[Episode 4] Manganji Temple (Part 1) — Exploring Nagano’s Most Terrifying Temple for Unborn Children at Night. An Impossible Sound Is Captured.

Part 1 of Episode 4, “Manganji.” A night investigation at Manganji Temple in Azumino, Nagano Prefecture.

The direct reason Manganji is talked about as a haunted spot is its identity as a temple for memorial services for lost children. The more than 500 Jizō statues in the Jizō hall were set up to console the spirits of children who died, and their number and the silence leave a strong impression on visitors. What people call fear is often this quiet.

In this part, an unexpected sound is reported to have been recorded while filming in the grounds. This is entertainment with staged elements and we do not guarantee its accuracy. Manganji is an active temple whose grounds are open in the daytime; please observe proper etiquette when visiting.

What to Watch For

In this part, an unexpected sound is reported. Night grounds are quiet and the faintest sound seems loud. When you listen, also imagine how wind, swaying trees and distant everyday noise might leak into the recording. Manganji is an active temple, and visits should be made quietly in the daytime.

Our Take

Knowing the history of memorial services makes online rumors easier to view calmly. According to research, the word “mizuko” originally referred broadly to children who died in infancy, not only to miscarriage or abortion. Researchers say the memorial services we know today spread nationwide only from the 1970s. The idea of a “mizuko curse” is therefore less an ancient belief than a relatively recent development. In our view, the rumors about Manganji, such as that people who have experienced miscarriage will meet ghostly phenomena, can be read as products of this newer trend.