[Episode 2: In Search of Kindness] The Suspension Bridge — Whatever You Do, Don’t Look Back. [Trailer]

This is the trailer for Episode 2, “In Search of Kindness.” It covers Lake Chichibu, created by Futase Dam in Chichibu, Saitama, and the suspension bridge spanning it.

Lake Chichibu is a reservoir formed by Futase Dam and is known for its autumn colors. It lies on the route to Mitsumine Shrine, and the bridge gives a view over the lake and mountains. At the same time, nearby settlements are said to have been submerged by the dam’s construction, and that memory is thought to lie behind its reputation as a haunted spot.

The main episode has two parts. The bridge and dam are maintained as a sightseeing area, but the bridge can sway, so please hold the handrail and watch your step.

What to Watch For

Look at the trailer’s subtitle, “Never Look Back.” The bridge itself is a sightseeing spot with views over Lake Chichibu. Setting its calm daytime face beside the night-time rumors helps reveal the two sides of this place.

Our Take

Futase Dam, a 95-meter dam, was begun in 1952 and completed in 1961 after about nine years. It serves three roles: flood control, agricultural water and hydroelectric power. The lake was born in the postwar rebuilding years from an urgent wish to protect lives downstream. This is our speculation, but places created for such “public purposes” tend to leave the memory of lives given up behind them unspoken, and that gap may be filled in by ghost stories.