This was my second supernatural encounter in a hotel—this time in Osaka. If you haven’t already, you might want to read my post on Chinese superstitions when entering a hotel room… I wish I had followed them more closely on this trip.
It happened on 16 May 2010. My husband, my sister-in-law, and I travelled to Japan for a holiday. She had her own room, while my husband and I shared another. Like most Japanese hotel rooms, ours was compact but thoughtfully laid out. As you entered, there was a narrow landing with a bathroom on the left. Beyond that sat a double bed and, by the window, a small table neatly arranged with books.
The room was bright, clean, and welcoming—but something felt slightly off.
What caught my attention immediately was the selection of religious texts laid out on the table. I didn’t study them closely, but I’m fairly certain they included Shinto texts alongside a Bible. It struck me as unusual, though I brushed it off at the time.
We were only staying one night before moving on. After checking in, we were exhausted and agreed to rest before dinner. I lay down for a quick nap while my husband stayed beside me, absorbed in his PSP.
I fell asleep quickly—but it wasn’t a peaceful sleep.
Suddenly, I felt a crushing weight on my chest. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak.
When I forced my eyes open, I saw them—two boys and a girl—sitting on top of me.
I froze.
I didn’t know if I was dreaming or awake. Everything felt real. I tried to call out to my husband, who was right next to me, but he didn’t react at all. It was as if I didn’t exist.
The children were laughing.
They spoke in a language I couldn’t understand, their voices light and playful—as if I were the joke.
Panic set in. I struggled to move, to scream, to do anything—but my body refused to respond.
Then, just as suddenly, they were gone.
I saw them shift towards the table, still laughing… and then they vanished into thin air.
In that instant, I could move again. I jolted awake, heart racing, unsure of what I had just experienced. A dream? Something else?
I didn’t take any chances.
I immediately rushed my husband to get ready for dinner, and before leaving the room, I opened one of the Shinto books on the table—hoping, somehow, it would offer protection.
Nothing else happened that night. I left the book open even when we checked out the next day.
To this day, I still believe it was a classic case of ‘ghost pressing’—or what many would call sleep paralysis.
But I’ve never forgotten how real it felt… or the sound of their laughter.
Curious about the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival, don’t during this festival and the taboos to follow? Check out my other post to learn more.
[…] separate unpleasant ghost experiences while staying in a hotel with him while we were in Italy and Japan. So he was used to me doing such crazy things while in a hotel room. I don’t practise these […]