The Big Book of Urban Legends (Not so big yet)

Himuro Mansion

(This is one of my personal favorites) The Himuro family was said to practice long forgotten ancient Shinto rituals, long ago outlawed in Japan. One of these ancient rituals was the "Strangling ritual." This gruesone ritual was performed to keep bad karma from the Himuro family, which they believed would appear in a portal in the backyard. This was done every fifty years in order to keep that karma from destroying the family. They would select a young baby girl to be the "Rope Shrine Maiden." They'd raise her in secret, keeping her in complete isolation, otherwise the ritual wouldn't work.

When it's time for the ritual to begin, they tie ropes around the girl's neck, arms, and legs. These ropes are attached to a team of oxen, who would pull in different directions, tearing her body apart. The bloodstained ropes were then placed over the portal in their courtyard. If they succeeded in the ritual, the family is safe for another fifty years.

This ritual was passed down for generations in the Himuro family. However the last recorded one, was not a success. The rope shrine maiden fell for a boy she saw from the window of the mansion. This ruined everything, for she was supposed to be free of an worldly influences and remain pure. This tainted her soul. The ritual failed because of this. The head of the family soon learned of her love, and became distraught. He was responsible for the entire family and ensuring the ritual was a success. Believing he was saving his family from certain doom he went on an insane rampage, brutally murdering every member of the family inside that mansion. Once he was the only one left, he fell on his katana, commiting suicide.

Locals kept the Himuro's secret silent for decades. It's said that strange happenings have appeared everywhere around the mansion.

Bloody handprints and large red stains are found splattered all over the walls inside. Ghostly apparitions are seen both at night and in daylight. Legend has it that these are the family members that were killed by the head of the house. People say they will try to repeat the ritual on whoever dares to enter the mansion.

People who enter the mansion are usually found dead, rope marks embedded on their arms and legs. Others have been found torn to pieces in the network of tunnels underneath the mansion. They also say there's a window, a window where a girl stands. Supposedly if you take a photo you'll see a girl in a kimono will appear in the developed photograph. Seven people have died unexplainably on this property, and the people of Tokyo avoid this place like the plague, fearing it will curse someone if they set foot on the property.