[2026 Latest] Top 3 Parks in Ibaraki Prefecture with the Most Haunted/Ghostly Rumors

Stories about sightings, voices, and photographs of strange occurrences can be found at Senba Park and Kairakuen in Mito, and Kasumigaura Comprehensive Park in Tsuchiura. However, the scope indicated by these rumored names does not necessarily match the scope indicated by the official facility guides. We traced the sources of these three locations and separated the locations and usage conditions confirmed by the official guides from the claims of experiences where documentation is insufficient. This comparison does not use the existence or history of the parks as justification for the supernatural occurrences.

Survey methods and evaluation criteria

On October 20, 2026, we obtained three pages from the National Haunted Map, the official websites of Mito City and Kairakuen Garden, and a guide from Tsuchiura City. We compare individual claims using five categories: agreement, partial agreement, disagreement, immeasurable, and new facts. Descriptions of incidents and suicides are not fact-checked solely based on the source, and unnecessary details that could identify individuals are not repeated. This ranking is based on a total of 100 points for document quality, calculated by adding 30 points for source transparency, 25 points for history/space, 20 points for safety, 15 points for novelty, and 10 points for source transparency of rumors. This is not a ranking of how scary the places are. The illustrations are AI-edited images and are not photographs that record the actual appearance or experiences of the locations.

1st Place: Kairakuen Garden | Unmeasurable (83 points)

The rumored details

The "Kairakuen Area" page of the National Haunted Map includes stories of a figure appearing on the train platform out of season, and a woman in a kimono appearing in a photograph in the parking lot facing Sakurayama. There are also descriptions of an execution ground near Tokiwa Shrine and a story about a well where swords were washed. However, because the area is referred to as "the whole area," encompassing the garden, station, and shrine, these events cannot be treated as the same occurrence within a single facility.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

On October 20, 2026, we obtained the text for the Kairakuen area of the National Haunted Map. We are using it as a reference for secondary publications of eyewitness accounts and photographs. We were unable to confirm the original sources of the eyewitness accounts on the homepage, the photographers of the photographs, or the descriptions of the execution grounds and wells. The multiple locations appearing on the rumor page have not been consolidated into a single point on the garden map.

• Nationwide Haunted Map - Kairakuen Area(Verification Date: 2026-10-20) — This article features photographs of people on a train platform out of season and a woman in a parking lot facing Sakurayama. It also includes an explanation of the area near Tokiwa Shrine as an execution ground and a story about a well where swords were washed.

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The official website of Kairakuen Garden explains that it was created by Tokugawa Nariaki and established as an educational facility that complemented the Kodokan. It also provides information on the garden's gates, Kobuntei Pavilion, and Togyokusen Spring. Furthermore, the introduction to a walk tracing the world of yin and yang is an explanation for understanding the garden's composition. The referenced text in this article is not a historical document that verifies the execution grounds, the well where swords were washed, or the figures of people at the station. There are also notices regarding the switch to winter opening hours and changes in closing times, so it is necessary to check the conditions of use on a daily basis.

• Kairakuen Official Website(Confirmed on 2026-10-20) — This section introduces the garden design by Tokugawa Nariaki and its establishment as an educational facility to complement the Kodokan. It also includes information on the garden's gates, Kobuntei Pavilion, Togyokusen Spring, a walking tour tracing the balance of yin and yang, and notices regarding changes to opening and closing times.

Points of agreement/contradictions

The history of the garden's construction, as confirmed on the official website, cannot be used as the basis for the rumored explanations of the execution ground and well. The stories about the shadows are about the train station, and the stories about the photographs are about the parking lot facing Sakurayama, so the subjects are also different. This time, there are no dates or original records corresponding to each experience, so a one-to-one comparison with the garden's history is not possible. The expression "shadow" in relation to the garden is also not an official confirmation of the presence of spirits.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
A figure appeared on the train platform.	Unconfirmed	The dates and eyewitness accounts are incomplete, and the garden's official guide is not a document that investigates individual experiences at the station.	Nationwide Haunted Map - Kairakuen Area
A woman in a kimono appears in the photograph.	Unconfirmed	The original image and shooting conditions are not available, so there is no basis to independently determine what was captured in the image.	Nationwide Haunted Map - Kairakuen Area
Explanation that the area near Tokiwa Shrine was a place of execution	Unconfirmed	While there are examples of this being documented, the official guide I read this time is not a historical document that verifies the theory that this land was an execution ground, and therefore cannot be confirmed as a historical fact.	Nationwide Haunted Map - Kairakuen Area

Alternative interpretation

To examine the appearance of the facility from the platform or photographs of the parking lot, it is necessary to consider actual usage conditions, lighting, passersby, and the original photographs. While there is room for consideration of misinterpretations of distant views, the cause of this description has not been identified. We must also be careful when reinterpreting the terminology of garden design philosophy in retrospect to have a supernatural meaning.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

We compared the information on the official website with the text of the rumors. We did not obtain station operation records, surveillance footage, or original photographs, nor did we re-examine the theory of an execution ground and a well using historical materials. The detailed explanation of the landscaping is separate from the fact that we thoroughly investigated the history of all the surrounding land. Within the scope of this investigation, there is insufficient evidence to support the rumors.

Verification result: Unmeasurable

There are no individual original records for the sighting at the station or the photograph of the parking lot, and we could not find any historical materials corresponding to the explanations of the execution ground or well. The official landscaping guide describes a different subject, so we will not treat it as either contradicting or agreeing with the rumors. We will not use the mere lack of available materials as refutation, but rather as something that cannot be measured.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	26/30	This shows the difference in scope between the official park guide and the rumors page, which includes the surrounding area.
Historical and spatial context	22/25	The intention behind the landscape design is clearly discernible, but it needs to be separated from the original historical sources concerning the execution grounds and wells.
Safety information	18/20	You can return to the gate status and winter time schedule announcements, and check the usage conditions for public facilities.
Newness of information	13/15	I received a notice regarding a time change in October 2026, but the date of the trial is unknown.
Transparency of the source of rumors	4/10	While the source of publication can be clearly identified, the original photographs and the initial experience report cannot be traced back to a specific location.
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

Please check the latest official announcements for the opening status of gates and pathways, as well as closing times. Do not enter train platforms, tracks, closed gates, or shrine management areas without permission to verify rumors. The park map is for understanding the surrounding area and does not grant permission to enter at night.

Check the area around Kairakuen Garden on Google Maps.

2nd Place: Kasumigaura General Park | Unmeasurable (79 points)

The rumored details

The page for Kasumigaura Comprehensive Park on the nationwide paranormal map includes a story about a woman's moans being heard coming from the toilets late at night. The source of the article links the cause to a past suicide and lists stories of deaths in the parking lot and nearby waterfront areas as well. However, no official records to corroborate these claims could be found in the referenced source. Details that could identify individuals, such as their affiliations, will not be repeated, and the claims of the voices and the explanation of their origin will be treated separately.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

The text for Kasumigaura General Park (Tsuchiura Suigo Park) from the National Haunted Map was retrieved on October 20, 2026. This is a secondary publication example regarding voices and origins. We were unable to trace back to the original records or recordings with dates from the people who experienced it. Relative expressions such as "about 10 years ago" in the original publication have not been converted to a specific year because the starting point is unknown.

• Nationwide Haunted Map - Kasumigaura General Park (Tsuchiura Suigo Park)(Verification Date: 2026-10-20) — This document includes a story about a woman's moans being heard in a toilet late at night, and an explanation linking it to past suicides. There are also descriptions of deaths in parking lots and nearby bodies of water, but no independent records have been confirmed at this time.

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The guide for Tsuchiura City's Kasumigaura Comprehensive Park introduces facilities such as the Nature Center, rest house, and tennis courts. The Nature Center, a nature observation garden, offers fish exhibits and bird watching opportunities, and is located at 145 Oiwata, Tsuchiura City. The park website also includes a notice about a partial closure of the boardwalk within the aquatic plant garden. This information pertains to the park's facilities and current usage, and does not verify the claims about toilets or explanations of past deaths.

• Tsuchiura City, Kasumigaura Comprehensive Park(Date confirmed: 2026-10-20) — Information on facilities within the park and the latest announcements. Includes a notice regarding the partial closure of the boardwalk within the aquatic plant garden. This is not a report based on past incidents or investigations into voices.
• Tsuchiura City Nature Center Facility Guide(Confirmed on 2026-10-20) — This nature observation park features fish exhibits and birdwatching. It is located at 145 Oiwata, Tsuchiura City, and is open from 9:00 to 16:30. Closed days, such as Mondays, are listed.

Points of agreement/contradictions

Even if the park's name and facility locations can be confirmed, a causal relationship between the rumors and past events cannot be verified. The specific location of the toilets and the date of the experience mentioned by the source could not be matched with the official facility guide alone. There is also insufficient evidence to connect the parking lot and nearby waterfront incidents to a continuous history of the same location. The lack of mention in the facility guide is not proof that the rumors did not exist.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
A woman's moans can be heard coming from the toilet late at night.	Unconfirmed	We lack information necessary to identify the date and time of the experience, recordings, and the specific facility, and therefore have not obtained any independent materials to examine the voice production and sound source.	Nationwide Haunted Map - Kasumigaura General Park (Tsuchiura Suigo Park)
They linked the cause to past suicides.	Unconfirmed	The independent verification of the event itself and the confirmation of its causal relationship with the voice are insufficient, and the explanation from the source of the rumor cannot be accepted as fact.	Nationwide Haunted Map - Kasumigaura General Park (Tsuchiura Suigo Park)

Alternative interpretation

When considering the source of the sound heard, surrounding users, equipment noise, and reverberation should also be considered. However, since there is no recording or information on the conditions under which the sound occurred, it is impossible to determine that these were the sources of the sound in this case. Similarly, explanations based on past events require separate verification of the event and its relationship to the sound.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

I read the city's park website, the nature center guide, and the page where rumors were posted. I haven't conducted a comprehensive investigation of police and news records to verify the incident, nor have I taken any sound measurements at the site. It's also unclear whether the facility mentioned in the rumors is the same facility where the incident occurred, and I haven't confirmed the current location of the facility as the site of the past incident.

Verification result: Unmeasurable

The recordings, dates, and identification of the facility needed to examine the voices were insufficient, and no independent evidence could be found to support the explanation of their origin. The fact that official information deals with nature observation and facility use does not constitute grounds for refuting the rumors. The connection between the voices' occurrence and past events was left unconfirmed and deemed immeasurable.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	25/30	I can show you the two city announcements and the source of the rumors separately, but I don't have the original audio recording.
Historical and spatial context	18/25	While the relative locations of the nature observation facility and the park can be determined, the rumored toilet and past incident locations cannot be identified.
Safety information	19/20	You can check for partial closures of boardwalks and the opening conditions for observation facilities.
Newness of information	13/15	While we can obtain information about the park in 2026, the relative timing of the rumors remains unresolved.
Transparency of the source of rumors	4/10	While we can track external publications, we cannot trace the people who heard the voices or the original sources of the information.
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

We have confirmed the notice regarding the partial closure of the boardwalk within the aquatic plant garden. Please check the current status of restrictions before your visit and on-site, and do not cross fences or closed sections. Avoid approaching the waterfront or facilities at night to search for sounds, and use the observation facilities only during opening hours and according to the usage conditions.

Check the area around Kasumigaura General Park on Google Maps.

3rd Place: Senba Park | Unmeasurable (74 points)

The rumored details

The entry for Senba Park on the National Haunted Map includes a story about someone falling to their death from the Ferris wheel in the description of the former amusement park. There are also rumors of ghosts appearing in the surrounding forest and telephone booths. However, the references provided here do not allow us to confirm any records of an accident or the date of the experience. We will avoid assigning stories about a broad area like a lakeside park to a single current facility or lake.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

On October 20, 2026, I obtained the page for Senba Park from the National Haunted Map. This is a secondary publication example compiling information about the former amusement park and ghost stories. I have not been able to find the original accident records or reports from people who experienced the telephone booth. The closing date written on the original source has not been used in the main text as a verified date because I have not been able to confirm the corresponding independent source.

• National Haunted Map - Senba Park(Date checked: 2026-10-20) — This post contains stories about a death on the Ferris wheel at the old amusement park, as well as stories of ghosts appearing in the nearby forest and telephone booths. The original records could not be confirmed at this time.

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The overview of Lake Senba in Mito City describes it as a freshwater lake located beneath Kairakuen Garden, and introduces the changes in its shape due to development during the Edo period and land reclamation in modern times. A walking course is maintained around the lake, and its current size and location are also explained. While it serves as a useful resource for understanding the area around Senba Park, it is not a research report dealing with accidents at the former amusement park, the forest, or sightings of telephone booths. The historical changes in the lake's shape do not directly identify the origins of individual rumors.

• Guide to Lake Senba in Mito City(Verification Date: 2026-10-20) — This is the city's page providing information about Senba Lake and Senba Park, including park introductions, access, and events. It is not intended to be a comprehensive record of individual accidents or sightings.
• Overview of Mito City and Senba Lake(Verification Date: 2026-10-20) — This section introduces the freshwater lake located beneath Kairakuen Garden, its development during the Edo period, land reclamation in modern times, and the current circular course and size of the lake. Display last updated on September 28, 2023.

Points of agreement/contradictions

The official history of the lake and the rumor page about the old amusement park serve different purposes in terms of subject matter and the role of the materials. Information about the lake's development and land reclamation cannot be used to support the Ferris wheel accident. Regarding the forest and telephone booth, the lack of date and location information made it impossible to connect them to the same experience using the city's park guide. Showing a map of the lakeside facilities is different from verifying the events.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
A person fell from a Ferris wheel and died.	Unconfirmed	I have confirmed that it was posted on the rumors page, but I have not been able to independently verify the date and time of the accident or the records of the operation and media coverage at the time.	National Haunted Map - Senba Park
A ghost appears in the phone booth.	Unconfirmed	There are no original records that can identify the person who experienced it, the date and time, or the location of the phone booth, and it cannot be directly compared with the city's lake information.	National Haunted Map - Senba Park

Alternative interpretation

When considering what was seen in the forest or the phone booth, lighting, passersby, reflections, and distance should also be taken into consideration. However, since the conditions at the time are unknown, we cannot definitively conclude that this story was a misinterpretation. The fact that the description of the old amusement park and the story of the strange occurrence are published together does not constitute evidence that there is a causal relationship between the two.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

This is based on comparing the city's lake guide with the rumored articles. It does not include a comprehensive investigation of the former amusement park's operational records, contemporary news reports, or interviews with individual witnesses. The current status of the telephone booth and its exact location at the time of the incident could not be determined, and therefore the current park pin is not indicated as the location of the accident or sighting.

Verification result: Unmeasurable

We were unable to directly compare the accident with the original eyewitness accounts of the forest and telephone booth because we did not have separate records of the accident. Even if we could confirm the history of Lake Senba, that does not corroborate the accident at the former amusement park. We will not deny it simply because it is not mentioned in the city's guide, and will consider it impossible to measure within the scope of the available materials.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	24/30	You can clearly distinguish between the role of the page providing information about the city's lake and the page containing rumors, including information about the amusement park.
Historical and spatial context	20/25	While there is an explanation of the lake's changes over time, it does not lead to the identification of the amusement park accident or the location of the witnesses.
Safety information	15/20	You can return to the city's park usage guide, but you cannot check the safety conditions for the rumored forest or the telephone booth.
Newness of information	11/15	The lake overview display was last updated in 2023, and this should be separated from the information about experiences and the old facilities.
Transparency of the source of rumors	4/10	I know where the article was secondarily published, but the original accident record and the first eyewitness reports remain unconfirmed.
total	74/100	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

Please use the publicly accessible paths along the lakeshore and do not descend into the water or outside the fences. Avoid entering the forest, management facilities, or closed sections to search for rumors, and give priority to other users of the loop trail. Please check the latest construction and event restrictions in Mito City's announcements and on-site.

Check the area around Senba Park on Google Maps.

What I learned by crossing locations

While Senba Park and Kairakuen Garden are adjacent areas in Mito, the lakeside, gardens, Sakurayama Hill, and station cannot be considered the same single location. Even if there is a detailed explanation of Senba Lake's overview, it does not directly support the explanation for the accident at the former amusement park. The design intent and facility guide for Kairakuen Garden should be read separately from the rumors about the well and execution ground. Kasumigaura Comprehensive Park provides information on nature observation facilities and traffic restrictions, and its role as a document differs from the recording of voices at night. Since all locations became unmeasurable, I reread the acquired official text, but I could not find any records that directly correspond to the core of the rumors or discoveries that would change the judgment. I have not created any agreements or disagreements to diversify the classification.

summary

While we were able to confirm that rumors were posted at all three locations, there was insufficient documentation to examine eyewitness accounts, voices, photographs, and descriptions of the incidents in independent sources. Official information can provide clues about the distinction between locations and usage conditions, but it does not prove the occurrence or non-existence of supernatural phenomena. Until additional information becomes available, we will remain unable to measure the location, and if you plan to visit, please prioritize the latest gate closures and traffic restrictions.

FAQ

Is the reason that measurements were impossible at all three locations because they weren't surveyed?

This is the result of comparing the published article about the rumor with the official guide. The official guide contains information about the facility and its history, but it does not include original records of individual sightings, sounds, or photographs. The fact that the sources serve different purposes is also a reason why a direct comparison is not possible.

Can you read that Senba Park and Kairakuen are the same place?

Although they are adjacent areas, the rumors are divided into different parts, such as the lakeside, gardens, train station, and Sakurayama. The park facility pins are for understanding the surrounding area and do not indicate the origin of all those experiences.

If an accident or suicide isn't mentioned in the official announcement, does that mean the rumors are false?

I cannot make that judgment. Tourist information and facility guides are not comprehensive sources of information about the incident. I distinguish between things that cannot be corroborated and things that I was able to show did not happen.

When was the safety information published?

This information is based on data obtained on October 20, 2026. We also confirmed a notice regarding the partial closure of the boardwalk within the aquatic plant garden at Kasumigaura Comprehensive Park. Please check for any subsequent changes or on-site signage before visiting.