The Haunting of Okiku: Japan’s Most Famous Ghost Story

Few ghosts in Japanese folklore are as terrifying or as enduring as Okiku, the tragic spirit who is always tied to a well and counts plates in the dark. From Edo-era kabuki plays to contemporary horror films and urban legends, her tale, known as "Banch Sarayashiki" ("The Dish Mansion Ghost Story"), has frightened audiences for centuries. But who was Okiku? Why does her ghost continue to haunt Japan’s imagination? And what is it about her story that still terrifies people today? This deep dive explores the origins, variations, and cultural impact of one of Japan’s most famous ghost stories—a tale of injustice, vengeance, and the thin line between the living and the dead.
1. The Legend of Okiku: A Story of Betrayal and Eternal Anguish
The Classic Version (Edo Period)
In the most traditional telling, Okiku was a beautiful servant working for a samurai named Aoyama Tessan in Himeji Castle. Tasked with guarding ten precious plates, she became the target of Aoyama’s unwanted advances. When she refused him, he framed her for losing one plate—a crime punishable by death.
After being tortured and thrown into a well, her ghost returned, night after night, counting the plates in a mournful whisper:
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine..." The tenth plate was never found. Her endless counting—sometimes ending in a bloodcurdling scream—drove Aoyama to madness and death.
Regional Variations
In some versions, Okiku was innocent; the samurai himself hid the plate to trap her.
Others assert that she was killed for uncovering the treasonous plot of her master. Modern retellings sometimes make her a victim of human trafficking or wartime atrocities.
2. The Psychology of Terror: Why Okiku’s Story Haunts Us
A. The Horror of Unfairness Okiku’s tale resonates because she represents powerless victims—women, servants, the oppressed—who return to punish their abusers.
B. The Importance of Repeating Her endless counting taps into primal fears:
OCD-like obsession (the inability to stop)
The uncanny (a familiar action turned sinister)
C. The Well as a Gateway
In Japanese folklore, wells are liminal spaces—thresholds between worlds. The spirit of Okiku is stuck in this space in between and unable to move on.

3. Okiku in Japanese Theater and Literature
Kabuki & Bunraku Adaptations
The story became a staple of Edo-period theater, with dramatic scenes of Okiku’s ghost rising from the well, her hair disheveled, kimono dripping wet.
Modern Literature
In Kwaidan (1904), Lafcadio Hearn included a version. Koji Suzuki (author of Ring) referenced her in horror anthologies.
4. Okiku in Film & Pop Culture
Classic Cinema
The Ghost of Okiku (1957) – A traditional retelling.
Kwaidan (1964) – An atmospheric anthology film featuring her tale.
Today's Horror Ring (1998) – Sadako’s well-dwelling ghost draws clear inspiration from Okiku.
Ju-On: The Grudge – The theme of wronged women returning as spirits echoes her story.
Video Games & Anime
Fatal Frame – Features ghostly women with long black hair, reminiscent of Okiku.
GeGeGe no Kitaro – Includes her as a tragic yokai.
5. The Actual Hauntings: Is Okiku Reliable? Himeji Castle’s "Okiku’s Well"
A real well in Himeji Castle is said to be haunted by her spirit. Visitors report:
Hearing faint counting at night.
Seeing a pale hand rise from the water.
Historical Inspirations
While no direct evidence proves Okiku existed, similar cases of servant abuse were common in feudal Japan, making her story feel tragically real.
6. Why Okiku Endures: A Ghost for Every Era
A Symbol of Female Rage
In a culture where women’s suffering was often silenced, Okiku’s ghost refuses to be ignored.
A Warning Against Cruelty
Her story serves as moral instruction: oppression creates vengeful spirits.
The Ultimate Japanese Ghost
She embodies classic elements of yūrei (Japanese ghosts):
burial kimono in white Long, unkempt hair
Bound to a specific location
Unfinished business
Conclusion: The Tenth Plate Will Never Be Found
Okiku’s story transcends time because it speaks to universal fears: betrayal, injustice, and the terror of being trapped—whether in life or death. Her whisper in the dark, counting endlessly, reminds us that some wounds never heal.
And perhaps, if you listen closely on a quiet night near an old well...
You might still hear her.
"One... two... three..."