It is spotless, surviving a takeover … … The castle was built somewhere between 1333 and 1346 (originally named Himeyama Castle) as a home for the lord of Himeji. Photo by Chris Gladis. Himeji Castle is unlike many other Japanese castles – it was never destroyed in wars, earthquakes or fires and survives in its original form. No need to register, buy now! She is supposed to rise from the well at night and count to nine before shrieking and returning to the well (by… This is the story of O-KiKu-Ido or the Lengend of Okikus well. Now, at this point, we should point out the well known fact (especially among paranormal researchers and aficionados) that it is quite common for hauntings, in particular those that are strictly attached to a specific location or item, to originate when a sequence of events takes place in close proximity to the location in question, and when the events have been of an extremely distasteful, painful and/or unjust nature. The tale of Okiku’s Well then goes on to explain that, every night between the hours of two and three, the restless and deeply troubled soul of the servant girl rises from within the well, that had become her watery grave for crimes she did not commit. 73 Views. It centers around a castle, known as Himeji Castle, which stands above the city of Himeji on top of a hill and dates back to the 14th century, later having been widely amplified and expanded upon. These days it's possible to visit Okiku's Well, but only on a tour of Himeji Castle, generally considered the finest castle in Japan. Himeji Castle Half Day Walking Tour (From US$75.85) Himeji Castle Walk in Kimono Selected by a Professional Kimono Fabrics Dealer (From US$53.68) Himeji Half-Day Private Tour with Nationally-Licensed Guide (From US$103.83) World Heritage of Himeji Castle and Akashi Kaikyo Bridge walking tour from Osaka (From US$176.79) Himeji Castle is a World Heritage Site and is considered to be the best preserved surviving castle in Japan. The place that inspired Japanese horror film, "The Ring," and its American remake, the Himeji Castle is Japan's largest surviving castle. Every night she would rise and scream the numbers, and every night she would wake up the lord from his sleep, inside the castle. Hear the story here: ADVERTISEMENTS. She apparently rises from the well, but when she realizes that she is missing a 10th plate, she stops counting, shrieks, and descends back into the well. We do not have any more facts about this story, or about what may have occurred in its aftermath. Forever in a state of desperate unrest, unable to forgive or forget the terrible wrongdoings of her murderer, and the unrequited love she was forced to hold to herself, even in death. Okiku’s Well at Himeji Castle is often said to be haunted by the ghost of Okiku. There are various versions of the legend of Okiku, one of which is portrayed in the well-known kabuki play. realune11 Naturally, she became fearful for the life of her beloved superior, so she decided to tell him about the plans she had just overheard. Himeji Castle (姫路城, Himeji-jō) is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in the city of Himeji which is located in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan.The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network of 83 rooms with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period. The two offer a combination ticket at a good discount. And what she does when once risen is what truly makes this haunted location so compelling: her soul begins screaming, meticulously counting the the gilded plates, starting at ONE, and gradually getting louder and louder as she gets to TEN. She is supposed to rise from the well at night and count to nine before shrieking and returning to the well (by… If you don’t have the JR pass you might choose a slightly slower local train at a substantial cost savings. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. Legend tells that ever since, the voice of Oikiku counting the plates over and over again could be heard coming from this well. As punishment for her alleged crimes, and contrary to the more commonplace practice of forcing her to commit ritual suicide by the Gates, she was actually murdered, via gruesome torture mutilation, and her lifeless remains were thrown into the well. So the chief, who had managed to escape the dominions of Himoji, began to plot against Okiku. The term ‘Okiku’s Well’ refers to one of the most well known legends in Japanese lore, as well as the alleged location where it took place. At the time, it was more like a small fort than a castle, and it was later during the Age of Warring States that it was expanded and made into a citadel by the warlord Shigetaka Kuroda. This castle was built in the early 14th century and several hundred years later it was expanded. But at Himeji Castle, there are still those who say they have heard Okiku’s howls in the still quiet hours of the early morning. Monotobu and his companions eventually destroyed Tetsuzan and his conspirators, and Okiku was enshrined in Jānisho Shrine as Okiku Daimyājin. Leave them to rot in the sombre, damp underground. The interesting part, however, is that it seems that this ghostly behavior started almost immediately after the events of her death took place. Though the castle was originally planned to be built in said wooding. It is both a national treasure and a UNESCO world heritage site. The story of Okiku’s Well is a key story in Japanese culture, where it is now known as Banshu Sarayashiki and has been the subject of many variations in theater and literature. She served the master of the Castle, a powerful and wealthy lord, whose most valued treasure Okiku … Okiku counted the … Created with sketchtool. Uncover Travel | Bucket list adventures across the globe with vacation itineraries, sightseeing tours, hotel and restaurant recommendations. Okiku's Well (Banshu Sarayashiki) at Himeji Castle - Himeji, Japan In the center of Himeji, Japan on a hill top above the city, the tower of Himeji Castle rises into the skyline. It is said, that on dark nights at Himeji castle, people will hear Okiku counting the plates. This well is preserve and being taken cared of inside the Himeji Castle in Japan. Okiku’s Well at Himeji Castle is often said to be haunted by the ghost of Okiku. Period/location of origin: Subject is located on the grounds of Himeji Castle, which stands in the Hyogo Prefecture city of Himeji in Japan’s Kansai region. Let alone to witness. Somewhere like… a well? Tags: sadako, the ring, hosokawa katsumoto, himeji castle, okiku's well, tomonosuke, asayama tetsuzan, chief retainer, tortured to death Secrets. There are various versions of the legend of Okiku, one of which is portrayed in the well-known kabuki play. It is said that Tetsuzan went insane from the haunting. Okiku overheard the plot and reported it to her lover, a loyal warrior. Many locals and visitors come in early spring to admire the cherry blossoms in the surrounding grounds and to picnic and spend the There are amazing legends and stories, cultural traditions that defined Japanese ideologies for centuries, and some pretty cool art. Having learned of the would-be assassin’s plot to kill Norimoto, Okiku passed word to Motobonu. It is even said that the horrendous punishments were inflicted on Okiku by none other than the chief himself. But let’s get back to the story…. On one occasion, Okiku accidentally overhead a conversation between a couple of the lord’s chiefs, where they appeared to be making plans and conspiring to take his life. However, the haunting we are going to talk about here has nothing to do with the poor souls who met their demise at the point of their own sword at the Suicide Gates. Unable to bear Okiku’s rejection, Danshirā hid one of the ten plates that were treasured posessions of the Aoyama family, and framed Okiku for the theft. 00:43:55 ITUNES RSS LINK. Haunted Okiku's Well at Himeji Castle Kahani Tv. However, over time the story has changed somewhat and even the location of the Well itself has been questioned. Most visitors to Himeji castle will make their way from the major cities in the nearby Kansai area; Kyoto, Osaka or Kobe. Previously: The Wind Telephone. She served the master of the Castle, a powerful and wealthy lord, whose most valued treasure Okiku was entrusted with guarding. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), #Throwback to this beautiful site just outside of, Today’s #throwback is to this wonderful 17.5k hi, Today’s #throwback is to watching these gorgeous, Today’s #throwback takes us to the magical Isla, Today’s #throwback is to #Furnas in The #Azores, Today’s #throwback is to the #BVI and watching t, Today’s throwback is to these cheeky little monk, Today’s throwback is to #Kachically #crocodile p, Throwback to 2014 and spending a wonderful day exp, Porto de Baleeira – Sagres’ World-Famous Fishing Harbour, Cabo de San Vicente – The Cape of Portugal’s Forgotten Saint in Sagres, Portugal, Saint Salvator’s Unlucky PH in St Andrews, Scotland, Legends and myths about Himeji Castle in Japan, Origin of the Japanese play about Oikiku and the well, Story of the legend of the well at Himeji Castle, The restoration of Himeji Castle and Preservation of this World Heritage Site, Boulders Beach, Home to the Urban Penguins of the Cape, Goðafoss – One of Iceland’s Most Spectacular Waterfalls, https://www.artelino.com/articles/ghost_story_okiku.asp, https://seeksghosts.blogspot.com.es/2011/11/traditional-japanese-ghost-story-okiku.html. The Legend Of Okiku’s Well. Himeji Castle itself was built in the 17th century, but its full history spans nearly the entirety of the shogunate era. This was put in place as a defense measure. The castle's most unique feature is the maze that surrounds the castle in the dense wooding. If you have any thoughts or opinions on the subject we have covered here today, please feel free to leave them in the comment section below. Because its grounds and infrastructure are so well preserved, it is often referred to as Japan’s most spectacular castle. Image my own. It is said the samurai Lord Aoyama Tessan had a young servant girl called… There are a lot of reasons to be interested in the feudal era of Japanese history. As one version goes, around the year 1500, Aoyama Tetsuzan, the regent to the lord of Himeji Castle, Kodera Norimoto, plotted with Chānotsubo Danshirā to kill Norimoto and take over the castle. It is undeniable how powerful of an archetype this is, how poignant, touching and at the same time bone-chilling this scene is, even to imagine. A young, beautiful lady named Okiku was blamed for the loss of a plate - one from a set of ten, a valuable family treasure. The plot was averted. Okiku Ido (Okiku Well), in the grounds of Himeji Castle, is said to be the well that features in the ghost story known as Banshō Sarayashiki. The castle was established in 1346 by the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598), who ruled over most of Japan and went on to build a full-scale castle wall, which became the base for present-day Himeji Castle.At the start of the Edo period (1603-1867), the castle underwent considerable renovation over a nine-year period, creating the magnificent appearance you see today. Okiku’s well in the grounds of Himeji castle. The well is located at the base of the castle, close to what has become known as the Suicide Gates (this is the place where those who had fallen from grace where compelled to take their lives to restore their lost honor), and is thought to have been used for cleaning up after various Hara-Kiri ceremonies that likely took place right next to it. Okiku’s Well at Himeji Castle is often said to be haunted by the ghost of Okiku. In the Himeji version, Okiku was a servant of Aoyama, a retainer who planned a plot against his lord. Norimoto’s loyal retainer, Kinshasa Motonobu, arranged for a young girl named Okiku to serve as a maid in Tetsuzan’s house in order to ascertain his plans. Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus. A long time ago (the story has sometimes been dated to somewhere around the 18th century, but this is disputable) there was a servant girl living in the Himeji Castle, named Okiku. ... 姫路城 Himeji Castle filmed with α7R II - 4K Super 35 Format | α | Sony - Duration: 4:31. 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