Ever wondered if that charming house you're about to move into has a hidden history? Like, has someone died there? Or worse, been murdered? In the U.S., you'd better be a detective to uncover this information. Yet in Japan, the story is vastly different.In this fascinating episode, JJ takes us on a personal journey through Japan's world of "jiko bukken" or stigmatized properties. After recently house-hunting in West Tokyo, JJ shares firsthand encounters with properties that come with more than just four walls and a roof: they come with history that might make your skin crawl.One beautifully renovated home caught JJ's wife's eye, until the real estate agent reluctantly disclosed that an elderly woman had diedalone on the first floor. Another property sent JJ literally running for the stairs after experiencing an unexplainable, chilling presence in the attic.The episode reveals how Japanese culture views death in the home very differently than Western culture does. There's a strong belief that places where people died violently or alone carry spiritual and karmic consequences for new inhabitants. JJ even shares a disturbing story from a real estate agent about a mother and daughter who mysteriously "wasted away" after moving into an apartment with no previously reported incidents.For those brave souls planning to house-hunt in Japan, JJ recommends checking "Oshima Teru" (https://www.oshimaland.co.jp), a website that mapsreported incidents in properties across Japan, much to real estate agents' dismay!Also, watch JJ's recent interview with the lovely people over at Homespun Haints at https://homespunhaints.com/japanese-eastern-versus-western-demonologyFor videos of JJ's cemetery bike rides, follow Southern Demonology on YouTube and TikTok (@southerndemonology), and visit SouthernDemonology.com for all episodelinks and contact information.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/southerndemonology. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.