Kisaragi Station. This incident happened in 2004, 19 years ago. In Japan, there is a very famous forum called “2CH.” On this “2CH,” there was a post titled “Please Share the Unbelievable Things Happening Around You.” People would leave comments below, but most of the content was just casual chatting.
At 11:14 PM on January 8, the 98th reply to this post drew a lot of attention, eventually leading to one of Japan’s most famous urban legends.
This person said it might be an illusion, but they had just boarded a private railway train and felt something was off. They took this train daily to commute, and usually, it would stop every five minutes, with a maximum of 7–8 minutes between major stations. However, this time, the train hadn’t stopped for 20 minutes. There were five other people in the carriage, but they were all asleep.
Someone asked if they had boarded an express train by mistake, which skips several stations. Others wondered if they had missed their stop.
Fifteen minutes later, at 11:29 PM, the poster replied that they might have taken the wrong train and would check the situation, updating everyone if anything happened. Some users found it strange that they would post on 2CH, perhaps because they had nothing else to do while riding the train and were just browsing on their phone.
Users suggested they go to the front carriage to ask the conductor or check the driver’s cabin, pointing out that if the driver had fainted, it could be dangerous as the train would keep going without stopping.
After a while, the poster said they went to the front but found the driver’s cabin obscured by something like frosted glass, making it impossible to see inside. They knocked on the window but received no response. They also hadn’t seen any conductors or staff.
At this point, users asked which train and station they had boarded. The poster said they were on a private railway line in Shizuoka Prefecture, boarding at Shin-Hamamatsu Station. From this information, users quickly identified it as the Enshu Railway Line in Shizuoka Prefecture, a private railway line that had been operating since 1927.
The poster then noticed that the train seemed to have entered a tunnel, something they had never experienced on their daily commute. They started to think they might have missed their stop, although they were sure they were on the correct train.
After a while, the train exited the tunnel and began to slow down. At this point, the poster changed their name from Anonymous, as most posts were by Anonymous, to Hasumi.
At 12:23 AM, Hasumi posted that the train had stopped at a station called Kisaragi. Kisaragi means February in the lunar calendar. In Japan, each month in the lunar calendar has a unique name: January is Mutsuki, February is Kisaragi, March is Yayoi, April is Uzuki, May is Satsuki, June is Minazuki, July is Fumizuki, August is Hazuki, September is Nagatsuki, October is Kannazuki, November is Shimotsuki, and December is Shiwasu. These names relate to the characteristics of each season.
Hasumi said he had never heard of this station and asked for the advice of other users on whether he should get off the train. Some users asked if he really wanted to get off, while others suggested that he should at least check his surroundings. However, some users advised against getting off and suggested he should stay on the train until the end of the line.
As users were offering their suggestions, Hasumi posted that he had gotten off the train, finding himself at an unmanned station. In Japan, such unmanned stations exist in very remote areas. He said that after getting off, he planned to take a return train from the opposite platform. However, he couldn’t find a timetable on the platform, so he tried to check the return train schedule on his phone but couldn’t find any information for this station.
In 2004, although cell phones could access the internet, they were not as advanced as smartphones. While Hasumi was checking the timetable, many users also tried to help him by looking up the schedule online. Hasumi then posted again, asking if he should return to the train, but it had already departed, leaving him alone at the station. This was around 12:30 AM.
It’s important to note that in 2004, cell phones typically had cameras, but sharing photos online was not common, and the 2CH forum didn’t have this functionality. Thus, no photos were posted throughout this incident. Moreover, users searching online couldn’t find any information about Kisaragi Station, which, as of today, does not exist in Japan.
About six minutes later, at 12:36 AM, Hasumi posted again, saying that since he couldn’t find any information related to the train or the station and couldn’t find anyone to ask, he planned to leave the station and look for a taxi to get home. He thanked everyone for their concern, suggesting he was ready to end the thread.
However, less than five minutes later, at 12:41 AM, Hasumi posted again, saying that after leaving the station, he found nothing outside — no taxis, nothing at all, just a lonely station in the wilderness. He asked what he should do.
Users suggested that he call 104 to get the phone number of a local taxi company and have them send a car. About seven minutes later, at 12:48 AM, Hasumi posted that he had called home and asked his parents to pick him up, but his parents had never heard of Kisaragi Station. He told them to check the map and come find him. Hasumi said he suddenly felt very scared.
At this point, users asked him to double-check the station name, as they couldn’t find any Kisaragi Station online. They thought it should be near Shin-Hamamatsu Station and suggested checking Yahoo. Back then, Yahoo was more commonly used in Japan than Google.
Another user suggested that there should be a phone booth nearby with a phone book inside where he could find taxi company numbers. About five minutes later, at 12:53 AM, Hasumi posted that he couldn’t find a phone booth or any other people around. He was alone, and the station was definitely called Kisaragi.
Four minutes later, at 12:57 AM, a post from a user made everyone anxious. This user said that when they searched for Kisaragi Station using the kanji for “Kisaragi” (如月), it displayed the kanji for “demon” (鬼). It turns out that the kanji for “demon” is also pronounced as “Kisaragi” in Japanese. This led some to suspect that February might be a “demon month,” though historically, February has never been referred to as such.
At 12:59 AM, another user brought up an important point, asking if the station sign indicated the names of the previous and next stations. In Japan, unless it’s a terminal station, station signs typically display the names of the adjacent stations. If Kisaragi Station couldn’t be found, knowing the names of the neighboring stations might help locate it.
Strangely, the station sign only displayed the name “Kisaragi Station,” with no indication of the previous or next stations. A user then suggested that since there was a station, there should be people living nearby, and Hasumi might see some houses or shops if he walked along the railway tracks.
Hasumi replied that he had been quite anxious earlier but now planned to walk back along the railway, waiting for his parents’ call. He mentioned that he tried using his phone’s GPS to determine his location, but it resulted in an error and couldn’t locate him. He expressed his desire to go home.
Users asked what he could see around him, urging him to describe everything he could see. A few minutes later, at 1:18 AM, Hasumi said there was nothing around him, only endless wilderness and distant mountains. However, he believed that if he walked along the railway, he would eventually get back. He thanked everyone for their concern and mentioned that some might think he was making up a story, so he would stay quiet unless something happened and he needed to ask for help again.
Users advised him to be careful, ensure he wasn’t walking in the wrong direction, and to be cautious when passing through tunnels. Others suggested that since there was nothing around, his phone might lose signal suddenly, and it might be better to stay at the station.
Some users countered that at unmanned stations, the lights go out after the last train passes, leaving everything pitch dark. Waiting for rescue or for dawn at the station seemed to be the wisest choice. Another user reminded Hasumi to conserve his phone battery as it was his lifeline.
By 1:30 AM, Hasumi posted that his father had called again to ask more about the station. His father couldn’t find Kisaragi Station and advised Hasumi to call the police. Although Hasumi was hesitant about involving the police, he decided to follow his father’s advice.
After this post, users waited anxiously for the outcome of Hasumi’s call to the police. At 1:55 AM, Hasumi posted that he had called 110 and tried his best to explain his location to the police. However, the police said that the place he described didn’t exist and accused him of making a prank call. Frustrated and scared, Hasumi ended the call.
At this point, Hasumi was walking back along the railway tracks. Users asked about his surroundings, if he really couldn’t see any landmarks. At 1:57 AM, Hasumi said there was still nothing around, but he could hear the sound of taiko drums and bells in the distance, reminiscent of the sounds of a ritual ceremony.
After a while, Hasumi posted again, saying he was getting more and more scared and didn’t dare look back. He could only keep walking forward. Some users told him to run and not look back, while others suggested he return to the station, believing it to be the safest option. Hasumi said he was too terrified to look back or head towards the station.
At 2:09 AM, Hasumi posted that he heard a voice behind him, a man shouting, “Don’t walk on the railway, it’s dangerous!” Believing it might be a railway worker, Hasumi turned around and saw an old man with only one leg standing about 10 meters away. As he was about to approach the old man, he disappeared.
At this point, Hasumi was paralyzed with fear. Users advised him not to look back and to head towards the tunnel, which should be nearby. Four minutes later, at 2:13 AM, Hasumi said he couldn’t move anymore, couldn’t walk or run, and the sound of the drums was getting closer.
Most users urged him to stay put and wait for daylight or to try to walk back along the railway. However, one user suggested that Hasumi muster the courage to walk towards the sound of the drums. This user argued that since there was a drum sound, there must be something hitting it, and finding that might lead to rescue.
This suggestion sparked outrage among other users, who attacked the idea. The user then claimed that Hasumi might no longer be in the real world, even if he didn’t realize it himself. He told Hasumi that if he didn’t accept that he was already dead, he’d never be able to move on to the next life.
Hasumi responded, insisting he was alive because his wounds were still bleeding from a fall, and his shoe heel had broken off. He said he was holding the broken heel and didn’t want to die.
Twenty-three minutes later, at 2:35 AM, Hasumi posted that he had called home, and his father said he would call the police. The drum sounds were getting closer. Users suggested that Hasumi should head for the tunnel quickly, believing it would be safe once he got through. Some users thought the tunnel might be a crucial boundary between two worlds.
Users also reminded Hasumi to check the tunnel’s name before entering, as most tunnels have a name that could help pinpoint his location for the police.
Ten minutes later, at 2:45 AM, Hasumi said he had reached the tunnel. The name “Izakun” (伊左贯) was written on it. He said the sounds were getting closer, and he was about to enter the tunnel. He promised to update everyone if he successfully made it through. Users encouraged him to keep going.
After more than twenty minutes, at 3:10 AM, Hasumi posted that he was almost out of the tunnel but could see a person standing at the tunnel’s exit. Seeing someone made him feel slightly relieved, and he thanked everyone for their support.
Immediately, users warned him not to approach the person standing at the tunnel exit at this time of night, as it could be dangerous. About ten minutes later, at 3:20 AM, Hasumi posted that it turned out to be a kind person. The person’s car was parked nearby, and they offered to drive Hasumi to the nearest station. Hasumi expressed his immense gratitude to everyone.
At this point, a user suggested that Hasumi ask the person where they were. Hasumi reported that he asked, and the person said the place was called Hina. Hasumi found this hard to believe because Hina was a station over 100 kilometers away from the Shin-Hamamatsu Station where he had boarded. Hina is a real station in Shizuoka Prefecture, near Mount Fuji in the eastern part of the prefecture, whereas Hasumi was initially in the western part of Shizuoka. Furthermore, Hina Station is also a very small, unmanned station.
The discussion among users focused on the mysterious individual, warning that given the context of railways, the person was unlikely to be a well-meaning stranger. Six minutes later, at 3:37 AM, Hasumi posted that the person was leading him into the mountains, claiming his car was parked there, though Hasumi doubted the presence of any car in such a place. When Hasumi tried to talk to him, the person didn’t respond.
At 3:44 AM, Hasumi said his phone battery was almost dead, and he was considering escaping. He mentioned that the person had been muttering to himself in an incomprehensible manner, prompting Hasumi to turn off his phone as a precaution.
After this last post, Hasumi disappeared from the thread and has not posted since, even though 19 years have passed. Hasumi’s initial post was at 11:14 PM on January 8, and his final post was at 3:44 AM on January 9, spanning a total of 4 hours and 30 minutes.
Following this incident, the legend of Kisaragi Station became widely known, sparking interest in locating the mysterious station. However, it has been confirmed that no such station exists anywhere in Japan. Yet, a curious development occurred a decade later in 2014 when someone claimed to have found Kisaragi Station on Google Maps, capturing a screenshot. This image depicted Kisaragi Station located in a lake on the campus of the renowned Chuo University in Japan.
But the story doesn’t end there. Seven years after the original Kisaragi Station incident, on March 23, 2011, just 12 days after the Great East Japan Earthquake, another post appeared on 2CH. This new thread was titled “A Real Horror Story,” and a user claimed to have stumbled upon Kisaragi Station as well.
This individual recounted that six years prior, in 2005, he had been traveling from Fukuoka to Kurume by train one evening. Absorbed in reading, he eventually looked up to find everyone around him asleep, creating an eerie atmosphere. He felt a chill and saw that the train had crossed a very old iron bridge before stopping at a station. The station sign clearly read “Kisaragi Station” (キサラギ駅). Unlike Hasumi, he noted the names of the previous and next stations on the sign. The previous station was “Yami” (ヤミ, meaning “darkness”), and the next was “Katasu” (カタス, meaning unknown). Although he was tempted to get off and explore, he stayed on the train as his destination was Kurume.
Once the train departed, the eerie atmosphere lifted, and passengers seemed to awaken. The train soon arrived at Kurume without stopping at Katasu Station.
On June 30 of the same year, 2011, another user claiming to be Hasumi provided an update, supposedly offering closure to the story. This user recounted that after entering the mountains, they did get into the car with the person, who then drove further into the mountains. Suddenly, they encountered a wall of light that brought the car to a halt.
After the car stopped, the driver resumed his muttering. Hasumi described seeing a person running towards the car from the light wall, who began knocking on the window. Overwhelmed with fear, Hasumi noticed that the driver had disappeared. The person outside urged him to leave the car, saying, “Why are you here? You shouldn’t be here, get out quickly.”
When Hasumi looked back, the driver was gone, having vanished completely.
Hasumi came out of the car as instructed. The stranger told him, “Hurry, head towards the light.” Terrified, Hasumi ran towards the light. Upon crossing it, he found himself at a train station near his home, and it was daytime. His parents were there, waving and calling him over.
After getting into the car with his parents, he learned it was April 2011, meaning seven years had passed. However, his parents didn’t seem to think he had been missing for seven years. For Hasumi, only a few hours had elapsed, but in reality, seven years had gone by. He expressed his confusion over what had happened but thanked everyone and wished them well.
Some analyzed this message alongside Hasumi’s previous posts and noticed inconsistencies. The writing style, use of punctuation, and the posting location differed from the original Hasumi’s posts. This led to suspicions that the person who posted the update was not the same Hasumi who disappeared.
Six years later, in 2017, someone claimed to have encountered Katasu Station, supposedly the next station after Kisaragi. They reported a similar experience of falling into a daze on a train and seeing the station sign “Katasu.” They did not get off the train, and upon returning, everything seemed normal, but they vividly remembered seeing the sign for Katasu.
Five years after that, in June 2022, photos of Kisaragi Station began to flood the internet. Many people claimed to have found it, and these were genuine photos, not edited. This happened because a Japanese horror film titled “Kisaragi Station” was released, based on the urban legend. To promote the movie, the Enshu Railway Company in Shizuoka Prefecture transformed part of Sakinomiya Station’s signage to read “Kisaragi Station” and placed an empty train there with “Kisaragi Station” displayed on the front, allowing people to take photos.
The prevailing theory now is that Kisaragi Station might be either a purely fictional creation or a phenomenon related to a parallel universe, where under certain conditions, individuals might briefly enter an alternate dimension. Some who enter may never return.
To survive and return to the real world if one ever finds themselves at Kisaragi Station, people have compiled a set of guidelines:
- Do not sleep on the train, as many reports suggest people wake up in an unfamiliar place.
- If you arrive at Kisaragi Station, Katasu Station, or Yami Station, do not get off the train.
- If you do get off, do not leave the station.
- Never forget your name.
- Avoid entering tunnels.
- Do not respond to anyone who speaks to you.
- Do not look back.
These rules are meant to help avoid getting trapped in the mysterious realm of Kisaragi Station.
These taboos are actually similar to those found in many myths and urban legends. For example, myths often mention that if you look back, you might turn to stone. Japanese mythology particularly emphasizes that once you enter another world, you must never eat anything from that world, or you won’t be able to return.
Some urban legends also mention that you should never cross a river because once you cross it, you won’t be able to come back. This is often interpreted as a river separating the human world from another world. In some legends about aliens or the afterlife, it’s said that you should not walk toward the light, or you won’t be able to return.
Although the Kisaragi Station story may just be a creation, it is highly complete. The pacing of the entire story is well-managed, with each post spaced 10 to 20 minutes apart. Most of the plot is driven by the users. This format is somewhat like early script-based games, making it the precursor to script murder games that appeared in 2004.
The collective advancement of this story is quite impressive. Such stories are now rarer because verification methods have increased, and interesting things like UFO sightings or Bigfoot legends have decreased.
Overall, the Kisaragi Station urban legend blends Japanese cultural elements, modern technology, and people’s fear of the unknown to create a captivating story. Even if it might be fictional, it reflects people’s curiosity and fear of the boundary between reality and the supernatural. It also demonstrates the power of collective creation in the internet age. While such urban legends might be unsettling, they satisfy people’s curiosity about mysterious phenomena.
