Samurai Ghosts
The
nation of Japan has a long tradition of ghostly phenomena and at times
absolutely bonkers paranormal folklore. Here we have a country absolutely
steeped in history, much of it dark and violent, and its mythology and folklore
are suitably saturated with countless tales of the weird. Included amongst the
many tales of ghosts and phantoms of Japan are those of ghostly samurai, those
proud warriors of yesteryear, who seem to be just as proud and ferocious in
death as they ever were in life.
One of the more well-known of these mysterious samurai ghosts was Taira no Tomomori (1152-1185), who was a Taira Clan commander and high-ranking warrior. During his prestigious tenure he was notably involved in the epic Genpei War, which saw the Taira and Minamoto clans wage bloody battle against each other for dominance. Tomomori was known as being a very ruthless warrior, as well as a resourceful one who often tried unorthodox ways to engage in warfare.
When the Taira Clan was eventually defeated, Tomomori refused to bow down to his new masters, and he and all of his warriors instead chose to commit ritual suicide by tying heavy anchors to their feet and hurling themselves over the side of a naval vessel to their deaths in the Shimonoseki Strait.
Ever since that fateful day, the spirits of Tomomori and his fellow samurai warriors are said to haunt this patch of sea between the main islands of Kyushu and Honshu, often seen as underwater ghosts and even causing storms or freak accidents and tragedies in the area, and it is their spirits that said to give the area’s Heike crabs their mysterious samurai head markings. Tales of shadowy figures in full samurai regalia wandering aboard passing vessels or of anomalous lights under the waves are also not uncommon here.
One of the more well-known of these mysterious samurai ghosts was Taira no Tomomori (1152-1185), who was a Taira Clan commander and high-ranking warrior. During his prestigious tenure he was notably involved in the epic Genpei War, which saw the Taira and Minamoto clans wage bloody battle against each other for dominance. Tomomori was known as being a very ruthless warrior, as well as a resourceful one who often tried unorthodox ways to engage in warfare.
When the Taira Clan was eventually defeated, Tomomori refused to bow down to his new masters, and he and all of his warriors instead chose to commit ritual suicide by tying heavy anchors to their feet and hurling themselves over the side of a naval vessel to their deaths in the Shimonoseki Strait.
Ever since that fateful day, the spirits of Tomomori and his fellow samurai warriors are said to haunt this patch of sea between the main islands of Kyushu and Honshu, often seen as underwater ghosts and even causing storms or freak accidents and tragedies in the area, and it is their spirits that said to give the area’s Heike crabs their mysterious samurai head markings. Tales of shadowy figures in full samurai regalia wandering aboard passing vessels or of anomalous lights under the waves are also not uncommon here.
Another was a fierce
warrior by the name of Masakado, who was also born into the clan of Taira and
was a relative of Tomomori. Masakado was notorious for being rebellious,
headstrong, and abrasive to those around him. His troubles began with family disputes,
when Masakado’s uncles tried to steal portions of his land upon the death of
his father. Since inheritance laws were not firmly established at the time, it
mostly turned into a free for all, with the uncles gathering a force of
warriors to ambush and kill Masakado.
Unfortunately for them, Masakado proved to be truly a formidable force to be reckoned with in battle, single handedly defeating the ambush to send them scurrying back to where they’d come. Masakado’s revenge was furious and merciless as he descended upon his relative’s lands to burn and demolish everything in his path, as well as brutally killing thousands, many by his own sword.
In 940 AD, they were caught in a night raid. Masakado’s well trained army fought valiantly but in the end, they were outnumbered almost 10 to 1, and fell before the onslaught. Masakado was killed by an arrow through the head, after which his head was removed and sent to Kyoto where it was to be displayed as a warning to anyone who would similarly oppose the emperor.
Unfortunately for them, Masakado proved to be truly a formidable force to be reckoned with in battle, single handedly defeating the ambush to send them scurrying back to where they’d come. Masakado’s revenge was furious and merciless as he descended upon his relative’s lands to burn and demolish everything in his path, as well as brutally killing thousands, many by his own sword.
In 940 AD, they were caught in a night raid. Masakado’s well trained army fought valiantly but in the end, they were outnumbered almost 10 to 1, and fell before the onslaught. Masakado was killed by an arrow through the head, after which his head was removed and sent to Kyoto where it was to be displayed as a warning to anyone who would similarly oppose the emperor.
When the head was
moved it was noticed to have not decomposed as it should have, even after
months of being on display, and that the eyes almost seemed to be alert, and it
was even said to change facial expressions day to day. Even more bizarrely, not
long after its interment there the head was said to call out into the night,
moaning, groaning, and asking for its body back. It was also at times allegedly
seen to be taking flight to terrorize the area.
One evening, it is reported to have begun glowing with an eerie light before floating up into the air, after which the head went shooting into the night like a rocket. The flying, screeching head eventually fell to earth in a fishing village called Shibazaki, where it supposedly landed in an area that to this day is known as Masakado no Kubizuka, or ‘The Hill of Masakado’s Head.’ The head was found by wary locals who cleaned it off and buried it, with a shrine subsequently built over the burial site. This shrine was to become ground zero for various ghostly phenomena, such as mysterious lights, anomalous noises, and a full-bodied apparition of a samurai wandering about to frighten locals.
In addition to these hauntings, Masakado’s spirit was blamed for all matter of tragedy and maladies that plagued the area at the time, with natural disasters, disease, and accidents happening with intense frequency. The resting place of Masakado was eventually moved to Kanto to appease the angry spirit, but disaster would follow not far behind with the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, which caused widespread devastation.
The Ministry of Finance building, which had been erected near Masakado’s resting area, was razed to the ground, and the ministry went about searching the mound where the samurai’s head was said to be buried but nothing was found.
🐯 Rawr 🐯
One evening, it is reported to have begun glowing with an eerie light before floating up into the air, after which the head went shooting into the night like a rocket. The flying, screeching head eventually fell to earth in a fishing village called Shibazaki, where it supposedly landed in an area that to this day is known as Masakado no Kubizuka, or ‘The Hill of Masakado’s Head.’ The head was found by wary locals who cleaned it off and buried it, with a shrine subsequently built over the burial site. This shrine was to become ground zero for various ghostly phenomena, such as mysterious lights, anomalous noises, and a full-bodied apparition of a samurai wandering about to frighten locals.
In addition to these hauntings, Masakado’s spirit was blamed for all matter of tragedy and maladies that plagued the area at the time, with natural disasters, disease, and accidents happening with intense frequency. The resting place of Masakado was eventually moved to Kanto to appease the angry spirit, but disaster would follow not far behind with the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, which caused widespread devastation.
The Ministry of Finance building, which had been erected near Masakado’s resting area, was razed to the ground, and the ministry went about searching the mound where the samurai’s head was said to be buried but nothing was found.
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