Inunaki Tunnel: Brutal Murder, the Howling Dog, Buried Workers, and Horrific Experiments...
Crossing the Threshold into Darkness...
Crossing the Threshold into Darkness...
Deep within the mountains of Fukuoka, among dense forests and narrow, winding paths, lies a place that has instilled fear for decades. The Inunaki Tunnel, also known as the "Howling Dog Tunnel," is not just a haunted location – it is a true nightmare where reality, lost in the unrestrained imagination of nightmare-loving Japanese, howls for a swift death. Entering it means risking not only an encounter with ghosts but also losing something precious – your sanity.
It was here, on December 7, 1988, that one of the most brutal murders in Japan's history took place. A group of young criminals cold-bloodedly kidnapped and burned alive a 20-year-old man, Kouichi Umeyama. His terrifying screams echoed along the tunnel walls, forever embedding themselves in the grim legend of this place.
It is said that during World War II, the tunnel was a secret site for biological weapon tests, where human experiment victims died in agony. Their souls were believed to be forever trapped within the walls of this cursed place. Legends also claim that if you venture deep into the tunnel, you may disappear without a trace – as if the place itself swallows people, leaving behind only silent, black walls.
Moreover, near the tunnel is the supposedly lost Inunaki Village – a place where Japanese laws do not apply, and anyone who reaches it never returns. Although many of these stories seem to be mere legends, one thing is certain: few places on Earth have been surrounded by so many terrifying legends as the Inunaki Tunnel.
The "Howling Dog" – Where Does This Name Come From?
The name "Inunaki" (犬鳴) consists of two kanji characters: "inu" (犬), meaning "dog," and "naki" (鳴), which means "cry" or "howl." In literal translation, it means "Crying Dog," which already evokes unsettling associations. Although at first glance it may seem like an innocent name, in Japanese culture, a dog, especially one crying or howling in the dark, often symbolizes impending disaster or the presence of something supernatural.
The legend says that the name comes from ancient stories about dogs that were said to guard the village of Inunaki and warn its inhabitants of approaching danger. The dogs' barking was considered an ominous sign, foretelling something dreadful coming from the darkness. These stories gradually evolved into an urban legend, where the howling of a dog near the tunnel is a harbinger of supernatural phenomena or tragic events.
The origin of the name "Inunaki" significantly influenced the development of local legends. The "Crying Dog" became a symbol of haunted places, and its very name began to evoke fear and anxiety. Combined with the tragic events that took place in the tunnel and its surroundings, this name gained a dark, almost ghastly connotation, solidifying Inunaki Tunnel as one of the most mysterious and frightening places in Japan.
Where is Inunaki Tunnel?
The Inunaki Tunnel is located in Fukuoka Prefecture, between the city of Miyawaka and the town of Hisayama, in one of the more isolated and mountainous regions of this part of Japan. The tunnel cuts through mountainous terrain, hidden among trees, and its location near the Inunaki Dam adds to its sense of isolation and mystery. It is precisely this geographical isolation and the surrounding wild nature that make this place feel cut off from civilization... and reality.
The area around the tunnel, though beautiful, is characterized by harshness – winding roads, steep slopes, and dense forests give it a somber character. The old, unused roads leading to the tunnel are overgrown and, in places, impassable. The proximity of the dam, with its calm waters, contrasts with the tunnel's dark atmosphere, yet the area is considered just as haunted as the tunnel itself.
Currently, the entrances to the old Inunaki Tunnel are closed off and blocked by concrete barriers, preventing access to its interior. The tunnel was completely sealed off after numerous incidents of illegal trespassing and tragic events that took place there, including the brutal murder in 1988. In 1975, a new Inunaki Tunnel was built to take over transportation functions, but the old tunnel remained a symbol of local legends and a site that attracts thrill-seekers looking for experiences on the edge of worlds.
Although unused, the Inunaki Tunnel once played an important role in local infrastructure, connecting the cities of Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Its closure made the area even more isolated, and the tunnel became known primarily for the dark legends and tragic events associated with it.
The History of the Inunaki Tunnel
In 1949, after the war, a tunnel was built in the heart of the Fukuoka mountains to connect two key cities in the region – Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. The old Inunaki Tunnel, though initially intended as a functional part of the infrastructure, quickly gained an infamous reputation. From the very beginning of its existence, there were reports of strange accidents and inexplicable phenomena. The tunnel, winding through dark, mountainous terrain, seemed to hold a secret from the start, waiting for the unwary.
In 1975, the tunnel was closed, and traffic was redirected through a new, larger tunnel, which took over the transportation role of the old passage. However, what was supposed to mark the end of the old Inunaki Tunnel's story turned out to be just the beginning. Since it ceased to serve as an official road, the place became the source of increasingly strange stories. The abandoned roads leading to the tunnel were ideal meeting spots for biker gangs known in Japan as Bousou-zoku (暴走族 – roughly translated as "reckless driving gang"). The emptiness of the tunnel also attracted those who sought darkness and mystery, and the surrounding area became an illegal dumping ground – as if the tunnel itself pulled in what was rejected by society.
However, the event of December 1988 forever changed the perception of this place... In the following story, there will be nothing paranormal, but unfortunately, it is true.
The Inunaki Tunnel Murder, 1988
December 7, 1988, a bleak winter afternoon, with steel-gray skies and clouds hanging over the mountain forests of Fukuoka Prefecture. Kouichi Umeyama (梅山 孝一), a young, barely 20-year-old factory worker, was returning home from work, unaware of the fate that awaited him that day. Umeyama was an ordinary young man – quiet, hardworking, respectful of elders, as they would later say about him.
While Umeyama was waiting at a traffic light in his car, a group of young boys aged 16 to 19 from the town of Tagawa approached his vehicle. Their goal was to steal his car, as they explained later, to "impress girls." The leader of the group demanded that Umeyama hand over his car. When he refused, they began beating him, kicking him, and punching him. Despite the brutal blows, Umeyama tried to defend himself, but he stood no chance against the enraged group.
After the first wave of violence, Umeyama attempted to escape, fighting for his life. His bloodied face and injured body were unable to elicit sympathy from passersby – no one stopped to help him. People averted their eyes in disgust and fear. Nevertheless, with determination, he tried to make his way home. However, the attackers caught up with him. They dragged him back to the car, tied him up, and brutally attacked him again, this time using tools like wrenches, crowbars, and other metal objects.
Although their original plan was to dispose of the body by throwing it into the nearby Rikimaru Dam, they became frightened that the body might float to the surface, so they changed their plan. It was then that they decided the most effective way to get rid of the evidence would be to burn Umeyama. They dragged him to the old Inunaki Tunnel – an abandoned, silent, isolated place, perfect for hiding their crime.
They stopped at a gas station where they bought gasoline, claiming they needed it because their motorcycle had broken down. In the tunnel, Umeyama was doused with gasoline. When the flames began consuming his body, the boy's horrifying screams echoed along the tunnel walls – it turned out that Umeyama was still alive and conscious – whether this was the attackers' intention, we do not know. Contrary to their expectations, Umeyama did not die immediately. Desperately, he fought for his life, trying to escape the burning hell, despite his hands and legs being bound, he attempted to crawl away.
In the end, the group of perpetrators made sure their victim was dead before heading to Fukuoka, where they proudly boasted in a bar, "We killed him! We burned him alive!"
The next day, on December 8, 1988, Kouichi Umeyama's body was found by the police. His death sparked outrage across the country. The brutality and callousness of the murderers shocked the public. The killers, all young men aged 16 to 19, were quickly arrested. Finding them was not difficult – there were plenty of witnesses to the beating, as well as later boasting in the bar.
In 1991, during an appeal trial in Fukuoka, the main perpetrator of the crime, then a 21-year-old man who was 19 at the time of the crime, tried to challenge the life sentence, claiming that "there was no intention to kill" and that the punishment was too harsh. However, Judge Maeda Kazuaki mercilessly rejected the appeal, arguing that "the cruelty of this crime is unprecedented, and the defendant played a central role in the crime and must bear full responsibility.
Though we shouldn’t mix this real and terrifying story with those originating from Japanese kwaidan culture and urban legends about paranormal phenomena, it’s natural that over the years, this history contributed to the rising popularity of the Inunaki Tunnel as a horror spot.
Dark Legends of Inunaki Tunnel
When you step into the darkness of the old Inunaki Tunnel, you immediately feel that this place holds more than it seems. The silence that reigns there is heavy, dense, and saturated with ancient stories and whispers of those who never returned. Many claim the tunnel is haunted by the spirits of workers who died during its construction. According to legend, their bodies were walled up within the tunnel, leaving no trace, and their screams of agony still echo in the darkness.
Ghost stories have surrounded this place for decades. It is said that the workers, forced to labor in inhumane conditions, perished in accidents too frequent to be mere coincidence. Their suffering is said to have been eternally sealed within the tunnel, and their souls, invisible to the naked eye, still watch over what happens in its dark corridors. Those who dared to enter Inunaki Tunnel reported strange noises—knocks, as if someone was hitting the walls, and soft, indistinct voices. Is this just the imagination at play, or the actual presence of the deceased?
However, the scariest part of the legend isn’t the tunnel itself but what might lie beyond it. Deep in the mountains, it’s said, lies the haunted village of Inunaki—a place where no laws apply. This village, hidden at the end of a mysterious road, is said to be a closed-off community where residents supposedly live by their own brutal rules. Those who enter the village never return. Local legends claim that if you cross the boundary of this community, death is the only outcome. Supposedly, the villagers are savage, armed with axes, and ready to defend their secrets from outsiders. Though modern technology has never uncovered traces of this village, the story persists, especially in the dark corners of the internet.
This legend has many versions, each more unsettling than the last. Some stories claim that during World War II, the tunnel was the site of secret military experiments. Japan allegedly conducted biological weapons research there, testing them on humans—prisoners of war and Koreans forced to work in the tunnel. According to these tales, those who died as a result of these cruel experiments were walled up in the tunnel, and their souls still seek vengeance on those who dare to enter this cursed place.
Another version speaks of a school bus accident. Long ago, under mysterious circumstances, a bus full of children reportedly veered off the road and plunged into a ravine near the tunnel. All the children died on the spot, and their spirits are said to haunt the area around the tunnel, especially at night when their laughter and the sounds of running feet can be heard along the roadside.
But that’s not all. A local legend tells of phone calls from the world of the dead. The phone number 0123-45-6789 is said to lead straight to the tunnel. According to those who dared to call, they heard only terrifying screams or soft, inhuman whispers. It’s said that anyone who calls this number will die within a week. Although the number is actually assigned to a region in Hokkaido, the fear provoked by this story caused a wave of prank calls, forcing the real owners of the number to disconnect it.
Inunaki Tunnel is also the site of mysterious disappearances. Many brave souls who crossed its dark threshold never returned. Local newspapers occasionally report disappearances around the tunnel, only adding to its ominous character. Does the tunnel truly swallow people, or is this just a legend fueled by our imaginations? Or perhaps a real group of criminals is using the legend to hide their crimes?
Though none of these stories have ever been fully confirmed, one thing is certain—in Inunaki Tunnel, unpleasant things happen.
Inunaki Tunnel in Pop Culture
Movies
One of the most famous film references to the Inunaki Tunnel legend is the horror movie Howling Village (2019), directed by Takashi Shimizu, creator of the cult classic Ju-On: The Grudge. The film is based on both the tunnel legend and the dark tale of Inunaki Village—a mysterious place that supposedly exists outside the jurisdiction of Japanese law. Howling Village portrays a grim world where the protagonists slowly uncover the truth about this haunted location, encountering ghosts and paranormal phenomena.
Video Games
The legend of the Inunaki Tunnel has also inspired video game creators. One such example is the indie horror game Inunaki Tunnel (2020) created by Chilla’s Art. The game transports players to a dark, haunted tunnel where they must solve puzzles and avoid supernatural occurrences. Based on urban legends, the game draws inspiration from real stories about Inunaki, instilling a sense of unease and fear in its players.
Another game directly referencing the Inunaki Tunnel legend is Shin Hayarigami 2, released by Nippon Ichi Software. This visual novel with horror elements puts players in the role of a detective solving supernatural mysteries. One of the episodes focuses on the Inunaki Tunnel legend, exploring both ghost stories and mysterious disappearances in the surrounding area. The game emphasizes the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, perfectly capturing the terror that accompanies the legend of this place.
Literature and Manga
Inunaki Tunnel has also made its way into literature and manga. Legends related to this location frequently appear in Japanese horror anthologies, particularly those dedicated to urban legends. Popular manga such as Gakkou no Kaidan (School Ghost Stories) feature episodes inspired by haunted tunnels and abandoned places, which echo similar motifs to the Inunaki Tunnel legend.
Another example is the manga Kowai! Nihon no Shinrei Supotto, a collection of short horror stories about haunted places in Japan. In one chapter, the Inunaki Tunnel is described as a location where the spirits of dead workers appear to travelers, and the legend of the lost village only intensifies the fear.
Anime
One anime referencing the Inunaki Tunnel is Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories, a series of short horror tales based on Japanese legends and urban myths. In one episode, a tunnel resembling that of the Inunaki legend becomes the setting where the characters experience terrifying paranormal phenomena. The story draws inspiration from tales of walled-up bodies and haunted workers, immersing viewers in an atmosphere of mystery and horror.
Inunaki Village, created in 2020 as an adaptation of the horror movie Howling Village, also deals with this urban legend. Both the film and anime tell a dark story related to the tunnel and the supposedly lost Inunaki Village, which can only be accessed through the haunted tunnel. The protagonist gradually uncovers the secrets of the haunted place, contending with paranormal occurrences rooted in the region’s dark history.
Witness Accounts
Stories about Inunaki Tunnel are not only part of Japanese legend but also thrive online, where many brave souls share their experiences of visiting the haunted site. Platforms like Reddit and YouTube are filled with accounts from people who have visited the Inunaki Tunnel, often describing disturbing events that occurred during their explorations.
On the Reddit forum r/Ghosts, there are descriptions from people who claimed to hear strange sounds while visiting the tunnel—from indistinct voices to the sound of footsteps, though no one was there. One of the most well-known accounts describes a group of friends who ventured into the tunnel at night. They all experienced the sensation of being watched, despite being alone. One participant recounted that when they tried to retreat from the tunnel, they felt a sudden drop in temperature, even though there was no wind or weather conditions to explain it.
On YouTube, dozens of videos explore the tunnel. Many users, such as Exploring with Josh, share their paranormal experiences, including hearing sounds resembling moans or screams. One account, published by Japanese YouTuber Shirai Akira, caught media attention—he claimed that while filming in the tunnel, his camera suddenly flickered, something that had never happened with his equipment before. When he later reviewed the footage, he noticed a vague figure passing in the background, even though no one else had been there during the recording.
These testimonies often accompany stories of sudden temperature changes—many visitors describe feeling intense cold upon entering the tunnel, despite normal temperatures outside. Others report a feeling of suffocation or a sudden heaviness in the air, as if something invisible was weighing them down.
Conclusion
The dark history of Inunaki Tunnel, the ghost stories, and the terrifying events that occurred there make it difficult to separate fact from urban legend. For many residents of Japan, as well as visitors from around the world, the tunnel remains a symbol of mystery, inexplicable fear, and a warning of what may await us on the other side of the known world.
Japan, a country rich in ghost stories and paranormal phenomena, finds in places like Inunaki a space to express its anxieties related to the past, technology, and the inevitable changes brought by modernity. In this sense, the tunnel becomes more than just a haunted location—it is part of a mythology that reflects the internal fears of contemporary society.
Despite the entrances being sealed with concrete blocks and numerous attempts to disconnect the tunnel from the outside world, the Inunaki Tunnel still draws attention as one of Japan’s most haunted places. While some elements of this story may seem exaggerated, the site remains a symbol of Japan’s fascination with the supernatural and unsolved mysteries. Whether the place is truly haunted or merely a product of imagination built on stories, the Inunaki Tunnel will forever remain part of Japan’s dark mythology.
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未開 ソビエライ
An enthusiast of Asian culture with a deep appreciation for the diverse philosophies of the world. By education, a psychologist and philologist specializing in Korean studies. At heart, a programmer (primarily for Android) and a passionate technology enthusiast, as well as a practitioner of Zen and mono no aware. In moments of tranquility, adheres to a disciplined lifestyle, firmly believing that perseverance, continuous personal growth, and dedication to one's passions are the wisest paths in life. Author of the book "Strong Women of Japan" (>>see more)
Personal motto:
"The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest." - Albert Einstein (probably)
Mike Soray
(aka Michał Sobieraj)
未開 ソビエライ
An enthusiast of Asian culture with a deep appreciation for the diverse philosophies of the world. By education, a psychologist and philologist specializing in Korean studies. At heart, a programmer (primarily for Android) and a passionate technology enthusiast, as well as a practitioner of Zen and mono no aware. In moments of tranquility, adheres to a disciplined lifestyle, firmly believing that perseverance, continuous personal growth, and dedication to one's passions are the wisest paths in life. Author of the book "Strong Women of Japan" (>>see more)
Personal motto:
"The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest." - Albert Einstein (probably)
Mike Soray
(aka Michał Sobieraj)
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