[2026 Latest] Top 3 Ranking of Paranormal Rumors at 3 Parks in Kumamoto Prefecture

This article examines three locations in Kumamoto Prefecture's municipal parks—Jagatani Park, Akada Park, and Jusanbutsu Park—based on rumors surrounding them. We will compare the claims about these places, facilities, events, and experiences made by external sources of rumors with the park information released by each local government, and present the facts we were able to confirm, the descriptions that directly contradict each other, and the parts that cannot be determined from the information, for each location.

Survey methods and evaluation criteria

The survey date was October 4, 2026. At each location, individual pages of the National Haunted Map were checked as examples of secondary publications and compared with the official pages of the corresponding municipalities. The comparison was not limited to experiences of paranormal phenomena, but also included specific claims in the rumors, such as locations, targets, facilities, routes, events, and origins. If official documents support the same target/fact, it is considered a match; if there is both support and unconfirmed information, it is considered a partial match; and if the location or date differs directly, it is considered a mismatch. If a comparison is not possible and meaningful new information can be confirmed from official records, it is considered a new fact; if no comparison is possible, it is considered immeasurable. The mere existence of a published page or the matching of park names does not constitute evidence of a paranormal phenomenon, and the descriptions in the source of the rumors are not treated as official certification by the municipality.

1st place: Akada Park | Mismatch (83 points)

The rumored details

The Akada Park page on the National Haunted Map (updated 2019/12/03) states that the only way to get to Akada Park, which floats in the middle of Akada Pond, is to cross the red bridge that spans Akada Pond from National Route 208. It lists various reports of people feeling a human presence behind them while crossing the bridge, seeing only a face peeking out of the water, hearing knocking sounds on the bridge, seeing a hand emerge from the water, and seeing a female ghost standing on the bridge, and lists the address as "1004 Nohara, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture." These are rumors and registered information presented by the source, and do not constitute official incident records or recognition of paranormal phenomena.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

The source of the rumor is an individual page on the National Haunted Map website, and it is treated as a secondary source rather than a primary source to corroborate its original appearance. The page's update date is 2019/12/03, and the date of this verification is 2026-10-04. The page also contains user-submitted information and comments, but it does not provide any documentation linking the bridge sightings or the unusual water surface phenomena to official records.

• National Haunted Map | Akada Park(Confirmed on 2026-10-04) — "Akada Park floats in the middle of Akada Pond." "The only way to get there is to cross the red bridge over Akada Pond from along National Route 208." The address field reads "1004 Nohara, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture 864-0163".

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The official Arao City website, "Introduction to Major Parks in Arao City" (published June 22, 2026), describes Akada Park as being located near Akada Pond, adjacent to National Route 208, a production area for Arao pears, and a place where cherry blossoms, pears, and azaleas bloom in the spring. Its address is 1014-5 Nohara, and it has facilities such as a parking lot, toilets, and handwashing facilities. Inquiries should be directed to the Tourism Promotion Office of the Industrial and Cultural Promotion Division at Arao City Hall. The page text does not contain any records to support the claims of the strange occurrences at the red bridge, the hand emerging from the water, or the female ghost.

• Arao City | Introduction to major parks in Arao City(Confirmed on 2026-10-04) — "The area around Akada Pond, adjacent to National Route 208, is a production area for Arao pears, and in spring, cherry blossoms, pears, and azaleas bloom together, delighting the eyes of visitors." The address is "Nohara 1014-5," and the facilities are "Parking: Available, Toilets: Available, Handwashing area: Available."

Points of agreement/contradictions

The source of the rumor and the official Arao City website share the same target area: Akada Park, Akada Pond, National Route 208, and Nohara, Arao City. However, the address listed in the rumor is "Nohara 1004," while the official site lists it as "Nohara 1014-5," directly contradicting the specific location claimed. The only route across the red bridge, the presence on the bridge, the face and hand on the water's surface, and the female ghost cannot be confirmed from the official documents. Prioritizing the contradiction in the address, the overall judgment is that they are inconsistent.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
1004 Nohara, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture	contradiction	The address of the source of the rumor is listed as Nohara 1004, but the Akada Park section on the Arao City official website lists it as Nohara 1014-5, so the specific street numbers indicating the same location do not match.	Arao City | Introduction to major parks in Arao City
The only way to get there is to cross the red bridge over Akada Pond from along National Route 208.	Unconfirmed	The official website describes the area around Akada Pond, which is adjacent to National Route 208, and the park facilities, but it does not specifically state that the only route involves crossing the red bridge.	No official data available for direct comparison.
As I was crossing the bridge, I felt someone behind me.	Unconfirmed	The experience of sensing a presence on the bridge is not recorded in the Arao City park guide, and there are no other independently verifiable sources besides the description in the original publication.	No official data available for direct comparison.

Alternative interpretation

The surface of Akada Pond may be disturbed by wind and currents, and the bridge over the national highway may be affected by vehicle noise and surrounding echoes. However, this is not based on measurements of local weather and acoustics, nor does it definitively state that these factors can explain the individual experiences described by the source.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

The documents I checked were individual pages from the National Haunted Map and the Arao City Park Guide. The bridge structure, pond water level, nighttime lighting, traffic volume, past accident records, and original eyewitness accounts could not be confirmed from these two pages. The reason for the differing addresses also cannot be determined without adding other cadastral documents or administrator records.

Verification result: Mismatch

The findings are inconsistent. While the official Arao City website lists the location of Akada Park as 1014-5 Nohara, the source of the rumor states it as 1004 Nohara, directly contradicting the specific location descriptions. This finding is based on a verification of the location information and does not prove that the female ghost or the unusual occurrences on the water surface do not exist.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	28/30	You can check the public page of the local government and the individual page of the source of the rumor separately, making the process of verifying location, facilities, and content clear.
Historical and spatial context	17/25	While we can find regional context regarding the pear-growing area around Akada Pond and the spring flowers, there is no detailed information about the park's history.
Safety information	16/20	The official website provides information on parking, restrooms, handwashing facilities, and contact information, offering basic management checks.
Newness of information	14/15	The official website was launched on June 22, 2026, making it the most recently updated public information page among these three locations.
Transparency of the source of rumors	8/10	While the individual URLs and update dates of the rumored locations can be found, no primary sources such as records of the initial appearance or firsthand accounts from people who experienced the bridge or water surface are provided.
total	83/100	This is the overall quality of the materials. It does not represent the degree of truthfulness or danger associated with the supernatural phenomena.

Safety information and maps

The official Arao City website indicates that Akada Park has a parking lot, restrooms, and handwashing facilities. Please be careful of vehicles and your footing along the national highway, bridges, and waterfront, and avoid exploring at night or entering without permission. Prioritize the latest information from on-site signs and the management regarding operating hours and entry conditions, and do not engage in dangerous behavior on the edge of the pond or on bridges.

Map Location: The publicly available map coordinates for Akada Pond are used as the location anchor for the area around Akada Park on Google Maps.

Check the area around Akada Park on Google Maps.

2nd place: Jagatani Park | Partial match (79 points)

The rumored details

The Jagatani Park page on the National Haunted Parks Map (updated 2023/11/14) describes Jagatani Park as "a park in Tamana City, Kumamoto Prefecture" and includes a rumor that "a female ghost appears there." The text states that "a woman committed suicide in the toilet, and the ghost of this woman has been sighted near the toilet," and further explains that there is a story of a double suicide where a mother killed her daughter and then committed suicide herself. Here, we will not treat the claims made in the text as official facts, but will examine them separately from the facility information.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

The source of the rumor is an individual page on the National Haunted Map website, and it is a secondary publication example, not a document that can be verified as the first appearance. The update date is displayed as 2023/11/14, and the verification date is 2026-10-04. The same page displays 0 personal accounts and "No news" for news of incidents or accidents, and does not link the events or sightings in the text to independent primary sources.

• Nationwide Haunted Map | Jagatani Park(Confirmed on 2026-10-04) — "Jagatani Park is a haunted spot located in Tamana City, Kumamoto Prefecture, which is also the site of a former castle." "It is known as a haunted spot because there are rumors that a female ghost appears there." "A woman committed suicide in the toilet, and the ghost of this woman has been sighted near the toilet."

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The official Tamana City website (updated April 3, 2023) describes Jagatani Park as a park with a total area of 21.45 hectares, listing a baseball field, gateball court, tennis courts, ground golf course, lawn area, memorial tree forest, and observation deck. Its address is 1598-1 Riganji, Tamana City, and the page also shows information on parking, restrooms, contact information for the management office, and the designated manager from April 1, 2024. The official description of Jagatani Park does not mention any records of female ghosts or incidents.

• Tamana City | Jagatani Park(Verification Date: 2026-10-04) — "Surrounded by nature, Jagatani Park has a total area of 21.45 hectares." It provides information on a baseball field, gateball court, tennis courts, ground golf course, lawn area, memorial tree forest, observation deck, etc., and lists the location as "1598-1 Tamana City, Ganji."

Points of agreement/contradictions

The claim on the rumor page that the location is "a park in Tamana City, Kumamoto Prefecture" corresponds to the official facility name, address, and facilities of Tamana City. The official page lists tennis courts and toilets, so the existence of the park and the scope of its general facilities can be confirmed, but there is no record to support the claims of a female ghost, sightings near the toilets, or a mother-child suicide incident. Since the supported location information and unconfirmed claims of paranormal activity coexist, we judge it to be a partial match.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
A park in Tamana City, Kumamoto Prefecture	support	The official Tamana City website lists the name of Jagatani Park, its address at 1598-1 Tamana City, and the park's facilities, allowing you to confirm the existence of the park and the area in question.	Tamana City | Jagatani Park
A female ghost appears	Unconfirmed	While Tamana City's official website provides information about the park's facilities and scenery, it does not record any paranormal claims about the appearance of a female ghost, and no independent official evidence can be found to support them.	No official data available for direct comparison.
A ghost believed to be this woman has been sighted near the restrooms.	Unconfirmed	While the official website confirms the presence of toilets, there are no records of sightings near the toilets or any connection to the individual in question, and the claims of the phenomenon remain unconfirmed.	No official data available for direct comparison.

Alternative interpretation

The large park grounds, trees, lawns, observation decks, and multiple sports facilities described by the official sources can be environmental factors that alter nighttime visibility and sound perception. However, since illumination, acoustics, and weather conditions have not been measured on-site, we cannot conclude that these factors can explain individual sightings or rumors.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

The sources we checked this time were the source of the rumor and the official facility guide from Tamana City. We did not examine the original eyewitness accounts, official documents corroborating the incident, the history of the area around the toilets, conduct nighttime environmental measurements, or interview the administrators further. Therefore, while we can compare the location and facilities of the park, we cannot determine the veracity or timing of the rumored incident.

Verification results: Partial match

The judgment is that there is a partial match. Tamana City's official records show the name, location, and extensive grounds and facilities of Jagatani Park, which partially corresponds to the claims on the rumor page that it is a park. On the other hand, specific paranormal phenomena or events such as a female ghost, sightings near the toilets, and the mother and child incident cannot be confirmed in the official records. This is because phenomena beyond the confirmed matches are not recognized as facts.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	27/30	You can view the Tamana City facility page and the individual rumor pages separately, allowing you to track the correspondence between location, facilities, and the claims made.
Historical and spatial context	18/25	While spatial information such as total area, sports facilities, memorial tree grove, and observation deck is available, the origins of the rumors and the history of incidents cannot be confirmed.
Safety information	15/20	The official guide includes information on parking, restrooms, and the management office, but it doesn't offer many specific warnings about nighttime or the area in question.
Newness of information	11/15	The official website was last updated on April 3, 2023, and while the facility details are specific, further confirmation is needed regarding the detailed operational procedures as of 2026.
Transparency of the source of rumors	8/10	While individual URLs and update dates are clearly displayed, there are no primary sources indicating the initial appearance, sighting, or incident, and the personal experience section is blank.
total	79/100	This is the overall quality of the materials. It does not represent the degree of truthfulness or danger associated with the supernatural phenomena.

Safety information and maps

Official information from Tamana City regarding parking, restrooms, and other park facilities serves as basic guidance for park use. Please refrain from nighttime ghost hunting, trespassing on private property or restricted areas, and engaging in any behavior that may disturb others. Please follow the signs and directions of the park's management regarding paths and facilities. For the latest usage conditions and any necessary management notices, please contact the Jagatani Park Management Office.

Map Location: The publicly available map coordinates for the Jagatani Park Tennis Courts are used as Google Maps location anchors linked to the facilities within the park.

Check the area around Jagatani Park on Google Maps.

3rd Place: Thirteen Buddhas Park | Partial Match (70 points)

The rumored details

The page for Jusanbutsu Park on the National Haunted Map (updated 2020/03/16) lists rumors that "a female ghost appears" and "you can take paranormal photos" there. The text states that there is a Jusanbutsu Hall about a 5-minute walk from the park's observation deck, which is why the area came to be called Jusanbutsu. It also mentions that it is a scenic spot with a view of the sea, claims that many people commit suicide by jumping into the sea from the park's cliff, and talks about people feeling heavy after being there. It also mentions another rumor about the nearby old road tunnel and lists the address as Takahama Kita, Amakusa-cho, Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

The source of the rumors is an individual page on the National Haunted Map, and it is a secondary publication rather than a document that can confirm the original source. The page update date is 2020/03/16, and the verification date is 2026-10-04. The ghost photos, the distance to the Thirteen Buddha Hall, the incidents related to the cliff, and the story of the old road tunnel are described as being from the source, but there are no links to the original experiences or official documents that confirm the incidents.

• Nationwide Haunted Map | Jusanbutsu Park(Verification Date: 2026-10-04) — "A female ghost appears here," "You can take photos of ghosts here." The text states, "There is a Thirteen Buddhas Hall about a 5-minute walk from the park's observation deck, and for this reason, this whole area has come to be called Thirteen Buddhas," and gives the address as "Takahama Kita, Amakusa-machi, Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture."

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The official Amakusa City "List of Parks and Observation Decks" (last updated June 13, 2023) lists "Jusanbutsu Park, Amakusa Town, Takahama Kita" in its table of facility names and locations. This means that the facility name, Jusanbutsu Park, and the district, Amakusa Town, Takahama Kita, can be confirmed in the municipality's publicly available list. However, this list is a document that shows the name and district of the park/observation deck, and does not include information such as the walking distance to Jusanbutsu-do, the old road tunnel, incidents at the cliff, or records of female ghosts or paranormal photographs.

• Amakusa City | List of Parks, Observation Decks, etc.(Verification Date: 2026-10-04) — The list for Amakusa City includes "Fukurengi Lullaby Park, Fukurengi, Amakusa Town," "Jusanbutsu Park, Takahama Kita, Amakusa Town," and "Nishihira Tsubaki Park, Oe, Amakusa Town." The page was last edited on June 13, 2023.

Points of agreement/contradictions

The source of the rumor and the official Amakusa City list share the name "Jusanbutsu Park" and the area "Takahama Kita, Amakusa Town." This indicates a correspondence between the facility name and the area, but the distance of approximately 5 minutes on foot to the Jusanbutsu-do (Thirteen Buddha Hall) mentioned in the rumor, the origin of the name, the ghostly photographs, the female spirit, and the incidents related to the cliff cannot be confirmed in the official list. The limited claims regarding the name and area are supported, but the rest remains unconfirmed, so we will classify it as a partial match.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
Takahama Kita, Amakusa-machi, Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture	support	The official Amakusa City list of parks and observation points includes Jusanbutsu Park as a facility in Takahama Kita, Amakusa Town, confirming the existence of the facility in the area covered by the rumor page.	Amakusa City | List of Parks, Observation Decks, etc.
You can take photos of ghosts.	Unconfirmed	The list of facilities in Amakusa City does not contain any records or explanations regarding the possibility of paranormal photographs being taken, and the claim of paranormal photography by the source of the rumor cannot be confirmed from official documents.	No official data available for direct comparison.
There is a Thirteen Buddhas Hall about a 5-minute walk from the park's observation deck.	Unconfirmed	The official list only shows the name and district of the Thirteen Buddhas Park, and does not include the location of the Thirteen Buddhas Hall or the walking distance from the observation deck, so it remains unverified.	No official data available for direct comparison.

Alternative interpretation

In ocean-facing locations, wind, waves, the interplay of light and shadow at dusk, and perspective can alter the perception of sound and sight. The darkness of old roads and tunnels can also be interpreted differently, but since we did not measure the lighting, wind conditions, and acoustics at the site, we cannot definitively say that these were the causes of the experiences and events described.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

The scope of verification is limited to the source of the rumors and a list of parks in Amakusa City. The actual location of the Thirteen Buddha Hall, walking distance, the name and current status of the old road tunnel, accident records around the cliff, and the original data of the paranormal photographs have not been verified. The list of municipalities is useful for matching facility names with districts, but it is not a resource for verifying the origins or phenomena of the legends.

Verification results: Partial match

The determination is a partial match. The official Amakusa City list lists Jusanbutsu Park as a facility in Takahama Kita, Amakusa Town, which corresponds to the name and district claimed on the rumor page. However, the distance to Jusanbutsu-do, the origin of the name, the female ghost, the paranormal photograph, and the incidents related to the cliff cannot be confirmed in the official records. To avoid extending the listing of the facility to prove the existence of paranormal phenomena, only the location information was marked as a partial match.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	26/30	You can refer to the list of publicly available facilities in Amakusa City and individual pages related to rumors separately, and the route to confirm facility names and districts can be tracked.
Historical and spatial context	16/25	While information about the Takahama Kita area of Amakusa Town is available, no official documents can be found to supplement the history of the Thirteen Buddhas Hall or the old road, or the origins of the legends.
Safety information	10/20	The list of municipalities is limited to names and districts, and does not specify the usage conditions or precautions for viewpoints, beaches, cliffs, or old roads.
Newness of information	11/15	The official list was last updated on June 13, 2023, and can be used to confirm the existence of facilities, but detailed information about the current situation on site is limited.
Transparency of the source of rumors	7/10	While the update date and specific explanations on the rumor page are available, no primary sources are provided to corroborate the origins, experiences, or events.
total	70/100	This is the overall quality of the materials. It does not represent the degree of truthfulness or danger associated with the supernatural phenomena.

Safety information and maps

The official Amakusa City list only indicates the name and area of Jusanbutsu Park; it does not provide information on nighttime opening hours, observation points, cliffs, the coastline, or safety conditions of the old road. Do not assume you will be visiting, and do not approach restricted areas, cliff edges, or tunnels. Prioritize weather conditions, on-site signs, and the latest information from the administrator.

Map Location: The coordinates of Jusanbutsu Park, confirmed on a public map, are used as the location anchor for Google Maps.

Check the area around Jusanbutsu Park on Google Maps.

What I learned by crossing locations

Crossing the three locations, the rumorers specifically describe a female ghost, anomalies on the water and bridges, paranormal photographs, and past events, while the local government records the park's location, facilities, scenery, and its position on the list. For Jagatani Park, the facilities and area correspond, for Akada Park the address is inconsistent, and for Jusanbutsu Park only the name and district are listed. The absence of records of paranormal activity on official pages does not prove that nothing happened, but at least the current materials do not provide grounds to accept the paranormal claims as fact.

summary

What we were able to confirm is that three locations are listed as parks in Kumamoto Prefecture in municipal documents or official lists, and that some of the location information matches the source of the rumors. Akada Park is inconsistent because the rumored field 1004 and the official field 1014-5 directly contradict each other. Jagatani Park and Jusanbutsu Park only show partial agreement in location and facility information. The female ghost, the anomalies on the bridge and water surface, the paranormal photographs, and the distance and origin of Jusanbutsu-do cannot be corroborated solely from the official pages we checked.

FAQ

Does "partially matching" mean that the supernatural phenomenon is factual?

No. It means that some of the specific claims included in the rumors, such as names, locations, facilities, and districts, corresponded to official documents. This does not mean that claims that cannot be confirmed by official records, such as female ghosts, strange occurrences on the water surface, or paranormal photographs, are accepted.

Why are the addresses for Akada Park different?

The source of the rumor is 1004 Nohara, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture, while the official Arao City website lists the location of Akada Park as 1014-5 Nohara. Based on the two pages we checked, we could not determine the reason for the difference in notation or which address is the most recent, so we treated this as a specific discrepancy in location information.

Is the lack of information on the official website proof of inconsistency?

We don't consider something a discrepancy simply because it's not mentioned. In this case, we treated the parts where there were no mentions of strange occurrences or sightings on the official page as unconfirmed, and only Akada Park, where other specific descriptions such as the location directly differed, was considered a discrepancy.

Does the Google Maps coordinates provided guarantee safety?

We do not guarantee this. The coordinates are for guiding you to the location mentioned in the article and do not indicate nighttime usage conditions, traffic, dangers such as waterfronts or cliffs, or access restrictions. When heading to the site, please prioritize the latest information from the local government and on-site signs.