White House (Nishikan Ward, Niigata City)

In Nishikan Ward, Niigata City, on the coastal side of the Echigo Nanaura Seaside Line, stands a two-story reinforced-concrete ruin that still keeps traces of its white outer walls. Among haunted-spot enthusiasts this building is called the “White House,” and it is dogged by an urban legend: “a girl who killed her family later took her own life somewhere else.” However, several sources point out that this story spread after the internet became widespread and is a later invention, and we have not been able to confirm any historical basis for it. Its windows and doors are already gone, and its exterior stairs have rusted and decayed. It appears to be private land, and entry is prohibited. This article is published not “for going” but “for recording.”

The Rumor

At the center of the rumor told online is this: “a girl who killed her family later took her own life at the ‘Black House’ (the remains of a suicide radio tower in Yahiko Village, Nishikanbara District).” Because the colors of the outer walls gave rise to the paired nicknames “White House” and “Black House,” the two are often introduced together. Yet, as several abandoned-building sites have noted, no news reports or records have been found that support the massacre itself. When and how the rumor spread is also unknown, and this research could not identify its first appearance either.

Current Conditions

According to urban-exploration records, as of 2019 the window glass and doors were already gone, and the exterior stairs had rusted and been left to decay. The building appears to stand on private land, and the abandoned-building site itself says “trespassing is prohibited; viewing from public roads or aerial photos is recommended,” so in practice it is not possible to enter the interior.

Access and Location

It is located around Tsunoda-hama in Nishikan Ward, Niigata Prefecture, on the coastal side of National Route 402 (the Echigo Nanaura Seaside Line). This stretch facing the Sea of Japan is dotted with scenic spots such as Tsunoda-hama, known for its sunsets, and Mt. Kokusan, and the ruin remains there alone, a strangely out-of-place presence. The position on the map is an approximate coordinate.

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Reflection

What follows is only our own speculation. That a strong rumor like “massacre” has spread without any concrete record of an incident is a pattern common to this kind of urban legend. People want to find a reason for a ruin, a place where no one lives anymore. Someone filled the blank left by the unknown truth with a story; it is quite possible that the White House rumor was born in just that way. At the same time, the existence of the paired “Black House” may have added depth to the rumor, and telling the two ruins as a set may have strengthened it as an urban legend. Still, this is only one view, and what actually happened in this house remains unknown.

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We would like to sort this out a little further. The core of this rumor is the highly sensational claim that “a girl killed her family.” If such an incident had really happened, it would surely have been widely reported and left in public records, yet several sources point out that no such records can be found. This imbalance, a story that is intense while the records are absent, suggests that many rumors spread not through “the memory of facts” but through “their completeness as a story.” In our view, the elements “girl,” “massacre” and “later took her own life” are the combination that most effectively makes a horror story work, and the tellers may have chosen it unconsciously.

We would also like to touch on the ethical problem of this kind of rumor. If someone actually lived in that building, then for that family the house was a place of daily life and treasured memories. Having a groundless story of a “massacre” attached to that house could hurt the memories of the people who once lived there and of their relatives. As long as there is no factual backing, this site avoids linking the building to any specific incident and records only the structure of the rumor.

The building’s location also probably helps build the rumor’s atmosphere. The area lies inland of a road along the coast facing the Sea of Japan and is exposed to the sea breeze. Salt-laden wind easily damages metal and reinforcing steel in seaside buildings, so it is understandable that the exterior stairs have rusted and decayed. The sight of white outer walls surviving while the windows and doors are gone leaves a strong visual impression as a ruin, and it has enough presence for the nickname “White House” to take hold. This is our speculation, but perhaps the order was that this kind of “visual impact” came first, and a story fitting it was sought afterward.

Note that ruins called by the same nickname “White House” also exist in other regions. White-walled ruins are common across Japan, and confusion with other buildings of the same name probably adds to the muddle around the rumors. When looking into a rumor, it is essential to separate the information place by place.

A Nearby Recommendation — Iwamuro Onsen

A little inland from Tsunoda-hama lies Iwamuro Onsen, a hot spring town more than 300 years old. Known for its ties to the monk-poet Ryokan and the haiku master Matsuo Basho, it has traditional inns and foot baths scattered through the town. At the tourist facility “Iwamuroya” you can learn about the history of the hot spring town and the sights around it. After visiting the seaside building, you might extend your trip a little and stroll the calm hot spring town.

Notes

The building appears to be private land, and entering without permission may constitute trespassing. The building is also badly deteriorated and there is a risk of collapse. Please limit viewing to public roads or aerial photos. This article is published not “for going” but “for recording.”

*KARASU CHANNEL does not encourage entering haunted spots.

This article touches on the subject of suicide, but does not describe methods or other specifics. If you are struggling right now, please do not carry it alone; consider reaching out to a support line such as the Yorisoi Hotline in Japan (0120-279-338, free, 24 hours, in Japanese).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I still enter the White House?

A. It appears to be private land, and entry is prohibited. The abandoned-building site itself also forbids trespassing and recommends viewing only from public roads or aerial photos.

Q. Is the “massacre” rumor true?

A. This research could not confirm any news reports or records supporting the rumor. Several sources point out that it is a later urban legend that spread after the internet became widespread.

Q. Is it the same building as the “White House” of the same name in Kashiwazaki City?

A. No, it is a different building. A ruin with the same nickname also exists in the Banjin district of Kashiwazaki City, and the two are easily confused, so caution is needed.

Q. What is the “Black House”?

A. It is a building said to be in Yahiko Village. The colors of the outer walls gave rise to a nickname paired with “White House,” and the two are often introduced together in the rumor.

Q. When did the “massacre” rumor start spreading?

A. Its first appearance could not be identified in this research either. Several sources point out that it is a later rumor that spread after the internet became widespread.

Q. What condition is the building in now?

A. According to urban-exploration records, as of 2019 the window glass and doors were gone, and the exterior stairs had rusted and been left to decay. It appears to be private land, and entry is not possible.

Q. Has KARASU CHANNEL investigated or filmed at the White House?

A. No. We have not investigated the White House at this time and are considering doing so. Our investigation videos of other haunted spots and kaidan are available on KARASU CHANNEL (YouTube).