[2026 Latest] Top 3 Ranking of Paranormal Rumors about Abandoned Buildings in Sanyo

We selected three locations in the Sanyo region that are often associated with ruins and historical buildings, and compared the specific claims made on rumor pages with publicly available documents from local governments, public archives, and facility managers. We prioritized factual information that can be compared through records, such as construction dates, purpose, use after disasters, and current closure status, rather than the impression of supernatural occurrences. The ranking is not based on how scary the locations are, but on the ease of tracing the documents and the quality of verification, including safety information.

Survey methods and evaluation criteria

The dates, uses, events, current situation, and eyewitness accounts written on the rumor pages were divided into short atomic claims and compared with independent official, administrator, and public sources on the same subject. If all claims are supported, it is marked as "agreement"; if there is a mix of support and unconfirmed claims, it is marked as "partial agreement"; and if even one independent source clearly indicates a different fact, it is marked as "disagreement". If direct comparison is not possible, it is marked as "unmeasurable"; and if the previous three categories do not apply and significant corrections, origins, or mechanisms not present in the rumor are revealed in official sources, it is marked as "new fact". The existence of a location or facility, or the mere fact that a rumor was published, does not support the supernatural occurrence. The quality of the materials was evaluated on the following points: source transparency (30 points), historical/spatial context (25 points), safety information (20 points), recency of information (15 points), and source transparency of the rumor (10 points).

1st Place: Former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot | Inconsistency (94 points)

The rumored details

The page containing the rumor describes the former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot as a facility "built in 1913 (Taisho 2)" where "military uniforms and boots were manufactured and stored." It states that after the atomic bombing in 1945, it was "used as a temporary relief station," and following this historical explanation, it lists accounts of the ghost of a man in a military uniform, a pained voice, a burnt appearance, and headaches and nausea. The section on the strange occurrences does not provide original testimonies or the dates of occurrence.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

This is a secondary publication example from the paranormal investigation site, released on July 17, 2025. It describes the facility's history and several types of paranormal phenomena, but it lacks reference materials for the historical descriptions, witnesses to each experience, dates of occurrence, and links to primary records, making it impossible to confirm the origin of the rumors.

• Paranormal Investigation: "Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot | Rumors of Ghost Stories"(Confirmed on 2026-09-18) — The Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot was a facility of the former Imperial Japanese Army, built in 1913 (Taisho 2), and was primarily a base for manufacturing and storing military uniforms and boots.

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

Hiroshima Prefecture explains that the former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot was completed in 1914 and was a facility responsible for manufacturing and storing military uniforms, boots, and other equipment for army soldiers. It also records that immediately after the atomic bombing, it was used as a temporary relief station for atomic bomb victims, where many people died, and that of the four existing buildings, three are owned by the prefecture and one by the national government. Furthermore, since October 2024, safety measures have been carried out to ensure earthquake resistance and improve deteriorated exterior areas.

• Hiroshima Prefecture: "Former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot"(Confirmed on 2026-09-18) — The former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot was completed in 1914 and was a facility responsible for the manufacture and storage of military uniforms, boots, and other equipment for army soldiers. Immediately after the atomic bombing, it was used as a temporary relief station for atomic bomb victims, and many people died there.

Points of agreement/contradictions

The manufacture and storage of military uniforms and boots, and the use of the temporary relief station immediately after the bombing, are consistent in both the rumor page and Hiroshima Prefecture documents, focusing on the same subject and direction. However, while the description states that it was "built in 1913 (Taisho 2)," the prefecture clearly states that it was completed in 1914 (Taisho 3), and the detailed history places the main building's completion and commencement of service after April 1914. The construction dates clearly differ. There is no official record to support or refute claims of ghosts or voices in military uniforms.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
Constructed in 1913 (Taisho 2)	contradiction	This is because Hiroshima Prefecture clearly states that the existing facility was completed in 1914 (Taisho 3), and records that the main building was completed and put into service after April 1914.	Hiroshima Prefecture: "Former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot"
They manufactured and stored military uniforms, boots, and other military equipment.	support	Hiroshima Prefecture also records facilities that served the same purpose as those responsible for manufacturing and storing military uniforms and boots for army soldiers.	Hiroshima Prefecture: "Former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot"
It was used as a temporary aid station.	support	The Hiroshima Prefecture's comprehensive facility page clearly states that the facility was used as a temporary relief station for atomic bomb survivors immediately after the bombing.	Hiroshima Prefecture: "Former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot"
The ghost of a man in a military uniform	Unconfirmed	The rumor page lacks the date and time of the incident and original testimonies, and the prefectural documents obtained do not contain any observational records that can be directly compared.	No official data available for direct comparison.

Alternative interpretation

Regarding headaches, nausea, and sounds or sensations, the cause cannot be determined because the time of the experience, health condition, surrounding construction noise, traffic noise, and temperature were not recorded. The long red brick wall, traces of the atomic bombing, and knowledge that it was a relief station may have intensified psychological tension, but this itself cannot be definitively explained by the individual experience.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

The experiences mentioned on the rumor page lack dates, recordings, and references to original testimonies, making re-verification impossible. While prefectural documents detail architectural history, ownership, and safety measures, they are not investigative materials for supernatural experiences. Within the scope of publicly available pages reviewed, no observational records supporting or refuting individual voices or figures were found.

Verification result: Mismatch

The rumored construction date of 1913 and the Hiroshima Prefecture's record of completion in 1914 directly contradict each other, hence the "inconsistency" according to priority rules. While the use for military purposes and as a temporary aid station is supported, it does not negate the chronological inconsistency. The spirits in military uniforms, voices, and physical reactions remain unconfirmed due to a lack of conditions for their occurrence and independent records.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	30/30	You can directly access rumor pages and comprehensive facility pages for Hiroshima Prefecture, and compare them by age, purpose, and use of first aid stations on a claim basis.
Historical and spatial context	25/25	Prefectural records allow you to trace the building's history from its completion, military use, post-atomic bomb relief station use, post-war use, ownership, and safety measures implemented.
Safety information	18/20	The prefecture has issued specific guidelines urging people to avoid trespassing on private property, parking on roads for extended periods, making loud noises, and showing consideration for residential areas.
Newness of information	13/15	The prefectural website includes information published in 2026 and ongoing safety improvement work, but it does not indicate the timing of the rumored individual experiences.
Transparency of the source of rumors	8/10	While the facility's history and the types of supernatural occurrences are described in detail, the lack of witnesses, dates, and references to original records makes it impossible to trace the first occurrence.
total	94/100	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 area surrounding the building consists of residential areas and local roads. Please follow the guidelines of Hiroshima Prefecture, do not enter private property or construction areas, and avoid prolonged parking on the road, making loud noises, or obstructing traffic. Do not enter the building without permission.

Map location: These are the publicly available coordinates confirmed by Nominatim as Izumi Warehouse (Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot).

Check the area around the former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot on Google Maps.

2nd Place: Area around the Atomic Bomb Dome | Partial Match (91 points)

The rumored details

The page containing the rumors includes a historical explanation stating that the atomic bomb exploded "just 160 meters from the Atomic Bomb Dome," and then presents personal accounts from visitors who "afterwards fell ill, felt unwell and had to stay in bed," suddenly burst into uncontrollable tears, saw "countless people walking in the air," and noticed strange phenomena in their images. We will separate and compare the historical facts from the personal accounts that do not have sources.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

This is a secondary article published by Traveroom on December 14, 2020. It describes multiple types of experiences, but there are no traceable references to witnesses, the date and time of occurrence, the original post, or the original image. The origin and transmission route of the rumor could not be confirmed.

• Traveroom: "What are the rumored scary paranormal phenomena at the Atomic Bomb Dome?"(Confirmed on 2026-09-18) — The most well-known paranormal phenomenon is that people who visit the Atomic Bomb Dome often fall ill or become so ill that they have to stay in bed afterward.

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The city of Hiroshima explains that the central building surrounding the Atomic Bomb Dome is a brick structure completed in 1915 as the Hiroshima Prefectural Products Exhibition Hall. It records that at 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, it was hit by the atomic bomb approximately 160 meters from the hypocenter, and was severely damaged and burned down by the blast and heat rays, and that all the staff inside the building at the time were killed instantly. Five preservation projects were carried out from 1967 onwards, and in December 1996, it was decided to register it as a World Heritage Site.

• Hiroshima City "Atomic Bomb Dome"(Confirmed on 2026-09-18) — The Industrial Promotion Hall was hit by the atomic bomb at a very close distance of approximately 160 meters from the hypocenter, and was severely damaged by the blast and heat rays, and was completely destroyed by fire that burst from the ceiling.

Points of agreement/contradictions

The historical explanation on the rumor page stating that the building was "only 160 meters from the Atomic Bomb Dome" corresponds to the Hiroshima City government's record that the former Industrial Promotion Hall was approximately 160 meters from the hypocenter. Its predecessor, the date of the bombing, and the extent of the destruction can also be confirmed in official documents. On the other hand, the claims of feeling unwell after the visit, unexplained tears, and seeing many people walking in the air cannot be supported due to the lack of date, observation conditions, and independent records. The fact that the history of the bombing can be confirmed is not used to support the idea of a supernatural cause.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
Just 160 meters from the Atomic Bomb Dome	support	The city of Hiroshima has stated that the former Industrial Promotion Hall was exposed to the atomic bomb at a very close distance of approximately 160 meters from the hypocenter.	Hiroshima City "Atomic Bomb Dome"
After that, they might feel unwell or so sick that they have to stay in bed.	Unconfirmed	The rumor page lacks details such as the date and time of the experience, medical records, and comparison points, making it impossible to independently verify the cause.	No official data available for direct comparison.
Countless people are walking in the air.	Unconfirmed	The date and time of the sighting, the original image, and the weather and shooting conditions are not provided, and there are no corresponding observation records in the Hiroshima City archives.	No official data available for direct comparison.

Alternative interpretation

Changes in physical condition and tears can have multiple causes, including heat, fatigue, dehydration, and strong psychological reactions from the materials or memorial space. Anomalies in aerial images and photographs cannot be compared without examining reflections, backlighting, compression, and shooting conditions. However, since individual records are unavailable, none of these explanations will be definitively accepted.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

The rumor page does not include the names of those who experienced the event, the date of the incident, the original images, or information about the equipment used. Hiroshima City documents detail the architectural history, the circumstances of the atomic bombing, and the preservation process, but they do not include any investigation into visitors' physical condition or visual experiences. Therefore, claims other than distance are left as they cannot be supported or refuted.

Verification results: Partial match

The physical and historical claim that the victim was approximately 160 meters from the hypocenter is supported by Hiroshima City documents, but there are no independent documents confirming the claims of illness or walking in the air. Because both support and unconfirmed aspects coexist, we will classify this as "partial agreement." The only area of agreement is the distance from the bombing site, and does not extend to the strange occurrences or their causes.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	30/30	You can directly obtain information from rumor pages and official explanations from Hiroshima City, allowing you to clearly compare distance, date of the bombing, and the locations affected by the damage.
Historical and spatial context	25/25	City records allow you to trace the building's purpose at the time of construction, the time and distance of the bombing, the extent of the damage, preservation work, and even its designation as a World Heritage Site.
Safety information	17/20	While it is possible to view the building from public spaces, the main materials acquired focus on the building's history and preservation management rather than safety information.
Newness of information	11/15	The Hiroshima City page was updated in 2025, but it does not show when the rumored individual experiences occurred or the basis for the update.
Transparency of the source of rumors	8/10	While the types of experiences are specifically listed, there is no mention of the witnesses, dates, original images, or references to primary sources.
total	91/100	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 do not enter the structures designated for preservation, and do not cross fences or local regulations. Respecting that this is a peace memorial and place of remembrance, please refrain from making noise at night, obstructing passage with photography, and causing inconvenience to worshippers and visitors.

Map location: These are the publicly available coordinates confirmed by Nominatim as the center of the Atomic Bomb Dome building.

Check the area around the Atomic Bomb Dome on Google Maps.

3rd Place: 21st Century Forest | Partial Agreement (82 points)

The rumored details

The page containing the rumors describes the 21st Century Forest as a nature park located in Sasanami, Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and explains that it had a campsite and athletic facilities. It states that it was closed due to a decrease in users and the aging of the facilities, and is currently not open to the public. However, it also mentions that a section of the parking lot is marked with yellow diagonal lines indicating parking is prohibited, and that a woman committed suicide by self-immolation using gasoline inside her car. Furthermore, it cites the feeling of presence inside the car, the high number of traffic accidents on the way home, and eyewitness accounts near the restrooms.

Source of the rumor and date of verification

This is a secondary publication example from "Paranormal Investigations," released on January 3, 2025. It specifically details the facility's purpose, reasons for closure, parking areas, and personal accounts, but it does not refer to dates, news reports, official records, or original testimonies regarding deaths or accidents, and its original publication date is unknown.

• Paranormal Investigation: "The Forest of the 21st Century | Rumored Ghost Stories"(Confirmed on 2026-09-18) — "21st Century Forest" was a nature park located in Sasanami, Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and was a leisure spot visited by families and young people.

Things that could be confirmed from official and primary source materials

The Yamaguchi Prefectural Archives holds a leaflet titled "21st Century Forest User Guide," created by Yamaguchi Prefecture, which dates the 21st Century Forest to around 1985. Regarding the location near the coordinates on the rumor page, the Hagi City Tourism Association lists the address as 14-1 Sasanami, Hagi City, as the Hagi-Okan Natsukihara Exchange Facility, and states that it is currently closed and that the rest area and toilets are unavailable. However, the publicly available documents do not specify any renaming or succession relationship with the old facility, nor do they explicitly state that decreased usage or deterioration were the reasons for the closure.

• Information on the holdings of the Yamaguchi Prefectural Archives' "21st Century Forest User Guide"(Date confirmed: 2026-09-18) — Title: 21st Century Forest User Guide Classification: Administrative Documents > Leaflets > 1980s > Agriculture and Forestry Department Year: Showa 60 [1985] Created/Received by: Yamaguchi Prefecture
• Hagi City Tourism Association "Hagi-Okan Natsukihara Exchange Facility"(Confirmed on 2026-09-18) — *Currently closed *Toilets are also unavailable. Please use nearby toilets. Address: 14-1 Sasanami, Hagi City

Points of agreement/contradictions

Public archives confirm that a user guide for a facility of the same name, "21st Century Forest," was created by Yamaguchi Prefecture around 1985. Furthermore, the administrator's page providing directions for the same coordinates is currently inactive, and the rest area and toilets are also unavailable, thus supporting the current situation that "it is not currently open to the public." On the other hand, reasons such as decreased usage and deterioration, the management of the yellow no-parking zones, fatal incidents, frequent accidents on the return journey, and eyewitness accounts cannot be confirmed.

The rumored atomic claim	Matching results	reason	Corresponding documents
It is currently not available for general use.	support	The current page of the Hagi City Tourism Association states that the facility is closed and that the rest area and toilets are unavailable.	Hagi City Tourism Association "Hagi-Okan Natsukihara Exchange Facility"
Decreasing number of users and aging facilities	Unconfirmed	The administrator page and official bibliography that I obtained do not mention decreased usage or aging equipment as reasons for the suspension of service.	No official data available for direct comparison.
A woman committed suicide by self-immolation using gasoline inside her car.	Unconfirmed	The rumor page lacks dates and references to news reports or official records, and does not contain any corresponding information in the official documents it has obtained.	No official data available for direct comparison.
Many people get into traffic accidents on their way home.	Unconfirmed	The period, number, location, and vehicle records of the accidents are not provided, making comparisons using independent data impossible.	No official data available for direct comparison.

Alternative interpretation

In closed facilities and mountain parking lots, insufficient lighting, dense fog, shadows from trees, wild animals, sudden temperature changes, and narrow roads can increase anxiety, misperception, and driving hazards. However, since there is no original documentation of each experience that records the local conditions, it is not possible to definitively attribute these factors to individual occurrences or accidents.

Scope and limitations of the investigation

Public archives show the title, date, and creator of the documents, but the text of the leaflets cannot be viewed from the currently available screen. The administrator page informs users of the current suspension and unavailability, but does not explain the relationship to the old name or the reason for the suspension. Public records to support the death cases, accident numbers, and reasons for the designation of parking spaces could not be found.

Verification results: Partial match

A user guide with the same name remains at the Yamaguchi Prefectural Archives, and the management facility located near the coordinates is currently closed and unavailable, so some aspects of the current situation are supported. On the other hand, the reason for the closure, the origin of the parking spaces, any fatalities, frequent accidents, and eyewitness accounts remain unconfirmed. Because both supportive and unconfirmed information coexist, it is classified as "partially consistent," but this does not constitute a judgment supporting the existence of a supernatural phenomenon.

Document Quality Score

Source transparency	28/30	You can directly access rumor pages, public archives, and administrator pages, allowing you to check the same-named document and its current status separately.
Historical and spatial context	18/25	We obtained a user guide created by the prefecture around 1985 and current facility information, but we lack documents regarding name changes and management transitions.
Safety information	19/20	The administrator has clearly stated that the facility will be closed and that rest areas and toilets will be unavailable, providing specific reasons why on-site use should be avoided.
Newness of information	10/15	I was able to obtain the current suspension notice, but the start date of the suspension and the timing of the rumored incident are unknown.
Transparency of the source of rumors	7/10	The parking spaces and personal accounts are specific, but the date of the event, news reports, management records, and original testimonies are not provided.
total	82/100	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 administrator page indicates that the facility is closed and that the rest area and toilets are unavailable. Please do not enter closed facilities or restricted areas, avoid nighttime visits, roadside parking, or reckless driving on forest roads, and check the latest road and facility information.

Map location: The embedded map coordinates on the official website of the Hagi City Tourism Association are used.

Check the area around 21st Century Forest on Google Maps.

What I learned by crossing locations

At all three locations, the sources of the paranormal reports did not indicate the date of the experience, the original testimony, or the measurement conditions, so the spirits or abnormal sensations themselves could not be confirmed. On the other hand, at the former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot, we were able to compare a clear discrepancy in the completion year, around the Atomic Bomb Dome the distance from the hypocenter, and at the 21st Century Forest the current state of closure. While historical tragedies and the closure of facilities are verifiable facts, they do not explain the cause of later paranormal tales.

summary

At the former Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot, which had the highest verification quality, military use and use as a relief station were confirmed, but the construction year stated on the rumor page differed from the prefectural records. Around the Atomic Bomb Dome, only the distance of approximately 160 meters was supported, and changes in physical condition and the aerial view remained unconfirmed. At the 21st Century Forest, documents with the same name and the closure of the on-site facility were confirmed, but the reason for the closure, the origin of the parking area, fatalities, and frequent accidents could not be confirmed. In all cases, respect for historical materials and current access and usage guidelines should take priority.

FAQ

Does the result indicate the probability that paranormal phenomena exist?

We do not provide proof. The judgment indicates the extent to which individual claims actually written on the rumor page correspond to independent sources. We do not use the agreement of historical facts to prove the existence of supernatural phenomena.

If there is no record of the supernatural phenomenon in the documents, does that mean there is a discrepancy?

No. The mere lack of information on the list or official website is not sufficient evidence to disprove the claim, so eyewitness accounts and anecdotes that cannot be directly compared will be treated as unconfirmed. A discrepancy will only occur if a clearly different time period or use is indicated.

Can I verify the rumors by going to the location?

Please avoid entering restricted areas and engaging in disruptive behavior at night. Prioritize checking for updates to publicly available information, and even in areas where visits are permitted, respect the guidance of administrators, construction restrictions, and consideration for surrounding residents.