In February 2021 PARANORMAL KANSAI, the companion book to the HIDDEN PATHS series, was released, folklore tales, strange tales, and cryptid stories from the whole Kansai region of Japan (Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Wakayama, Shiga, Nara, and Mie).
HIDDEN PATHS - Walking Historical Kyoto has now released a special Kyoto edition, we feature the KYOTO chapter of PARANORMAL KANSAI along with the HIDDEN PATHS Vol 5 & 6 PARANORMAL KYOTO chapters, and other tales. These locations have been chosen as not only are they places where experiences of a paranormal nature have been reported but they also have a strong historical background to them that connects perfectly with the theme of the HIDDEN PATHS books.
Some of the stories in the volume include tales of Tengu winged creatures in Kyoto, haunted tunnels, demons and folklore cryptids, as well as a good paranormal collection of ghostly happenings in the old capital of Japan.
This 70 page short collection of stories and reports is aimed at those interested in the paranormal tales of Kyoto without focusing on a wider geographical area, and acts as an interim volume between last years PARANORMAL KANSAI - Mysteries & Unexplained Stories of West Japan, and the currently being worked on larger volume of PARANORMAL JAPAN, which hopefully will be released in 2023.
Excerpt from PARANORMAL KYOTO -
'The Wandering Souls of Tennozan Tunnel
From the observation tower at Sakura Deaikan can be seen the mountains to the north-west where the battle took place that ended the reign of the thirteen-day Shogun, Akechi Mitsuhide. This mountain is called Tennozan. Today there is a walking route up the mountain, which has an elevation of 270m, and also a number of shrines. Tennozan also stands in the way of a major route between Kyoto and Osaka. The original tunnel through the mountain has been in service since 1963 and even though the two-tunnel route was expanded to four tunnels in 1998, to ease congestion, the original Tennozan Tunnel is still operational as one of the four.
Knowing that the location is an old battlefield where many samurai were killed over 400 years ago already gives the route an ominous feeling even before the reports of paranormal sightings are added to it.
It has been reported that the spirits of the fallen samurai warriors from the Battle of Yamazaki have been seen by drivers as they pass through the old tunnel. Ghosts with limbs missing, and also terribly burnt figures have been witnessed. There are even tales of decapitated heads falling on to car hoods, though whether these reports are reliable or just urban legends, embellishments, or simple fabrications to add to the paranormal goings on of the tunnel and its history remains to be seen.
The tunnel has also seen a large number of accidents and incidents, including fires, some say that these incidents are caused by the restless spirits of the dead samurai that are said to roam the tunnel.
*Please note that paranormal stories relating to Tennozan Tunnel are not evidence or proof of this being a hazardous route to drive. If traversing Tennozan Tunnel, please drive with care and awareness of the road and other users.'
PARANORMAL KYOTO - Mysteries & Unexplained Stories of The Imperial City is available in paperback and digital formats from all regions of Amazon, links below to Amazon Japan.
Paperback -
E-book (tablet app not Kindle device) -
For walking tours of Kyoto contact HIDDEN PATHS - Walking Historial Kyoto for details www.hiddenpathskyoto.com
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