ：トイレの花子さん | MatthewMeyer.net

Toilet god – Wikipedia 

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The Haunted Legacy of Aliʻiōlani Hale: Hawaii’s Supreme Court and Its Restless Spirits

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Is something haunting the supreme court building in Honolulu, Hawaii? There are many legends told about the Aliʻiōlani Hale building, ranging from the spirits of the prisoners prosecuted there, to mysterious legend tied to the Banyan Tree in the courtyard.

Aliʻiōlani Hale, a grand and historic building in downtown Honolulu that houses the Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court. While today it serves as a seat of justice, its past holds darker, more mysterious tales—stories of restless spirits, lost souls, and eerie phenomena that have kept it firmly rooted in local legend.

Aliʻiōlani Hale: The building is long believed to be haunted by various ghosts. //Source: ito1117/Wikimedia

The Storied Past of Aliʻiōlani Hale

Aliʻiōlani Hale was constructed in 1874 under the reign of King Kamehameha V. Originally intended to be the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi’s royal palace, it instead became the seat of government for the Hawaiian monarchy, later serving the Republic of Hawaiʻi and eventually the state. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

As the home of the Supreme Court, it has long been a place where life-altering decisions were made, some of which led to the imprisonment or execution of individuals. These criminals, sentenced in the early 1900s, are said to linger on the grounds, their souls trapped within the halls where their fates were sealed.

Haunted Building: The view from Iolani Palace shows the Kapuaiwa building at left, Aliiolani Hale, in the center, the Opera House at right and Honolulu Harbor in the distance ca in 1888.

The Lost Souls of Sentenced Criminals

Visitors and staff have reported strange occurrences inside Aliʻiōlani Hale and the building is now believed to be haunted. Many claim to feel an overwhelming sense of dread, particularly near the old courtrooms. Some believe that the souls of those who were convicted of heinous crimes and later executed in the early 1900s still roam the corridors, unable to find peace. Echoes of footsteps, disembodied voices, and shadowy figures have been spotted, especially at night

The Courtrooms: After King Kalakaua built a new palace, ‘Iolani Palace, this building was redesigned to house the Legislature and the Supreme Court. Today, the State Supreme Court still convenes in these same historic courtrooms and is the oldest government building in Hawaii.Cliff/Wikimedia

The Haunted Banyan Trees

Outside the building, towering over the courtyard, stand several massive banyan trees, their ancient roots creeping deep into the earth. These trees, often referred to as “trees of the dead” in various cultures, are believed to have spiritual connections to the underworld. The banyan trees surrounding Aliʻiōlani Hale are thought to have roots that stretch into subterranean lava tubes—lava tubes that, according to local lore, may be filled with the bones of long-dead Hawaiian royalty, or ali‘i.

The Mysterious Banyan Trees: As many ghost stories in Hawaii, they are often connected to the Banyan Trees growing nearby. View from Aliʻiōlani Hale, Honolulu, HI with statue of Kamehameha I.

One legend told about the banyan trees is hearing what sounds like faint cries coming from the trees, as though children are sobbing just beneath the surface. This unsettling phenomenon is linked to an old rumor that an orphanage once stood on the grounds before Aliʻiōlani Hale was built in the 1800s. 

Some are speculating that some of the children who died were buried in unmarked graves where they later planted the trees. 

Although no solid historical evidence confirms the presence of an orphanage, the legend persists. The cries of unseen children and occasional bursts of eerie laughter beneath the trees have been reported by both visitors and night-time security guards alike. These spectral sounds add to the eerie atmosphere, blending fact and myth into an unforgettable experience.

A Place Where Spirits Linger

Whether it’s the lost souls of criminals sentenced long ago, or the playful yet sorrowful spirits of children who may have once called the land home, Aliʻiōlani Hale is undeniably a place where the past refuses to rest. The imposing banyan trees, with their tangled roots and dark histories, stand as sentinels over the building, connecting the living world to the spiritual one. For those with an eye for the paranormal, the courthouse is more than a hub for legal proceedings—it’s a place where Hawaii’s history, both tragic and haunted, comes to life.

Aliʻiōlani Hale is a testament to the deep and mysterious connections between Hawaii’s past and the present. Its haunted legacy serves as a reminder that, while justice may be blind, the spirits of the past continue to watch, whisper, and linger in the shadows.

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References:

Ali‘iōlani Hale – Historic Hawaii Foundation

Aliʻiōlani Hale – Wikipedia

EIGHT08 BLOGS: Haunted Oahu

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Haunted Ford Island: Echoes of Pearl Harbor

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After the attack on Pearl Harbor, it is said that the ghosts of the dead are still haunting Ford Island. Could it be that the ghosts of war is still haunting the deep blue water?

Ford Island, in the heart of Pearl Harbor, holds a significant place in American history. This strategic location was at the center of the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, a day that left a lasting impression on the island and its surroundings. Over the years, numerous reports of paranormal activity have surfaced, suggesting that the spirits of those who perished during the attack may still linger, haunting the island with their unresolved energy.

Ford Island: Aerial Shot of Ford Island and Control Tower. Several places on this little islet is said to be haunted.

Ford Island’s History

Ford Island is an islet in the center of Pearl Harbor. Originally known as Moku’ume’ume by native Hawaiians, the island was used for fishing and farming as well as the place for a fertility ritual. The U.S. Navy acquired Ford Island in 1916, transforming it into a central hub for aviation and naval operations. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

The little islet’s most notable moment came on December 7, 1941, during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, when Ford Island’s airfield and battleship moorings were primary targets. 

Post-war, the island continued to serve as a critical military installation, housing naval personnel and playing a role in various military operations. Today, Ford Island is home to several historic sites and memorials, including the Pacific Aviation Museum and the USS Missouri. It is here most of the haunting ghost stories come from.

The Tragedy of Pearl Harbor

As the sun rose, the tranquil harbor suddenly erupted into chaos when the Japanese Imperial Navy launched an attack on December 7, 1941. Although the attack is often described as a surprise attack, Japan and the US had been through months of negotiation of the Pacific they both wanted to take. The US was also one of the nations putting an embargo on the nation after they waged war against China. The Japanese needed the oil trade from the US and after the Hull note, telling them to withdraw from China without any conditions, the Japanese task force left for Pearl Harbor. Not only did they attack Pearl Harbor, but the American-held Philippines, Guam, Wake Island as well as the British Empire in Malaya, Singapore and Hong Kong. 

The sky darkened with swarms of fighter planes, and explosions echoed across the base, shattering the morning calm. Within hours, over 2,400 American lives were lost as well as 129 Japanese, numerous ships were sunk or severely damaged, and the Pacific Fleet lay in ruins. This assault galvanized the United States, propelling it into World War II the next day.

Ford Island Naval Air Station: Sailors at Ford Island Naval Air Station look on as the USS Shaw explodes in the distance. This view is of the PBY ramp with assorted aircraft scattered among the debris. Barely seen in the background is the beached USS Nevada.Sailors at Ford Island Naval Air Station look on as the USS Shaw explodes in the distance. This view is of the PBY ramp with assorted aircraft scattered among the debris. Barely seen in the background is the beached USS Nevada.

Today, Pearl Harbor stands as a poignant memorial to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The USS Arizona Memorial, perched solemnly above the sunken battleship, draws visitors from around the globe, watching the oil droplets still seeping from the wreckage, known as the “tears of the Arizona,” 

Attack on Pearl Harbor: Photograph taken from a Japanese plane during the torpedo attack on ships moored on both sides of Ford Island shortly after the beginning of the Pearl Harbor attack. View looks about east, with the supply depot, submarine base and fuel tank farm in the right center distance.

The Haunting of Ford Island

Residents and visitors alike have encountered eerie phenomena that have no explanation. Disembodied voices and phantom footsteps echo through empty rooms, leaving an unsettling feeling in their wake. Objects in people’s homes mysteriously move or stack themselves without human intervention, and appliances turn on and off at odd hours of the night, as if manipulated by unseen hands. 

Among the most common spectral sightings are glowing, misty apparitions that float through homes and shadowy figures that appear around trees and buildings. These ghostly forms often resemble people, only to vanish when approached, leaving witnesses in a state of bewilderment and fear. 

There is especially one building on the island where people are reporting strange things that people claim the doors keep getting locked and open on their own, with a draft of cold air coming out of nowhere.

Ford Island Airstrip

The airstrip on Ford Island is another area rife with ghostly encounters. Many report feeling an overwhelming sense of urgency and panic while visiting, accompanied by the unmistakable sounds of men running in boots and distant moaning as if they are in pain. But they never really see any living people actually come running, although it can sometimes sound like there is someone running right past them. 

A strange, glowing mist is often seen drifting across the tarmac, adding to the airstrip’s eerie atmosphere. These hauntings are believed to be connected to the many servicemen who lost their lives during the bombing, their restless spirits forever bound to the site of their demise.

The USS Arizona Memorial

Most reports about supposed paranormal activities and strange things happening are said to be around the USS Arizona Memorial. This was a battleship in Pearl Harbor and the only one of the sunken battleships not raised in the aftermath and is still there underneath the surface.

Both staff and visitors claim to have heard weird sounds, footsteps, hushed voices. Some even claim to have heard the sound of distant explosions. 

One of the ghosts said to haunt the memorial is from a sailor who was shot during the bombing and left to die. At low tide, his spirit is said to haunt the deck of the sunken USS Arizona. 

People visiting it claim to smell something burnt and hear the knocking on metal from the hull, like someone is banging a wrench from the inside. 

The Ghost of Charley

Perhaps the most well-known ghost on Ford Island is Charley, whose presence is so pervasive that it has become a part of local lore. Officers often dismiss strange occurrences with a resigned “That’s just Charley.” 

Faucets turn on by themselves, radios switch stations unbidden, and heavy doors swing back and forth without any apparent cause. Charley’s presence is frequently accompanied by the jangling of keys and the sound of loud footsteps echoing through empty hallways.

The Ghosts of War Still Haunting Pearl Harbor

Is the place really haunted? Sites like this certainly hold an eerie vibe, much like any other battlefields where many lives were lost. While the paranormal activity on Ford Island is compelling, it also serves as a poignant reminder of the lives lost and the sacrifices made during one of the most pivotal moments in American history. 

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References:

The Attack Hasn’t Ended For Some Of These Spirits – Paranormal Housewife 

These Military Ghost Stories Will Have You Hiding Under Your Woobie – Task & Purpose 

The Haunting of Ford Island 

Attack on Pearl Harbor – Wikipedia 

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Teke Teke: The Terrifying Urban Legend of Kashima Reiko

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The urban legends of Teke Teke and Kashima Reiko are often so similar, they are thought to have merged or started together. Both of them warn about a vengeful spirit without legs, crawling her way to her victims, only letting you go if you can answer her riddle. 

Japan has no shortage of eerie urban legends, but few are as unsettling as the story of Teke Teke, (テケテケ), a ghostly entity known for its horrific appearance and chilling modus operandi. This tale, often shared among schoolchildren and horror enthusiasts, tells of a vengeful spirit, also classified as an onryō, whose origins are rooted in tragedy and whose presence is marked by a haunting sound—the ominous “teke-teke” noise she makes as she drags her mutilated body in search of victims.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Japan

The name given to the ghost is often said to be Kashima Reiko, although she is only one of the many variations of the legend. The urban legend has many variations and the spirit goes by many names, almost making the story of Teke Teke a type of ghostly fate for many different people across Japan. In almost all of the legends though, seeing her apparition, will most likely seal your own fate. 

Kashima Reiko: The urban legend of Kashima Reiko and Teke Teke are often told together. In 2009 a movie based on the urban legend of Teke Teke came out.

The Legend of Teke Teke

The story of Teke Teke centers around a young woman who met a gruesome fate, often said to be the ghost of a school girl. While variations exist, the most common version tells of a girl who fell—or was pushed—onto the tracks of an oncoming train. The impact severed her body at the waist, leading to her untimely and agonizing death. Being far north in Japan on a winter night, the extreme coldness made her veins freeze and the bleeding to stop. She was kept alive for a while like this, calling out for help, clawing her way up from the rails. 

In some versions she could have been helped, but the station staff and onlookers did nothing, or at least not enough and she died of her injuries. In some versions, the staff saw her and covered her with a tarp where she died slowly. 

Unable to find peace, her restless spirit is said to wander at night, often said to haunt old train stations and dark alleys. dragging her upper torso with her hands or elbows, making a distinct “teke-teke” sound against the ground.

It is believed that anyone who encounters Teke Teke is doomed to die. Many say she will appear to you three days after hearing the story if you don’t forget. She is said to move at unnatural speeds, capable of chasing down even the fastest runners and even cars. Her fingernails turned into claws she drags herself around with. When she catches her victim, she slices them in half, mirroring her own grisly demise. Some versions of the legend suggest that she carries a scythe or other sharp weapon, ensuring that her revenge is as brutal as her death.

Background for the Legend of Teke Teke

Teke Teke: (テケテケ) is a 2009 Japanese supernatural horror film directed by Kōji Shiraishi and written by Takeki Akimoto with a sequel following it. Based on the Japanese urban legend.

Teke Teke is often said to have been a school girl from Northern Japan, mostly said to be Hokkaido. Although very cold in the winter, there is no way it’s so cold to hold a decapitated person alive for a long time. Also, the way a train hits and injures a person, will most likely not result in this type of injury anyway.

It could be however, that this part of legend comes from an actual suicide at Akabana Station in Tokyo back in 1935. A woman threw herself in front of the trains and her legs were cut off but didn’t die because of how they were crushed under the train wheels. She was talking with the train conductor, but died after being taken to the hospital

In some variations Teke Teke is a school student, sometimes she is a grown woman. Often her ghost story is morphed to mirror the age and surroundings of those telling the story. Stories told about Teke Teke being a student are often connected with school bullying, and that she ended her life by leaping in front of a train. This way the legend exists as a sort of cautionary tale of bullying, although her vengeance is seemingly not only limited to bullies.  

She is often classified as an Onryō, a type of vengeful spirit of Japan that are often considered to be some of the most dangerous spirits in Japan, created out of hatred and coming back back for revenge to those who wronged them in life

Read More: Onryō — the Vengeful Japanese Spirit

The story of Teke Teke has been around for decades now in many variations and points of origin. Seemingly a merging of many stories that predates the current one. It seems like it could be inspired by, or at least connected with the tragic story of Kashima Reiko haunting public bathrooms, especially in schools.

The Connection to Kashima Reiko

Teke Teke is sometimes linked to another well-known Japanese ghost, Kashima Reiko, more connected with school bathrooms and toilets. Kashima Reiko’s story shares similarities with Teke Teke, as she is also a vengeful spirit with a severed body. It looks like the story of Kashima Reiko predates Teke Teke, although it looks like today, more people know about the Teke Teke version perhaps. Because of the bathroom connection, her story is often told together with the ghost of Hanako-san.

Read More: The Legend of Toire no Hanako-san: The Ghost Haunting School Toilets in Japan 

According to legend, Kashima Reiko is the ghost of a woman who died in Hokkaido, sometimes in Muroran, suffering a similar fate of being cut in half by a train. Most stories start at the end of World War II, or the period after. She was said to be an office worker and attacked and rape by an American soldier stationed there after the war. Some say that the attack happened in a public restroom and that 

The assault was severe, a doctor found her and saved her life, but she had to amputate her arms and legs. Her vanity made her so shocked by her new body, she jumped in front of the train to take her life. In many variants of the legend, she wasn’t an amputee, but the shame and depression after the assault made her take her life.

Today it is always told to be a woman, but when the stories first circulated, the story of the amputee was also said to sometimes be a male military veteran. This is often connected with the shrine in Kashima City where many soldiers visited to pray for victory during the war. Many yokai’s, or ghosts, are often forgotten gods and that this could be one of these instances of the war of God, Takemikazuchi. The shrine was also relocated in 1972 in Hokkaido, about the same time the Kashima story started spreading. 

There are also those claiming that Kashima Reiko is a version of the Slit-Mouth-Woman, scaring children since the 1970s and that the name of this ghost was actually Kashima Reiko. Before 1970, the story often went: A creature came knocking on the door, asking the one opening the door if they needed a leg. If you answered no, it would cut off one and carry it away. If you answered yes, an extra leg would grow on your body. 

Read More: Kuchisake-onna – The Urban Legend of the Slit-Mouthed Woman

Unlike the other variants of Teke Teke, her spirit is believed to haunt bathrooms exclusively, where she asks unfortunate victims questions about her death and where her legs are. Although not said to have died in the toilet, ghost stories of spirits haunting them are fairly big and many in Japan. 

How to Avoid Teke Teke and Kashima Reiko

In some versions, you can survive the encounter with Kashima Reiko if you answer with the phrase: “I need them right now”, where she will follow up with: “Who told you my story?” A riddle, you’re supposed to answer with: “kamen shinin ma“, or “mask death demon” which may be the phonetic root of Kashima’s name. People also say that if you answer that her legs are on the Meishin Expressway, the main way between Osaka and Nagoya.

If they fail to answer correctly, she kills them in a manner similar to her own demise. Some believe that Kashima Reiko and Teke Teke are actually the same entity, or at least different interpretations of the same tragic ghost story.

Like many Japanese urban legends, there are superstitions about how to avoid an encounter with Teke Teke. Some claim that she can be warded off if one answers her questions correctly, while others insist that saying certain protective phrases can save potential victims. In Kashima Reiko’s case, it is said that answering her question about where her legs are with the phrase “They are on the Meishin Expressway” can appease her spirit and spare one’s life.

The Cultural Impact of Teke Teke and Kashima Reiko

Kashima Reiko and Teke Teke’s legend is one of many yūrei (ghost) stories that permeate Japanese folklore, demonstrating the country’s long-standing fascination with spirits, death, and vengeance. Her story has been adapted into movies, manga, and even video games, keeping her terrifying presence alive in popular culture. Some say that if she catches you, you will turn into Teke Teke yourself. 

Teke Teke or Kashima Reiko is not just a tale meant to frighten children—she represents the fear of sudden, tragic death and the idea that spirits can return with unfinished business. Her legend continues to be passed down through generations, evolving with each retelling but always keeping the same terrifying essence: once you hear the sound of Teke Teke, it may already be too late.

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References:

テケテケ – Wikipedia

Teke teke | Yokai.com 

カシマさん – Wikipedia