Northeastern Japan

The Mutsu Province is a former region of Japan where Fatal Frame I, Fatal Frame III, and presumably Fatal Frame II take place, and where some of the folklore that was used as sources for the games comes from. It is part of the modern Tōhoku region.

This mountainous area was a former province of Japan that was separated during Meiji Era into five different prefectures: Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate, Aomori, and part of Akita. In the Fatal Frame games, there are many references, both fictional and real, to this region. In addition, folklorists often visit this region in order to perform cultural research. This region was probably used for inspiration for the games because of its remoteness and mysteriousness.

Non-Fiction

• The northeastern part of Japan was one of the last provinces taken from the indigenous Ainu people, who were regarded as primitive and mysterious.
• The northeastern direction was once known as the "Demon's Gate" (鬼門, kimon), and is considered today as an inauspicious direction where spirits travel from.
• A mountain in Aomori prefecture, Mount Osore (恐山, Osorezan), is said to mark the entrance to hell, due to its volcanic nature.
• There is an urban legend about a village in Aomori prefecture called Sugisawa that vanished from the map due to a gruesome massacre.
• It is said that if a straw doll is tied to a tree and a nail is driven through its chest, illness, disease, and sickness can be prevented. In addition, if a ritual is performed and the doll is placed in the northeastern part of the house, then demons (鬼, oni) can be driven away.
• The process of self-mummification was done exclusively in northern Japan. The ghost of Ryokan Kurosawa takes the appearance of a sokushinbutsu, or a mummified priest.

Fatal Frame I

• Himuro Mansion and the shrines to the five gods located on mountains surrounding the mansion were located in the Mutsu region.
• Junsei Takamine visited Himuro Mansion in this region in order to gain inspiration for his next horror novel.
• People in the mountains have been found dead with rope-like markings on their limbs.

Fatal Frame II

• It is said that in mountain areas, twins are deified as priestesses.

Fatal Frame III

• The Kuze Shrine was located in the Mutsu region.
• The folk version of the Handmaiden's Lullaby is sung in this region.
• The folktale known as the "Tattooed Maiden," as well as the connotations associated with snake and holly, are said to have come from northeastern Japan.
• A Buddha statue in the Akita mountains was found in a dilapidated temple with traces of blood on it.
• Skewered dolls were made and displayed in "mountain areas" such as Iwate prefecture.
• Sacrificed carpenters were found during excavations in a castle in northeastern Japan.
• There is a legend known as the "Sea of Endless Night" in the Mutsu region.

Japanese Culture
Religion
Buddhism - Shinto
Japanese Ghosts/Creatures
Funayūrei - Goryō - Hitodama - Ikiryō - Onryō - Ubume - Yōkai - Yūrei
Specific Japanese Ghosts/Creatures
Oiwa - Okiku - Yuki-onna
Terms
Dosojin - Grave Mound - Hannya Mask - Higanbana - Jizo - Kaidan - Miko - Mukoyōshi - Sanzu River - Shimenawa - Toro-Nagashi - Wara Ningyo
Locations
Northeastern Japan - Shizuoka - Sugisawa Village - Tono
Media and Entertainment
Kagome, Kagome - Ringu