Kisaragi Station Urban Legend: Real Ghost Story or Internet Hoax?

In the eerie landscape of Japanese urban legends, Kisaragi Station stands as a chilling enigma, captivating thrill-seekers and folklore enthusiasts alike.

This haunting tale, born on the digital threads of the 2channel message board in 2004, follows a young woman named Hasumi, whose routine train ride spirals into a nightmarish journey to a station that defies reality.

Known as Kisaragi Station, this phantom stop exists nowhere on official maps, yet its story has sparked fear, fascination, and fervent speculation across Japan and beyond.

With its blend of modern technology, supernatural dread, and unanswered questions, the legend has inspired films, investigations, and countless online debates.

What makes Kisaragi Station so enduring? Is it a mere internet myth, or does it hint at a darker truth lurking in Japan’s railway shadows? Dive into this comprehensive exploration of the Kisaragi Station legend, unraveling its history, myths, and its place among Japan’s most spine-chilling tales.

What Is the Kisaragi Station?

The Kisaragi Station urban legend is a cornerstone of modern Japanese folklore, emerging from a series of unsettling posts on the 2channel message board on January 8, 2004.

The story centers on a woman named Hasumi, who, during her evening commute from Shin-Hamamatsu Station in Shizuoka Prefecture, found her train behaving strangely.

Instead of stopping at her usual destination, the train continued for over 20 minutes through an unfamiliar tunnel, finally halting at an unknown station called Kisaragi Station.

Described as desolate, with no staff, passengers, or signage, the station was shrouded in an unsettling darkness, illuminated only by dim lights.

Hasumi’s real-time posts on 2channel, shared under the thread “Post About Strange Occurrences Around You: Thread 26,” detailed her growing panic as she explored the station and its surroundings.

Hasumi described boarding a train from Shin-Hamamatsu Station, expecting a short commute to her home in Shizuoka Prefecture. Instead, the train failed to stop at her usual station, continuing for an unprecedented 20 minutes through an unfamiliar tunnel.

When it finally halted, the station sign read Kisaragi Station, a name absent from any known railway records. The station was eerily empty, with no ticket gates, staff, or other passengers. Outside, the area was cloaked in darkness, with only a few dim streetlights casting shadows.

Hasumi’s posts, shared via her mobile phone, detailed her growing unease as she explored the station and its surroundings, encountering a one-legged man who vanished after warning her to flee, and hearing unsettling sounds like drumbeats and bells.

The real-time nature of Hasumi’s posts captivated 2channel users, who responded with advice, skepticism, and encouragement. Some urged her to call the police or her family, while others speculated about supernatural forces.

Hasumi’s final post mentioned her phone battery dying and her decision to follow a stranger’s suggestion to walk toward a distant light, after which she ceased communication.

Her disappearance sparked widespread speculation, with some believing she had stumbled into a parallel dimension or been spirited away by yūrei (ghosts) or onryō (vengeful spirits). The lack of concrete evidence about her fate—whether she was a real person or a fictional creation—has kept the legend alive.

Investigations into Kisaragi Station’s possible location have yielded few answers. Saginomiya Station on the Enshū Railway Line in Shizuoka Prefecture emerged as a leading candidate due to its proximity to Shin-Hamamatsu and its relatively quiet nature in 2004.

However, Saginomiya was staffed and saw regular traffic, unlike the deserted station Hasumi described.

A 2019 local report noted that Saginomiya Station was darker and less developed in 2004, lacking a convenience store or bicycle parking, which partially aligns with the legend’s setting. Other speculated locations include rural stations like Misedani or Nishi-Aioi, but none match the description perfectly.

In 2014, a Google Maps marker for Kisaragi Station was placed on a pond near the University of Tsukuba, adding to the myth’s mystique but offering no tangible evidence.

The legend’s dark elements—Hasumi’s isolation, the ghostly figure, and the ominous sounds—evoke traditional Japanese folklore themes. The one-legged man resembles a tenome, a yōkai with eyes in its hands, or a crippled spirit seeking vengeance.

The drumbeats and bells echo rituals associated with Shinto or Buddhist practices, often linked to summoning or banishing spirits. While no specific tragedies, such as murders or suicides, are directly tied to Kisaragi Station, Japan’s railway history provides a grim backdrop.

The country has seen numerous train accidents, like the 1987 Amagasaki derailment that killed 56 people, and suicides on tracks are a persistent issue, with over 2,000 railway suicides reported annually in the early 2000s.

These events fuel speculation that Kisaragi Station could be a spectral echo of such tragedies, a place where lost souls linger.

The legend’s cultural impact is undeniable. The Enshū Railway embraced the story, temporarily renaming Saginomiya Station to Kisaragi Station in 2022 to promote the film, with replica tickets selling out in under an hour.

Online platforms like X have kept the legend alive, with users sharing alleged sightings or recreations of Hasumi’s experience. Some posts claim the station appears only at specific times, such as midnight during the lunar month of Kisaragi (February).

Others link it to Japan’s history of abandoned stations, like the now-closed Tōkaidō Line stops, suggesting a forgotten platform overtaken by supernatural forces.

The 2022 film Kisaragi Station, starring Yuri Tsunematsu, reimagined the tale as a horror-mystery, blending Hasumi’s story with fictional elements. Despite extensive searches, no definitive evidence of Kisaragi Station or Hasumi has surfaced, leaving the legend shrouded in mystery and ripe for speculation.

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Kisaragi Station Urban Legend

Here is the Kisaragi Station urban legend:

#Anon: This might sound odd… Is it okay to share here?

#2ch: Sure, go for it.

#2ch: What’s happening?

#Anon: I’m on my usual train, but something feels really wrong.

#2ch: Huh…

#Anon: I take this train every day to work. Normally, it’s a quick five-minute ride, maybe eight if there’s a delay. But it’s been rolling for over twenty minutes without stopping. There are five other people in the car, all passed out.

#2ch: Did you hop on an express by accident?

#2ch: Maybe it’s a bullet train?

#Anon: Could be I missed my stop, I guess. I’ll wait a bit more. If anything weirder happens, I’ll post again.

#2ch: Why not check the front car for the driver?

#2ch: What if the driver’s had a seizure or something? You should find the conductor!

#Anon: Still no stops. Okay, I’ll go look.

#Anon: The driver’s cabin has some kind of shade over the window, so I couldn’t see anyone. It’s a private rail line in Shizuoka.

#2ch: Try tapping on the glass?

#Hasumi: I knocked, but no response.

#2ch: Can you look outside?

#2ch: Any station names passing by?

#Hasumi: We just came through a tunnel, and the train’s slowing a bit. I’ve never seen a tunnel on this route before… It’s the line from Shin-Hamamatsu.

#Hasumi: Finally, it’s pulling into a station.

#2ch: You’re not getting off there, right?

#Hasumi: It’s stopped at Kisaragi Station. Should I step off? I’ve never heard of this place.

#2ch: Go check it out.

#2ch: No, stay put until the end of the line.

#2ch: Bet it’s already moving again…

#2ch: What time did you board?

#Hasumi: I’m off the train now. The station’s completely empty—no staff. I got on around 11:40 PM.

#2ch: I’m searching, but Kisaragi Station doesn’t come up anywhere…

#2ch: So, you’ve been on the train for over an hour? That’s bizarre.

#2ch: Yeah, no hits for Kisaragi Station online.

#Hasumi: I’m trying to find a timetable to get back, but there’s nothing here. The train’s still at the platform, so maybe I should get back on… Oh, it just left while I was typing.

#2ch: Any people or buildings around?

#2ch: It’s chilly out, so stay warm.

#Hasumi: I’ll see if I can find a cab nearby. Thanks for the help.

#2ch: Good plan.

#2ch: Stay safe.

#2ch: Past midnight at an empty station… Good luck finding a taxi.

#2ch: And so, Hasumi slipped into another dimension…

#Hasumi: No cabs in sight. Hmm…

#2ch: Try calling the police?

#2ch: Look up a taxi service?

#2ch: Check for a payphone nearby to call a cab company.

#Hasumi: I called my family to pick me up, but they’ve never heard of Kisaragi Station. They’re checking maps to find me, but I’m starting to get spooked.

#2ch: What about the other passengers?

#2ch: Are you alone now?

#2ch: I looked online too, and Kisaragi Station doesn’t exist near Shin-Hamamatsu. I’ll try another search.

#Hasumi: No payphones around. Nobody else got off, so it’s just me. The sign definitely says Kisaragi.

#2ch: Sometimes stations have phones outside.

#Hasumi: The kanji on the sign reads like “Demon,” but it’s pronounced Kisaragi…

#2ch: Demon Station? That’s creepy…

#2ch: Are you into video games? There’s a game called Kisaragi when I searched.

#2ch: What are the stations before and after Kisaragi?

#Hasumi: A game? There’s no info on nearby stations here.

#2ch: Walk along the tracks back the way you came.

#2ch: Sprint now, and you might catch the train!

#2ch: There’s got to be houses near the station, right?

#Hasumi: Yeah, I see some houses now that I’m calming down a bit. I’m walking along the tracks, waiting for my parents to call back. My phone’s map app crashed with some kind of error. I just want to get home.

#Hasumi: It’s so empty out here—just fields and hills. I think following the tracks will get me somewhere, so I’ll keep going. Thanks for sticking with me. If I run into more trouble, can I post again?

#2ch: Absolutely.

#2ch: Be careful out there.

#2ch: Keep your phone charged—it’s your only link right now.

#2ch: Don’t wander too far.

#2ch: Watch out in that tunnel.

#2ch: You’re getting a signal out there? Maybe stay close to the station…

#2ch: Alone at night in a creepy, empty station… The lights might go out soon.

#2ch: Honestly, waiting for sunrise at the station might be safest.

#2ch: This is getting intense…

#Hasumi: My dad called, confused, asking tons of questions, but he can’t find this place. They suggested calling the police, which I’m hesitant about, but I’ll try.

#2ch: Wait until it’s light out before moving.

#2ch: Alone in the dark at a spooky station? Yikes…

#2ch: Walking through a tunnel alone at night? On a creepy rail line? Double yikes…

#Hasumi: I called the police and tried explaining, but they thought I was pranking and got mad. I panicked and apologized.

#2ch: Apologized for what? Just wait for the first train tomorrow.

#2ch: What’s the area like? Anything nearby?

#Hasumi: I hear a faint drumming sound mixed with bells in the distance. I’m totally lost on what to do now.

#2ch: Head back to the station, Hasumi. When you’re lost, retrace your steps.

#2ch: Here we go…

#2ch: Maybe it’s a festival?

#Hasumi: I know it sounds crazy, but I’m too scared to look back. I want to return to the station, but I can’t bring myself to turn around.

#2ch: Run! Don’t look back!

#2ch: Forget the station. Sprint through the tunnel! You’re probably close to safety.

#Hasumi: Someone shouted, “Hey! Don’t walk on the tracks, it’s dangerous!” I turned, expecting a worker, but it was a one-legged old man who disappeared. I’m frozen with fear.

#2ch: I said don’t look back! RUN!

#2ch: Stay calm, okay? Check where that drumming’s coming from. Someone’s gotta be there.

#2ch: Where are you leading her?

#2ch: How’d you know it was an old man if it was just a leg?

#2ch: Probably an old man missing a leg, not just a leg.

#2ch: Maybe a ghost who died on the tracks.

#Hasumi: I can’t move. The drumming’s getting louder.

#2ch: Wait for morning. It won’t be as scary in daylight.

#2ch: Glad I stayed on my train…

#Hasumi: I’m alive, but I tripped, cut myself, and broke a heel. I’m just sitting here now. I don’t want to die…

#2ch: Get out of the tunnel and call for help.

#Hasumi: I called home. My dad’s contacting the police, but the sounds are closer now.

#2ch: Hope that’s not a train coming…

#Hasumi: I reached the tunnel’s end. The sign says Isanuki. The noise is still closing in, so I’m leaving the tunnel. I’ll post again if I’m safe.

#2ch: Good luck!

#2ch: Forget the station and trains. Ignore the sounds. Just run out of the tunnel. Don’t stop, or you’ll get caught by something not from this world.

#Hasumi: I’m out of the tunnel. There’s someone ahead. Your advice worked. Thanks so much. I’m crying so much, they might think I’m the monster.

#2ch: Hasumi, don’t go!

#2ch: Stop! That’s bad news!

#2ch: Someone’s there at this hour? That’s sketchy…

#Hasumi: He seems kind and was concerned about me. He’s arranging a train to the nearest station, where there’s a business hotel. I’m so grateful to you all.

#2ch: Hasumi, one question: ask him where you are.

#2ch: Is he really kind? Sounds creepy…

#2ch: That guy’s trouble! Why’s he out there so late? Probably a ghost!

#Hasumi: He said we’re in Hina. That doesn’t seem right…

#2ch: Get off the train, Hasumi!

#2ch: Where’s Hina?

#Hasumi: We’re heading into the mountains. This doesn’t feel like a train route. He’s stopped talking to me.

#2ch: Maybe he’s annoyed you’re on your phone?

#2ch: Hasumi, did you call your parents after meeting this guy?

#2ch: Call the police now. This could be your last shot.

#Hasumi: My battery’s almost gone. Things are getting weird. He’s muttering strange stuff to himself. I’m planning to run when I get the chance, so this is my last post for now.

Hasumi never posted again.

The legend’s power lies in its immediacy. Hasumi’s posts, shared via a mobile phone, created a sense of urgency and authenticity, amplified by the community’s real-time responses. The abrupt end to her posts, coupled with her mention of a dying battery and following a stranger, cemented the story’s place in Japanese folklore.

Similar and Related Horror Stories

The Yami Station Connection

Another tale linked to Kisaragi Station involves Yami Station, a supposed sister station in the same supernatural railway network. Shared on X in 2011, a user claimed to have boarded a train in Kyushu that passed through a foggy tunnel before stopping at Yami Station (meaning “Darkness Station”).

The station was eerily similar to Kisaragi Station—deserted, with flickering lights and a sense of being watched. Unlike Hasumi, the user claimed to have stayed on the train, which eventually resumed its journey, returning them to a familiar station.

This story, while less detailed, reinforces the idea of a spectral railway system where certain trains veer into otherworldly realms.

Folklore enthusiasts link Yami Station to Japan’s rural railway lines, where abandoned stations and low visibility during foggy nights fuel tales of ghostly stops.

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The Katasu Station Encounter

A lesser-known legend from a 2015 blog post describes Katasu Station, another phantom stop allegedly connected to Kisaragi Station. A commuter in Shizuoka Prefecture reported boarding a late-night train that stopped at Katasu Station after an unusually long ride.

The station was shrouded in mist, with a single platform and a rusted sign. The commuter heard faint whispers and saw shadowy figures in the distance but managed to reboard the train before it departed.

This tale emphasizes time distortion, with the commuter noting that their watch showed only minutes passing despite hours spent at the station.

Local folklore in Shizuoka suggests Katasu Station appears to those who travel alone at midnight, possibly tied to the region’s history of abandoned railway infrastructure.

The Ghost Train of Enshū

A regional anecdote from Hamamatsu, shared in a 2018 community forum, tells of a ghost train that allegedly operates on the Enshū Railway Line.

Locals claim that during the lunar month of Kisaragi, a spectral train appears, stopping at unmarked platforms like Kisaragi Station. One story recounts a farmer who boarded such a train in the 1990s, only to find himself at a station surrounded by dense forest.

He escaped by following a dirt path to a nearby village, but his watch showed no time had passed.

This tale, rooted in oral tradition, reflects rural Japan’s fear of isolated railways and the spirits that may inhabit them, possibly inspired by the region’s history of railway accidents and closures.

The Midnight Wanderer

A chilling story from a 2020 X post describes a group of teenagers who allegedly found Kisaragi Station while exploring rural Shizuoka at midnight.

After missing their last train, they followed train tracks and stumbled upon a derelict station with a faded Kisaragi sign. They reported hearing distant chanting and seeing a figure in a white kimono, a classic yūrei image, before fleeing.

The story, while unverified, aligns with local beliefs about spirits haunting abandoned infrastructure. The teenagers’ account emphasizes the station’s liminal nature, appearing only to those who stray from their path, and reflects community fears of the unknown in rural settings.

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Kisaragi Station vs Other Japanese Urban Legends

Kisaragi Station is one of many Japanese urban legends that evoke fear through specific locations or supernatural encounters:

Kisaragi Station shares themes of isolation and supernatural transport with legends like The Phantom Bus and Teke Teke, but its digital origin and real-time storytelling set it apart.

Unlike Hanako-san or Aka Manto, which involve direct spirit interactions in familiar settings, Kisaragi Station’s horror stems from its liminal, unreachable nature.

Its internet-based narrative aligns with The Red Room Curse, but the physicality of a train station grounds it in a tangible yet elusive reality. The legend’s ambiguity—whether a ghost story, dimensional portal, or urban myth—makes it a unique entry in Japan’s folklore canon.

Is the Kisaragi Station Real?

Despite extensive searches, no station by that name appears on Japanese railway maps, and speculated locations like Saginomiya Station in Shizuoka Prefecture don’t fully match Hasumi’s description.

A 2019 report noted Saginomiya’s quieter, darker state in 2004, but its staffed status and regular traffic contradict the legend’s desolate setting.

The 2014 Google Maps marker near the University of Tsukuba, placed on a pond, was likely a prank, yet it fueled the myth’s allure. The Enshū Railway’s 2022 promotional renaming of Saginomiya to Kisaragi Station for the film release, complete with sold-out replica tickets, shows the legend’s cultural staying power, but offers no proof of its reality.

Ultimately, Kisaragi Station thrives on its ambiguity. Whether a fictional tale crafted for 2channel, a reflection of cultural fears about isolation and technology, or a hint at a supernatural truth, it continues to captivate.

New stories emerge on platforms like X, with users claiming fleeting glimpses of the station or similar experiences. As long as its mystery endures, Kisaragi Station will remain a haunting fixture in Japanese urban folklore, inviting curiosity and chills in equal measure.