[2026 Latest] Top 3 Ranking of Ghostly Rumors Related to Tunnels in Northern Tohoku

This study focuses on three tunnels in northern Tohoku that are known as haunted spots, for which we were able to directly verify individual rumor pages and publicly available geographical data. We separated the published records of paranormal activity from objectively verifiable location information, and compared how much evidence supports claims such as the ghost of a woman, human sacrifices during construction, and inexplicable sounds.

Survey methods and evaluation criteria

The phenomena, dates, structures, and incidents actually described on the rumor page were divided into atomic claims and compared with independent official, administrator, and publicly available documents. "Match" means all claims are supported; "Partial match" means both support and unconfirmed information coexist; "Discrepancy" means there are directly contradictory records; "Unmeasurable" means there are no comparable records; and "New Facts" means that while direct comparison is not possible, important information not present in the rumor was confirmed. Matching only location names or addresses does not count as support for the supernatural phenomenon. Rankings and scores are evaluations of the quality of the materials based on source transparency, historical and spatial context, safety information, recency of information, and source transparency of the rumor, not the degree of fear or truthfulness of the supernatural phenomenon. Since all three locations were unmeasurable, specific claims included in the acquired rumors—opening year, extension, construction, human sacrifice, accident, sound, and telephone—were re-verified once with publicly available records.

1st Place: Chiaki Tunnel | Measurement Undetermined (78 points)

The rumored details

The page featuring paranormal observations describes the Chiaki Tunnel as having "opened in 1978 (Showa 53) and being approximately 189 meters long." It mentions supernatural occurrences such as "the ghost of a woman who committed suicide by hanging haunting the tunnel," "a blood-soaked woman's head falling onto the hood of a car if the horn is honked," and legends of footsteps continuing to be heard from behind late at night. These are merely rumors presented on the page and do not imply that any incidents or phenomena have been confirmed.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

The source of the rumor is a separate article published on February 16, 2025, by a website specializing in paranormal investigations, which is a secondary publication summarizing the location overview and multiple strange occurrences. The article itself also states that no specific incident records have been found regarding the woman's suicide. The first appearance of the legend, the first storyteller, and the original source of the personal account cannot be confirmed.

• Paranormal Investigation: "The Chiaki Tunnel"(Verification date 2026-09-17) — It explains that "it opened in 1978 (Showa 53) and is approximately 189 meters long," and includes rumors of a female ghost, car horns, and footsteps.

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The publicly available geographic database OpenStreetMap Nominatim returns the Senshu Tunnel as a tunnel in Akita City, Akita Prefecture, with its central coordinates of 39.7239622 degrees North latitude and 140.1235793 degrees East longitude. This indicates a connection to Senshu Tunnel Street and the area around Senshu Park. However, this public record does not mention its opening in 1978, its length of approximately 189 meters, the suicide of a woman, the honking of a car horn, footsteps, or a white shadow. Therefore, location identification alone should not be used as evidence of a supernatural occurrence.

• OpenStreetMap Public Geographic Search(Verification date 2026-09-17) — The name was "Senshu Tunnel", the category was "tunnel", and it returned the display name in Akita City and the center coordinates 39.7239622,140.1235793.

Points of agreement/contradictions

The publicly available geographical data supports the location name "Senshu Tunnel," the area being "Akita City," and the coordinates. While the opening year and length on the rumor page are specific and comparable, the independent sources obtained do not have corresponding values. There are no records that can be directly compared to the woman's suicide or the events following the car horn, so the matching of the location name cannot be treated as a partial match.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
It opened in 1978 (Showa 53) and is approximately 189 meters long.	Unconfirmed	Publicly available geographical data shows names and coordinates, but does not include the year of opening or length, making direct comparison impossible.	No official data available for direct comparison.
The ghost of a woman who committed suicide by hanging is said to haunt the area.	Unconfirmed	The rumor article itself states that no specific incident records have been found, and that no independent incident records or eyewitness accounts have been obtained.	No official data available for direct comparison.
When you honk the horn, a blood-soaked woman's head falls onto the hood.	Unconfirmed	The publicly available documents do not contain any descriptions of recording or verifying the phenomena that occur after the horn is honked, making it impossible to compare the conditions for reproduction.	No official data available for direct comparison.

Alternative interpretation

Perceptions similar to footsteps or falling sounds could have multiple physical implications, including vehicle noise reflections, ventilation or wind sounds, and changes in light and shadow on walls. However, since we did not obtain records of on-site acoustic measurements or lighting conditions, we cannot definitively conclude that individual experiences were natural phenomena based solely on this information.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

The scope of verification is limited to directly obtained rumor articles and relevant search results from publicly available geographic data. Road administrator ledgers, construction records, police and fire records, newspaper archives, and on-site acoustic measurements were not consulted. The claims in the rumor articles regarding 1978, approximately 189 meters, suicide, and footsteps lack sufficient independent records to confirm or deny them.

Verification result: Unmeasurable

We re-examined the specific claims, including the year of opening and extension, but the only information we could obtain from independent sources was the name, region, and coordinates. There were no records supporting or denying the woman's suicide, the ghost, the phenomena after the horn, or the footsteps, and since the confirmation of existence could not be used as evidence of the phenomena, it was deemed immeasurable.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	26/30	The individual articles and public geographical search results related to the rumors were obtained directly from separate URLs, and their roles were separated and presented accordingly.
Historical and spatial context	18/25	Rumors about the opening year, length, and location relative to Senshu Park are mentioned, but their independence has not yet been confirmed.
Safety information	14/20	The area was treated as an active road within the city, and a safe zone was clearly defined where stopping or walking surveys were not recommended.
Newness of information	12/15	Both pages were retrieved again on September 17, 2026, but the update date of the administrator ledger was not checked.
Transparency of the source of rumors	8/10	While the publication date and the person who posted it can be confirmed, the original source of the legend and the original source of the personal account remain unknown.
total	78/100	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

Avoid sudden stops on existing roads, honking horns for verification, and walking or taking photos in the roadway. Prioritize traffic regulations and guidance from the authorities, and do not enter the area at night for verification purposes. The map is for location confirmation only and does not recommend visiting or engaging in any kind of daredevil activity.

Map location: The center coordinates of the tunnel alignment, confirmed using OpenStreetMap Nominatim, were used.

Check the area around the Chiaki Tunnel on Google Maps.

2nd Place: Ojikado Tunnel | Measurement Undetermined (75 points)

The rumored details

The individual page on the nationwide paranormal map states that "a female ghost appears" at the Ojikado Tunnel, and that "it is said that those who collapsed from the harsh labor during construction were buried as human sacrifices." Furthermore, it lists several rumors that approaching the tunnel causes "headaches and nausea," and that the ghosts of people or couples who died nearby appear. However, there are also comments on the same page that deny the human sacrifice theory, so the content cannot be treated as historical fact based solely on what is published.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

The source of the rumor is the individual page for the Oshikado Tunnel on the National Haunted Map, which shows a registration history of September 2, 2016, and an update date of January 30, 2026. This is a secondary publication example of user-submitted data, and no original sources for the female ghost, human sacrifice, or physical symptoms, nor any identification documents for the witnesses, are provided.

• Nationwide Haunted Map: "Oshikado Tunnel"(Verification date: 2026-09-17) — It lists rumors such as "a female ghost appears," "it is said that she was buried there as a human sacrifice," and "people suffer from headaches and nausea."

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The publicly available geographic database OpenStreetMap Nominatim returned the tunnel alignment corresponding to the Oshikado Tunnel as an object on National Route 340 in Iwaizumi-cho, Shimohei-gun, Iwate Prefecture, with its center coordinates given as 39.7437549 degrees North latitude and 141.6838153 degrees East longitude. The name of the search result is "oshikado tunnel" in Roman letters. This record does not contain any information regarding construction work, human sacrifice, female ghosts, physical symptoms, or suicides in the vicinity.

• OpenStreetMap Public Geographic Search(Verification Date: 2026-09-17) — Returns "oshikado tunnel" on National Route 340 in Iwaizumi Town, showing center coordinates 39.7437549,141.6838153.

Points of agreement/contradictions

While the region and tunnel alignment can be identified using publicly available geographical data, this does not provide evidence to support the rumors of human sacrifices or spirits. The publicly available records obtained do not contain any descriptions that allow for comparison of deaths during construction, burials, headaches and nausea experienced upon approaching the site, or suicides in the vicinity. On the other hand, the mere absence of records does not mean that the rumors are inconsistent.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
A female ghost appears	Unconfirmed	Publicly available geographical data lacks eyewitness accounts and verification results of phenomena, making it impossible to obtain independent sources other than rumors.	No official data available for direct comparison.
It is said that he was buried as a human sacrifice.	Unconfirmed	Primary sources such as construction ledgers, labor records, and burial records could not be obtained, and anonymous comments cannot be accepted as evidence.	No official data available for direct comparison.
I experience headaches and nausea.	Unconfirmed	The conditions for occurrence, the number of people involved, the timing, and medical records are not provided, and there is no information in publicly available documents that can verify the physical symptoms.	No official data available for direct comparison.

Alternative interpretation

Several factors could explain the health problems experienced on mountain roads, including long-distance driving, road alignment, ventilation, and fatigue. Furthermore, the difficulty of the construction could lead to narratives suggesting human sacrifice. However, since medical records and construction documents are not available, it is impossible to determine the origin or cause of each individual rumor.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

The independent sources checked are limited to publicly available geographical data such as names, roads, regions, and coordinates. Construction ledgers, labor records, death records, newspaper articles, police records, and on-site measurements have not been verified. Negative comments on the rumor page are also anonymous and have not been adopted as official evidence to refute the human sacrifice theory.

Verification result: Unmeasurable

We re-examined the specific claims in the rumors—a female ghost, a human sacrifice, headaches/nausea, and suicides in the vicinity—with public records, but found no corresponding documents. Although the location of the Oshikado Tunnel can be confirmed using publicly available geographical data, it is impossible to determine the polarity of the strange occurrences or events during construction, making measurement impossible.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	25/30	We directly retrieved individual rumor pages and public geographical search results, and distinguished between confirmed and unconfirmed information.
Historical and spatial context	15/25	While we have extracted the claims that the construction work was linked to human sacrifice, we have not been able to independently confirm this through construction records.
Safety information	14/20	Prioritizing traffic conditions on the existing mountain roads, they indicated that they would avoid stopping or entering the area for survey purposes.
Newness of information	13/15	I retrieved the data again on September 17, 2026, and confirmed that the rumor page had been updated, but the primary record was not retrieved.
Transparency of the source of rumors	8/10	While the registration date and update status can be confirmed, the origin of the rumor and the witness have not been identified.
total	75/100	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

On national highways in mountainous areas, prioritize real-world road conditions such as sharp curves, weather, wildlife, and communication conditions. Do not stop near tunnel entrances or on the roadway, and always comply with any no-entry signs or traffic restrictions. If you feel unwell, do not continue the test and move to a safe location.

Map location: The center coordinates of the tunnel alignment, confirmed using OpenStreetMap Nominatim, were used.

Check the area around Oshikado Tunnel on Google Maps.

3rd place: Toyosawa Tunnel | Unmeasurable (71 points)

The rumored details

The National Haunted Map has a separate page for "Toyosawa Tunnel," describing it as a place where "the sound of empty cans falling can be heard." It also lists a rumor that if you throw trash into the nearby Toyosawa Dam, you will receive a phone call the next day saying, "Take it away..." and that a female ghost appears there. The location name "Toyosawa Tunnel" in this article matches the notation in the publicly available geographical data, and the coordinates were checked to confirm it is the same location as "Toyosawa Tunnel" on the rumor page.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

The source of the rumor is the individual page for Toyosawa Tunnel on the National Haunted Map, which displays the registration history from August 10, 2015, and the update history from April 3, 2025. This is an example of secondary posting on a user-submitted website, and the original poster, date and time of occurrence, recordings, and call records regarding the sound of empty cans, phone calls, and the female ghost have not been made public.

• Nationwide Haunted Map: "Toyosawa Tunnel"(Confirmed on 2026-09-17) — It mentions that "there seems to be a sound of empty cans falling" and includes a rumor that after dumping cans into Toyosawa Dam, people receive phone calls saying, "Take them away..."

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The publicly available geographic database OpenStreetMap Nominatim returned a road in Hanamaki City as "Toyosawa Tunnel," indicating its central coordinates as 39.4813132 degrees North latitude and 140.9723252 degrees East longitude. Although the characters differ from those on the rumor page, they are close to the coordinates 39.481206, 140.972182 listed on the page, suggesting they refer to the same tunnel. On the other hand, the public records contain no mention of the sound of empty cans, telephone calls, a female ghost, or events after the dumping at Toyosawa Dam.

• OpenStreetMap Public Geographic Search(Verification date 2026-09-17) — The name was returned as "Toyosawa Tunnel", the location as Hanamaki City, and the central coordinates as 39.4813132,140.9723252.

Points of agreement/contradictions

The coordinates in the publicly available geographical data and the rumor page are close together, confirming that Toyosawa Tunnel and Toyosawa Tunnel refer to the same location. However, this does not support the sound of empty cans or the occurrence of phone calls. There are no recordings, call records, dates and times, or third-party records, and there are no contradictory descriptions in the publicly available documents, so it cannot be classified as either supporting or inconsistent.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
Apparently, you can hear the sound of empty cans falling.	Unconfirmed	There are no recordings, dates and times of occurrence, or observation conditions, and there are no records in publicly available geographical data that allow for comparison of acoustic phenomena.	No official data available for direct comparison.
Take it with you...	Unconfirmed	The phone number, date and time of the call, recording, and carrier records were not provided, making it impossible to confirm the incident through independent documentation.	No official data available for direct comparison.
A female ghost appears	Unconfirmed	Aside from the user-submitted page, there is no information on the date and time of the sighting or any verification materials; the only publicly available data is location information.	No official data available for direct comparison.

Alternative interpretation

The sound of something falling inside the tunnel could be attributed to several factors, including echoes from passing vehicles, small objects on the road surface, drainage, or wind. The phone rumor may have spread as a warning against illegal dumping. However, since we have not obtained any recordings, on-site observations, or oral traditions, we will refrain from making any definitive statements about the cause or how it came about.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

The scope of verification is limited to individual pages about the rumors and publicly available geographical search results; road administrator inspection records, Toyosawa Dam administrator records, call records, on-site acoustic measurements, and local documents remain unverified. While interpretations have been posted in the comments section of the rumor pages, anonymous opinions are not treated as independent evidence.

Verification result: Unmeasurable

We re-examined the specific claims, such as the sound of a soda can falling, the phone call the next day, and the female ghost, but the only thing we could confirm with independent sources was the location and coordinates. The correspondence between the description and the location does not constitute evidence of the phenomenon, and there are no records to directly refute it, so it is impossible to measure within the scope of this comparison.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	24/30	The rumor page and public geographical search results were directly retrieved, and the relationship between variant characters and coordinates was clearly indicated.
Historical and spatial context	14/25	We have compiled information on the registration history and its connection to nearby dams, but we have not been able to obtain any historical documents regarding the origin of the legend.
Safety information	13/20	Prioritizing the management conditions of existing roads and the area around the dam, they indicated that stopping, dumping, and unauthorized entry should be avoided.
Newness of information	12/15	Although I retrieved each URL again on September 17, 2026, I have not been able to confirm the update status of the road management records.
Transparency of the source of rumors	8/10	While the registration and update dates are known, the original source of the sound or phone call, the poster, and the original record cannot be identified.
total	71/100	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

Do not stop on the road or near the tunnel entrance to check for sounds; prioritize following access restrictions around the dam and instructions from road administrators. Do not litter, and do not explore at night or enter the area without permission. Use maps only as a reference for planning safe routes.

Map location: The center coordinates of the road alignment confirmed with OpenStreetMap Nominatim were used.

Check the area around Toyosawa Tunnel on Google Maps.

What I learned by crossing locations

While the names, locations, and coordinates of all three tunnels could be confirmed using publicly available geographical data, this alone is insufficient to corroborate the sightings of spirits, physical symptoms, or the inexplicable sounds and phone calls. The Chiaki Tunnel includes verifiable data such as its opening year and length, the Ojikado Tunnel involves construction and human sacrifice, and the Toyosawa Tunnel involves sounds and phone calls, but the publicly available documents obtained this time did not contain any comparable records. Therefore, the existence of the locations was not used to justify any partial correspondence with the paranormal phenomena, and all were deemed immeasurable.

summary

All we were able to confirm this time is that the Chiaki Tunnel, Ojikado Tunnel, and Toyosawa Tunnel are registered in public geographical data as tunnels located in northern Tohoku, and that each has its own separate rumor page. We could not find any independent records to support the rumors about the female ghost, human sacrifice, physical symptoms, inexplicable sounds or phone calls, or the opening year and length of the Chiaki Tunnel. Unconfirmed does not mean denial, but the inclusion of rumors and matching location names do not prove the phenomenon.

FAQ

Does "unmeasurable" mean the rumor is not true?

No. The independent documents we have obtained this time do not support or refute anything; it does not mean that we are concluding that the phenomenon does not exist. On the other hand, the mere existence of the rumor page does not prove the phenomenon exists.

Why is it that even if the location name and coordinates match, it doesn't count as a partial match?

The core claims being compared here are spirits, sounds, telephones, human sacrifices, and the year of opening. The existence of locations and matching addresses do not directly support these claims, and therefore are not counted as partial matches of the supernatural phenomena.

Will the assessment change if additional information is provided?

The situation may change if independent sources that can be directly compared with the claims are found, such as road administrator ledgers, construction records, incident records, contemporary newspapers, audio recordings, and call records. When updating, the source of the rumor and the independent sources will be separated and re-evaluated using the same criteria.