Japanese haunted towns are towns legendarily inhabited by ghosts (yà Âkai). These include Yà Âkai Street (officially known as Jà Âkyo Street or Taishà Âgun shopping street), in Kyoto and the Yà Âkaichi of Shiga Prefecture.
à Âbokeyà Âkai Village in the Tokushima Prefecture has developed a yà Âkai culture. Legend has it that yà Âkai inhabit the village. Some 15,000 people were identified as residents in the 1950s. However, reports regarding <u>yà Âkai</u> sightings and yà Âkai-related phenomena led to a mass exodus. In 2013, the village was home to only 4,000 permanent residents.
This village is said to be a birthplace of konakijijë, and is the source of many yà Âkai legends. To capitalize upon the interests of Japanese pop culture and as a sign of respect for their fellow yà Âkai residents, this village erected statues of yà Âkai and holds various "yà Âkai events" annually.
In 1998, locals began to investigate the village and uncovered its legend as a birthplace of konakijijë and yà Âkai. In 2001, they put up a statue of konakijijë and started a yà Âkai festival. In 2010, a rest area in this village was remade into a yà Âkai mansion and many statues ofyà Âkai are displayed there.
People in this village have held many events and built many structures. The biggest event is the Yà Âkai Festival held every year in November. Yokai night walks, a disguise contest, poster exhibitions, and guided tours are also held. In addition, there is a yà Âkai mansion as a roadside station, where legends about yà Âkai are displayed. Furthermore, many sculptures of yà Âkai stand in various places throughout the village.
In à Âbokeyokai village, stories about yà Âkai have been handed down from generation to generation. For example, stories about konakijijë, hitotsumenyà «dà Â, tengu, kappa (folklore), and so on. More than one hundred and fifty stories exist now. Ancient people scared children with stories of yà Âkai, to prevent them from doing dangerous things.
Mizuki Shigeru road is a street with many statues of yà Âkai in Sakaiminato, Tottori. Sakaiminato is the birthplace of Shigeru Mizuki, who is the author of GeGeGe no Kitarà Â, a famous Japanese comic. Mizuki Shigeru road has many statues of yà Âkai and facilities related to yà Âkai.
Statues of yà Âkai, a memorial house, a shrine and many shops are on Mizuki Shigeru road. When the road was first built, 23 statues of yà Âkai were there, but by 2014, the number had risen to 153. Mizuki Shigeru kinenkan is a memorial house with exhibits of comics drawn by Mizuki, photos of his trips, an account of his history and many articles about yà Âkai. Yà Âkai jinja is a shrine founded to accommodate yà Âkai. The crest for the shrine symbolizes Chinese character âÂÂkaiâÂÂ.
Mizuki Shigeru road had a history of 21 years as of 2014. Sakaiminato prospered by the marine products industry. To add culture, Mizuki Shigeru road was made in 1993. In 2000, yà Âkai jinja was founded on the road, and in 2003, Mizuki Shigeru kinenkan was made. In 2008 over 10 million people visited this road .
Events include Sakaiminato sakana, a yà Âkai walk. Another event is GeGeGe no getatumi taikai, in which the participants compete by the number of Getas they amass. The higher-ranking prize winners receive a prize.
In Yà Âkai Street, many cute and humorous yà Âkai appear. Yà Âkai Street is at Taishà Âgun in Kyà Âto. This is a development project. Many yà Âkai dolls are displayed in storefronts. When events are held, many people participate.
Yà Âkai Street is the nickname of the Shopping Arcade (in the Taishà Âgun district, named after ), which began the yà Âkai theme project in 2005, installing human-sized figures of these apparitions. Yà Âkai Street pays homage to the olden belief dating back to the Heian period (10âÂÂ12th cent.) that the âÂÂhyakki yagyà Ââ ("nightly parade of a hundred oni", i.e., many yà Âkai) used to parade through , which the shopping arcade is a portion of. Legend says the yà Âkai in the parade were what became of old tools that suffered being discarded. That is to say, a tool used a long time ( or 99 years) were said to evolve into spirits called .
Yà Âkai Street is usually quiet, but many kind of yokai welcome visitors. Various stores and handmade yà Âkai are placed in front of stores. In front of the bakery is âÂÂthe old man of bread.â In front of the kimono shop is a bakeneko dressed in a kimono. One local dish is Yà Âkai Ramen, a Chinese noodle soup. It is the black and powdered in red. In front of this restaurant is a one-eyed goblin. Other food served there is a yà Âkai croquette. The color is black and the inside is green. These foods are popular despite their strange appearance.
At the Taishà Âgunhachi Shrine on Yà Âkai Street, a Yà Âkai Free Market is held several times a year. This market is usually well attended and full of people buying and selling yà Âkai-related goods. Another event is âÂÂIchijà  Hyakkiyakà Â,â a costume parade in which many people wear yà Âkai costumes and walk along Ichijà  Street at night.
Yà Âkaichi city, which is in Shiga prefecture, has become prosperous by publicizing yà Âkai. Honaikai is an attempt to recover local history through events related to yà Âkai.
Yà Âkaichi, Shiga city, which is now Higashià Âmi, Shiga city, was named in the Asuka period by Prince Shà Âtoku. The name Yà Âkaichi derives from the market which was held on days including 8 (8th, 18th, 28th) in Asuka period. Yà Âkaichi prospered as a market town and in 2005 merged with four other towns to form Higashià Âmi, Shiga.
Honaikai took a leading part in the development of yà Âkai culture in Yà Âkaichi city, starting in 1999. In 2002, "Honaikai" made the map of mysterious yà Âkai places for the first time. In 2007, Honaikai made a map called the "Prince Shà Âtoku series" which introduced twelve shrines and temples related to Prince Shà Âtoku. Seven maps related to raccoon dogs, foxes, and the legend of a long-nosed goblin were created. Honaikai especially focuses on Gao, a ghost that eats mischievous children. Members of Honaikai disguise themselves as Gao on February 3 and visit children.
Festivals related to yà Âkai or the history of Yà Âkaichi are held there. "Yà Âkaichi ha Yà Âkaichi" is held mainly by "Honaikai" to inform people of the history and to advance yà Âkai culture. A parade with ghosts and a haunted house is held.
The "Yà Âkaichi Shà Âtoku Maturi" is a festival during which a night market is held and people enjoy dancing.