Chill out with spooky Kimodameshi events at Murasaki Mura, AEON Mall Okinawa Rycom

A boy, a girl, and a yokai are illustrated in the flyer promoting the event.

Ryukyu Yokai 2026 (Illustration courtesy of Murasaki Mura and S’s LIVE)

Kimodameshi is a Japanese tradition where people explore scary locations to test their guts or courage. It is often considered a summer activity because the chill can let them forget about the summer heat.

You can try some kimodameshi in Okinawa as well.

Looking to cool down with some bone-chilling haunts? At Murasaki Mura in Yomitan Town, you can test your nerves at Ryukyu Yokai 2026. In the wintertime, Murasaki Mura is a destination for beautiful illuminations, but when the weather heats up, it is a spot for summer scares. The theme park is a 10-minute drive from Torii Station.

Another great spot to do summer spooky season is at Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom. Here the haunted “obake yashiki (fun house)” opens to those who dare to try some horror featuring ogres, ghosts and monsters.

Titled “Once upon a time in Japan, Haunted House, World of Commandments of Saint Kakugen,” the attraction is based upon “Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi,” a popular Japanese TV show about old folktales.

Why not try these “kimodameshi” and take some chilling time off from the summer heat?

An illustration of a monk is used for the flyer promoting the event.

Once upon a time in Japan, Haunted House (Illustration courtesy of Murasaki Mura and S’s LIVE)

Torii Station

Camp Foster

Futenma Air Base

Shoji Kudaka

Shoji Kudaka is a writer based in Okinawa. Kudaka covers travel, food and culture for Stars and Stripes Okinawa. When he is not exploring the stunning local beaches or going on treks through jungles and caves, you can find him trying out new recipes he shares online and in the paper.