Hello readers and welcome back to The Legend Queens! Season 4 is still being planned and in development but we couldn’t leave everyone hanging for content in-between then and now. We decided to shake up our Haunted Properties series and give you a special newsletter to explore some properties that the two of us have been interested in talking about for a while now. In the future, expect the Haunted Properties series to be distributed in specials like this rather than a whole season dedicated to the theme.
Amber will start us out by flying us out to Japan to discuss the Himuro Mansion, a lost mansion with a convoluted background. Then, Austin will take us a little closer to home (if you live in the United States) by bringing us into the infamous Sallie House in Kansas.
As always, we appreciate all of your engagement with our independent queer-written newsletter. Please continue to like, comment, and share so that we can reach others who are interested in this kind of content!
And with that… Shall we begin?
The Himuro Mansion
Written by: Amber Brevig
TW: Suicide / self-harm, uncomfortable imagery, human sacrifice
If you had asked me “What’s your favorite video game?” when I was in middle or high school, I would have said with a straight face, “Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly.” It turns out, actually, that the whole series was one of my special interests, and I played them to the point of memorizing all of the triggers and hidden intricacies within the maps.
But why is that so odd? Well, in the Fatal Frame series, you are typically playing an unreasonably slow protagonist in an incredibly haunted area, and your only weapon against aggressive and violent ghosts is a paranormal camera that has a film with the ability to capture the very essence of spirits.
The first Fatal Frame came out in the US in 2002, and my dad and I played through the whole thing together. So imagine a seven-year-old walking through a haunted mansion, fighting ghosts in first-person who look like this (and have a very tragic suicidal backstory):
and then trying to talk to kids on the playground about this “new fun game I’ve been playing”…??? Yeah, it’s no wonder I was one of the weird kids. (Truth be told, I didn’t do any of the actual “playing” until I was a couple of years older when my dad had a hard time fighting the ghosts in the second game. Classic Jerry, lol. Watching, though, was apparently just as intriguing to little kid me.)
I could talk about the storyline of the games for hours (and I will if you’ll let me, so drop a comment if that’s something you want to know more about), but what I really want to get into today is five little words that were written on the front cover of each copy of the first Fatal Frame game: “Based on a True Story.”
“Based on a True Story”
Those five words *terrified* me when I was little. And maybe that’s part of why I was so intrigued because I took those words literally and thought that this was basically a playable documentary. But before we dive into the backstory, let’s define “true.”
To be completely honest, the sources I was able to find about the Himuro mansion all say basically the same thing, and those things are all almost verbatim what the game tells you. I genuinely can’t tell if this is a real urban legend or if Tecmo, the game’s production company, did such a great job telling this story that the plot *became* an urban legend. Moreover, I couldn’t find any actual historical evidence of the location or lore found within the Fatal Frame plot. There are a few images of different homes in the woods circulating, but I can’t with certainty say that those huts are indeed the Himuru mansion where the game takes place.
Also, the phrase “based on a true story” is *not* included anywhere on the 2001 Japanese release of the game.
So I’m going to say our definition of “true” for the purposes of this retelling means “incorporates some folklore and traditions told in the United States and Japan which may or may not have originated before the Fatal Frame series.” If you have any information on these tales that corroborates more of the lore, though, please drop a comment! I’m happy to be corrected, especially when it comes to cultures outside of my own.
Himuro Mansion
On the outskirts of Tokyo, Japan lies a mansion hidden deep in the woods. It’s so hidden, in fact, that literally nobody can pinpoint where it is. This mysterious home is known as the Himuro Mansion. But what does Himuro mean?
In its most common surname usage, Himuro means ice. But do you know what the next most common alternative is? HOME. It’s literally named the “House mansion” like??? Yeah okay seems legit.
Anyways, House Mansion is hidden deep in the mountainous region and allegedly is the scene of a gruesome murder committed by none other than the father of the family who stabbed himself after killing everyone around him (more on why in a bit).
As the legend goes, the place is still haunted by the Himuro family, who are forever cursed to walk the grounds and reenact their deaths in a spiritual echo.
Strangling Ritual
As you get further into the game, you learn about the Strangling Ritual - here’s the gist: every fifty or so years, the Himuru family and people in the surrounding area would designate a maiden to offer as a sacrifice to the *gate to hell* they believed was underneath the mansion.
In this sacrifice, the young woman would be drawn and quartered (known as the “strangling ritual”), with arms and legs stretched out until they separated from the body. The sources I found all mentioned that oxen did this pulling, but in the game, it’s just a bunch of men spinning a winding contraption while this poor woman cries for her life (in a very bad English dub). I’ve linked the cutscene below if you’re trying to visualize it:
After dismemberment, the ropes used in the sacrifice would be offered to the gates of hell in an effort to curb evil from entering the mansion and the surrounding area (ironic, huh?).
It seems that the maiden had to be at least semi-willing to participate in her own demise, though. As legend has it, the last strangling ritual failed because the maiden fell in love with a man she had seen who visited the property. Typically the shrine maidens were hidden away from society so as not to form worldly connections, but in the game, you can see that the attic cage the maiden was kept in was *right next to a window* where the maiden was apparently able to see the man coming in and out.
Not wanting to willingly leave this world due to being in love with the window man she’d seen from afar, the ritual failed when it was her time, and despite laying her blood-soaked ropes at the hell portal altar, the patriarch of the family knew that the sacrifice hadn’t worked.
In fear, and maybe to try to appease the portal anyways, he slaughtered his whole family and then himself. Allegedly, “visitors” to the unfindable mansion have circulated online that they have seen bloody handprints and other blood stains on the wall, which look like they flung off the tip of a sword or other sharp object the father may have used to kill the family with. They have also shared that if you take a photo of the attic window (no photos, of course, could be found), the shrine maiden will appear in the image after development.
And that’s…. it. That’s genuinely all the information that I was able to find on the legitimacy of the mansion. A few details swapped out from the story told in the game, but for the most part, this was either such a good retelling of the legend that it was created to a T from the folklore, OR the game *is* the folklore (which is a bit of a disappointment to childhood me).
Regardless, though, you won’t find me poking through Tokyo’s woods trying to find this place to confirm or deny its existence. The game, real or not, was enough to keep me away from Japan’s alleged haunted sites for the duration of my life.
Have you had any experiences with folklore you later found out probably wasn’t as real as you always thought? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!
The Sallie House
Written By: Austin Charles Bolkcom
Although we may prefer to believe that the world is filled with only positivity and love, it's important to acknowledge that there are also forces of darkness and malevolence present. Anyone who doubts this fact should visit The Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas. Within its walls resides an entity that takes the form of an innocent young girl, believed to be the inspiration for the house's name. However, behind Sallie's seemingly benign appearance lies something sinister and foreboding. Many investigators believe that Sallie's form is a deceptive ploy, intended to lull visitors into a false sense of security. Alternatively, some suggest that Sallie herself is a victim, manipulated by a malevolent presence that pulls her strings and unleashes chaos. The house has never been able to retain a stable tenant and was eventually purchased by the city of Atchison, which now maintains the property and offers tours to the curious. There is much speculation about the events that may have led to the current state of the house and its ominous presence, but historical research has failed to provide a definitive explanation.
The Pickmans
The infamous Sallie House has been the subject of haunting reports since 1992, when a young couple, Tony and Debra Pinkman, bought the house in hopes of starting their perfect family. The two-story white brick house with blue trim had the character and age of its construction since the 1800s, which made it the perfect setting for a horror movie. For the first few months, Tony and Debra didn't notice anything out of the ordinary in their new home, but they later started to experience strange occurrences such as flickering bulbs, oven timers going on and off by themselves, and phones going dead and coming back on. Despite these strange happenings, the couple attributed them to problems with the electricity, as the house was quite old. However, the activity in the house continued to increase, leaving the couple wondering if they were in danger.
As time passed, Tony and Debra started to overlook the small and infrequent occurrences happening around their home, as they didn't seem like anything to be seriously worried about. However, things took a turn when they welcomed their newborn son, Taylor, six months after moving in. It was in June, around the time of their son's birth, when they began to notice a dramatic shift in the energy and tone of the house, along with an unprecedented level of activity that they had not experienced before.
One evening after returning from a family gathering, Tony and Debra take their son Taylor up to the nursery to put him to bed. As they enter the room, they are stunned to find all of Taylor's stuffed animals arranged in a circle on the floor with their hands touching. Concerned, they call Tony's sister-in-law, who had visited earlier in the day to drop off a gift for Taylor. She tells them that she didn't notice anything unusual in the nursery, but she did feel an eerie sense of being watched while she was in the house. She also felt a cold draft and believed that it was following her around. Later that same night, as the couple turn off the nursery lights and head downstairs, the lights flick back on and they find one of the teddy bears on the floor. Suspecting that someone might be in the house, they search the entire place but find no one. They eventually go to bed, feeling like they may have overreacted. However, during the night, Debra discovers the teddy bear sitting upright on the floor once again while checking on her son in the bedroom.
Debra is thrilled by the idea of encountering a ghostly entity, but Tony, being Catholic, doesn't believe in ghosts due to his religious upbringing. Initially, Tony dismisses the idea as nonsense, but they eventually decide to consult a psychic through a mutual friend. The psychic informs them that a little girl has been living in the house with them, and while she is mostly harmless, they should set boundaries with the entity. Despite Tony's skepticism, Debra is ecstatic at the prospect of communicating with a ghost, something she had always dreamed of experiencing.
As the activity in the house intensifies, Debra and Tony start to experience more violent encounters with Sallie. One evening, a friend who is aware of the spirit in their house is visiting, and he tries to take a picture with Sallie. As he's about to take the photo, one of the teddy bears makes a complete 180-degree turn, and everyone is terrified as this is the first time they have seen anything happen in real-time in the house. Their friend finds himself unable to move as if something is holding him down. Eventually, the presence lifts, and they all try to leave the property, but before they can do so, Tony cries out in pain, and they discover three deep and bloody scratches on his back.
It's clear that Tony and Debra have very different reactions to the situation, and it's causing a strain on their relationship. Tony is struggling to deal with the violent attacks from the entity, while Debra is becoming more and more attached to the ghost child. This disconnect between them is only getting worse as time goes on.
The psychic who came to the house advised the couple to set boundaries with Sallie, but it seems like Debra is doing the opposite. By showering her with gifts and affection, she's only making it more difficult for Tony to deal with the entity's attacks. Meanwhile, Tony is probably feeling increasingly isolated and alone in his experience.
It's clear that the situation has become dangerous, and the couple needs to take action before someone gets seriously hurt. They may need to consider bringing in professionals, such as paranormal investigators or exorcists, to help them deal with the entity. It's also important for them to communicate openly and honestly with each other about what they're experiencing, so they can work together to find a solution.
As time passes, strange occurrences start to haunt the couple. Tony notices an elderly woman in old-fashioned clothes lurking in the corners of his vision. This woman even appears in some holiday photos, adding to the eerie feeling. A medium who had previously visited the house confirms the presence of a domineering energy that seems to be targeting the little girl, Sallie. Meanwhile, Taylor experiences frequent nightmares and wakes up screaming every other night. To add to the creepiness, music begins playing from their child's music box, even though it isn't programmed to play that particular tune. As events continue to escalate, the situation becomes increasingly bizarre and unsettling.
The Pickmans receive a promising opportunity when a producer from the show Sightings contacts them after hearing about their paranormal experiences from the psychic they hired. Tony hopes that by allowing the crew to film in their house, they can earn some money to move out and also prove to his wife and friends that he isn't crazy. As soon as the Sightings crew arrives in Atchison and sets up their cameras, the activity in the house ramps up. They capture footage of scratches appearing on Tony's body in real time, providing undeniable evidence of the attacks he has been experiencing. In fact, during the crew's time with the Pickmans, they capture footage of Tony being attacked on eleven separate occasions. It becomes increasingly clear that the entity is fixated on targeting Tony and inflicting harm upon him, wearing him down to the bone with its malice.
After enduring countless frightening experiences, Tony and Debra decide to bring the medium back to their house in hopes of finally finding some peace and putting an end to the haunting. They are desperate for relief, especially since the activity seems to have ramped up after the Sightings crew left, angering whatever entity resides in the house even further. The medium informs the couple that there are three spirits residing in their home: Sallie, an older woman, and a perfect gentleman. Despite everything that has happened, Debra asks the medium to only cleanse the spirits besides Sallie, as she hasn't caused any harm during her stay. However, during the cleansing ritual, Tony is once again attacked, with deep scratches appearing all over his body. The entity seems to be even more enraged with the Pickmans after the cleansing, leaving them with no relief in sight.
Tony is on the brink of a mental breakdown as he begins hearing voices on a daily basis. At first, the whispers are incoherent and difficult to understand, but they gradually become clearer, telling him to do unspeakable things to his wife and child. The malicious voices fill his head with hate and malice, leading him to consider murder and suicide. One evening, Tony is forcefully pushed down the stairs, breaking three railings as he tumbles down. This event finally snaps Debra out of her trance and causes her to realize that they need to leave the house immediately if they want to survive. Despite all the previous haunting experiences, it is this incident that serves as the final straw and convinces the family to abandon their home for good.
After twenty-five years since moving out, the Pickmans are still married and living only a mile away from The Sallie House. They remain convinced that something malevolent is present within that home, not a typical ghost, but a demon or poltergeist with tremendous power and malice. Tony's experiences of being attacked are consistent with those of demonic encounters or even possession.
If you are curious about exploring The Sallie House more in depth, a podcast called Astonishing Legends has a four part series they made on their observations on the Sallie House story, an in-depth interview with the Pickmans themselves, and even their own visit with recordings to The Sallie House itself. Below I will attach an audio file of one of the things that the Astonishing Legends crew gathered at the site.
Be warned, the audio is loud and can become quite uneasy with the noises being produced. This experience shifted the faith and shook one of the hosts to their very core on how they perceived ghosts and the paranormal.