Zuzukawa Tunnel (Former Tsutsura Tunnel; Himi / Takaoka City Border)

What’s Said

This is an old-road tunnel near the boundary between Himi City and Zuzukawa in Takaoka City. It is introduced as one of the prefecture’s leading haunted spots, where a woman is said to have died by self-immolation in the past, and where strange phenomena are told of, such as the tires of passing cars going flat and drivers being struck by sleep paralysis inside the car.

What the Records Show

We could not confirm, in this investigation, any record that backs the rumor that “a self-immolation took place.” That it is a road that became an old road when the new tunnel (today’s Tsutsura Tunnel) opened is consistent across several introductory sites, but we have not been able to pin down the details of the facts.

In addition, the location is written differently depending on the source, such as “Himi City” and “Zuzukawa, Takaoka City,” and it may be confused with the “New Tsutsura Tunnel” introduced on the Takaoka side. We could not determine in this desk research whether they refer to the same place or to separate places nearby. Near it there is also Zuzukawa Shrine (popularly called the “Ghost Shrine”), and the two are often told of together.

How an Old-Road Tunnel Became a “Place of Rumors”

Zuzukawa Tunnel (the former Tsutsura Tunnel) is said to be an old-road tunnel that ran through the mountains near the border between Himi City and Takaoka City. Several introductory sites agree that it became an old road when the new tunnel opened. The location, however, is written differently depending on the source, such as “Himi City” and “Zuzukawa, Takaoka City,” and it may be confused with the “New Tsutsura Tunnel” introduced on the Takaoka side. In our desk research, we have not been able to determine whether these refer to the same place or to separate places nearby.

Generally, once a new tunnel is built, traffic on the old road drops and maintenance becomes less frequent. The road surface roughens, trees from the surroundings hang over the road, and lighting and drainage inside the tunnel are no longer well kept. It goes from a road that is used to a road that is no longer used. A place where people’s comings and goings have stopped fades from memory, and only rumors tend to remain. Zuzukawa Tunnel appears to have been talked about as one such old road.

It is also worth noting that the nearby Zuzukawa Shrine is popularly called the “Ghost Shrine” and is often told of together with the tunnel. This is our speculation, but it may be that the strong impression of that nickname came first, and that uneasy rumors were then layered on the neighboring old-road tunnel as an extension of it. However, we have not found any source showing which came first.

Our Speculation: Familiar Rumors Laid Over an Uncertain Place

Regarding the rumor that “a woman once died by self-immolation,” we have not been able to confirm any record that backs it. In this article we deliberately avoid describing specifics such as the method, because we believe we must be careful about spreading rumors involving a person’s death as half-amusing stories. This is our speculation, but the combination of three elements, “a woman,” “suicide” and “an old tunnel,” is a pattern often seen in ghost stories of old roads and old tunnels across Japan. This pattern may be retold in many places less as the memory of a specific event than as a story that sounds like it could well be true.

We should also touch on accounts such as car tires going flat and being struck by sleep paralysis inside the car. On an old road that is no longer well kept, pebbles, shards of glass and fallen branches on the surface increase and can damage tires. Also, when the tension and fatigue of driving a mountain road at night are combined with lack of sleep, “sleep paralysis,” in which the mind is awake but the body cannot move, is said to occur more easily. All the more so if one was napping in the car. In our view, most of these accounts fall within what road conditions and human physiology can explain. Of course, we cannot declare that this is the whole story, but we think the honest attitude is to suspect realistic causes first.

Another point we cannot avoid in discussing this place is “the uncertainty of the location.” That the location is written inconsistently from source to source shows that the rumor has been cut off from the lives of local people and is wandering on its own as information on the internet. A rumor with a vague location drifts away from the reality of the site as it is “handed down” without anyone verifying it. As a result, an unrelated tunnel, or a road still in use today, might be mistaken for “that tunnel” and visited. We believe our role is not to visit the places of rumors, but to record the very process by which a rumor spreads away from its place.

We would also like to respectfully mention that the nearby shrine is called the “Ghost Shrine.” A nickname is, in many cases, a label stuck on from the outside. For the local people it may simply be an important place where the local deity is enshrined. We must refrain from being dragged along by the strength of the nickname and turning a place of faith into a target for a test of courage.

We have not been able to confirm whether the old-road tunnel can be passed through today. If there are signs of closure or road blockage, never go in. An old road with a rough pavement has poor visibility, and there are also dangers of falls and falling rocks. We ask that you put safety, and consideration for the people living nearby, ahead of whether the rumor is true.

Nearby Spot: Sakuragaike Park in Takaoka City

A little way down from the mountain valley through which the tunnel runs is “Sakuragaike Park Jiyu no Mori,” with a campground and cottages. Walking paths circle the pond and a lawn plaza is maintained, and it is an outing spot loved by families and outdoor enthusiasts. Many stop by as a place to take a breath in nature during a drive over the mountains. It also has a barbecue area and fishing spots, so one can spend a relaxed day there even on a day trip.

Reporter’s Notes

This article is a draft based not on on-site reporting but on desk research comparing several publicly available introductory sites. Because the location entries are inconsistent, work to pin down the place on maps and on site is needed before publication (on-site identification required). It is an old road with a rough surface, so if you visit, take care about the road conditions and the poor visibility around. The position on the map is a provisional coordinate indicating the center of the “Zuzukawa, Takaoka City” district, one of the candidate locations. Because the location entries differ by source (on-site identification required), it does not indicate the exact position.

The rumor of “self-immolation” treated in this article is introduced as lore that cannot be corroborated, and we do not describe any method or other specifics. If you are struggling right now, please do not carry it alone; consider contacting a support line such as Japan’s Yorisoi Hotline (0120-279-338, free, 24 hours).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Zuzukawa Tunnel the same place as the New Tsutsura Tunnel?

A. We could not determine in desk research whether they refer to the same place or to separate places nearby. The location is written differently depending on the source, and the two may be confused.

Q. Is the suicide rumor true?

A. We have not confirmed any record that backs the rumor. If you are struggling, please consider contacting a support line such as Japan’s Yorisoi Hotline (0120-279-338, free, 24 hours).

Q. What kind of place is Zuzukawa Shrine?

A. It is a shrine nearby, popularly called the “Ghost Shrine,” and it appears to be often told of together with the tunnel.

Q. Has KARASU CHANNEL filmed on location at Zuzukawa Tunnel?

A. No, we have not conducted any reporting or filming at Zuzukawa Tunnel yet; we are considering it. Location footage for other haunted spots and kaidan stories can be viewed on KARASU CHANNEL (YouTube).