Ishikawa Cult — Abandoned Temple in Japan

A cult, a touch of the macabre, perversity, and mystery—prepare yourself to discover an exceptional abandoned site in this report. We are driving along a narrow mountain road in Ibaraki Prefecture to reach a temple abandoned since 2002. It was inaugurated in 1987, and its closure was brought about by a dark affair of embezzlement and fraud. The shutdown was also ordered as part of Japan’s firm crackdown on cults following the tragic 1995 Tokyo subway attack committed by the “Aum Shinrikyo” organization.

It is against this heavy historical backdrop that we arrive at this peaceful place, immediately horrified by the sight of an endless staircase leading up to the temple. Good heavens! Is there no access for the disabled—or for explorers who are a bit too tired? Fortunately, the road allows us to bypass this obstacle and park right in the heart of the cult’s grounds. Without knowing it, we are standing before the smallest building, which represents the centerpiece of the entire site. As we push the door open, we are magically greeted by hundreds of golden objects illuminating the room. There they are, by the hundreds, still standing on shelves or strewn across the floor; quite a spectacle. Looking closer, these are “Ihai,” more commonly known as spirit tablets. Each object represents a deity or even ancestors. In some cultures, they also serve as vessels for spirits or ghosts. Here, I am entirely unaware of their specific use. The building is in poor condition; the floor is warped by humidity, and the shelves threaten to collapse upon us. Standing in the middle to photograph these elements, one must pray that no sudden issues with flatulence arise.

The other buildings do not offer such a dazzling sight, but they pull us into a perverse and lewd universe. Whether it is the work of a deranged artist or a psychopath, we do not know, but it certainly captivates us. Within a heap containing hundreds of video and audio cassettes, photo albums of followers, and other items that remind us of the nature of this place, we also find women’s underwear scattered everywhere. Carefully staged, several bras and garter belts are suspended from the ceiling—a magnificent, perverse decoration. Mixed in with these are various documents pinned up that make no sense at first glance; one can read classified ads alongside low-quality photos featuring several people, including a man exhibiting himself in a garter belt—a true case of love at first sight. The most recurring image is the same photo of a smiling couple, one of them proudly making a victory sign. Are they the ones who turned this building into their sanctuary? No idea. Other photos immortalize martyred dolls, nailed to the floor or displayed in suggestive poses in this very spot—meaning someone actually returned here to display the photos they had taken.