Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: 地縛霊, Earth-Bound Spirit, Land-Bound Ghost
Category: Ghost
The Myth
Jibakurei are spirits of the dead believed to remain bound to a particular place, such as a piece of land or a building. They may be unable to accept their own death or may not realise that they have died. Other spirits remain in a location because of a special attachment or unresolved reason connected to that place.
According to descriptions of these spirits, a sudden death caused by war, an accident, or a disaster may leave the deceased unable to accept what has happened. Strong emotions, such as hatred, can also keep a spirit tied to the place where it died. Some accounts describe spirits of people who died by suicide as unaware of their death, repeatedly reenacting the act. Until they become conscious of their death, these spirits are believed to remain bound to the location as Jibakurei.
Sources
“地縛靈 (Dìbǎlíng).” Chinese Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 16, 2026. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%9C%B0%E7%B8%9B%E9%9D%88