Paranormal Investigation In Japan’s Most Haunted Shrine (Oiwa Shrine)

Once celebrated and respected, the Oiwa Shrine on Mount Oiwa in Kyoto’s Fukakusa region now lies in a state of neglect and disrepair. Its beginnings can be traced to the displacement of the Kii clan by the Hata clan in 711, leading them to establish their sacred site on Mount Oiwa. The shrine’s historical importance was further cemented in the early 17th century when its grass was used to feed the horses of Ieyasu Tokugawa, the inaugural Shogun of the Tokugawa era, during his Kyoto visit. However, the Onin War (1467-1477) left the shrine damaged, and it wasn’t until the late 19th century, in the Meiji period, that the Kubo family undertook its restoration. Renowned for its reputed healing abilities, particularly for severe illnesses, Oiwa Shrine’s fame was enhanced by Domoto Insho, a notable Kyoto artist. He expressed his gratitude to the shrine by donating two large sculpted stone torii gates; the first in 1952, praying for his ailing mother’s health, and the second in 1963, posthu