Sooo….I’m pretty sure I saw a ghost while I was in Kyoto. Well I didn’t actually see it, I just saw the evidence of being in the presence of one.

While I waited at the entrance of a shrine, I noticed a totally empty tiny playground nearby. In it sat two swings side by side.

The air was still and heavy with that tropical heat and humidity as it had been my entire visit. There was absolutely not even a slight breeze blowing. But suddenly, one of the two swings started to move. It kept swinging higher and higher with NO ONE AROUND!

Video or it didn’t happen

I know that’s what you’re thinking right now. Well I tried to start filming but was so startled I didn’t realize I hadn’t actually switched from camera mode to the video setting. I realized later that kinda didn’t matter because I didn’t get it right from the beginning anyway.

Then in the middle of sweating like a rugby player at a World Cup Match, I felt cold. Everything around me seemed to get quiet. I looked around to see if anyone else noticed any of this, but I had wandered away from the Torii gate and everyone was farther away than I thought. I looked at the swings that were now back to sitting side by side, still nobody around them. I felt the sweltering heat again and heard voices speaking Chinese growing louder and louder.

The moment passed quickly. But it was definitely memorable as my first haunted encounter while traveling.