Kaidan no Hi (Ghost Story Day)

What Is Ghost Story Day?

August 13th is "Kaidan no Hi" (Ghost Story Day) in Japan. It was established by entertainer Junji Inagawa, who turned ghost-story telling (kaidan) into a form of entertainment, to mark the 20th consecutive year of his live tour "MYSTERY NIGHT TOUR: Junji Inagawa's Kaidan Night," and is registered with the Japan Anniversary Association. The date comes from the tour's very first show, held on August 13, 1993, at Club Citta in Kawasaki. It also falls during the Obon season, overlapping with the Japanese summer custom of telling chilling stories to cool off.

The History of Summer Ghost Stories

In Japan, the custom of telling ghost stories during the summer — particularly around Obon — dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868). Obon is the time when ancestral spirits are believed to return to visit the living, making it a season when people naturally turned their thoughts toward spirits and the afterlife, which in turn made it a fitting time for ghost stories. Kabuki theater and rakugo (comic storytelling) also developed many famous summer programs built around kaidan themes.

• The origin of the date: The first "Kaidan Night" show by Junji Inagawa was held at Club Citta Kawasaki on August 13, 1993
• Timing: Obon season — historically the seventh lunar month, now centered on mid-August
• Cultural background: A blend of heightened awareness of ancestral spirits and the practical desire for a "cooling" form of summer entertainment
• Related performing arts: Kabuki, rakugo, and kodan (traditional narrative storytelling) all feature classic ghost-story repertoires

Fun Facts About Japanese Ghost Stories

• Yotsuya Kaidan: "Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan" is one of the most famous Japanese ghost stories, dating from the Edo period and still performed as a kabuki classic today.
• Hyakumonogatari ("100 Stories"): An Edo-period parlor game in which participants lit 100 candles and told one ghost story for each, extinguishing a candle after each tale — as the room grew darker, the atmosphere grew increasingly eerie.
• Ghost stories as air conditioning: The phrase "a scary story sends a chill down your spine" is said to have had a practical side — in an era without air conditioning, a good ghost story was one way to feel a little cooler on a sweltering night.
• Ghost-story live shows: Junji Inagawa's "Kaidan Night" has continued for many years as a summer tour across Japan, helping spread the enjoyment of kaidan as a spoken performing art.

Tips for Enjoying Ghost Story Day

Try sharing a ghost story with family or friends, or pick up a book or film centered on Japanese kaidan. Combined with the Obon spirit of remembering one's ancestors, it's a great opportunity to experience a uniquely Japanese facet of summer culture.