Teke Teke
Teke Teke: The Crawling Ghost of Vengeance
They say if you’re out late at night near train tracks in Japan and hear a faint scraping sound—teke... teke... teke...—you should run. Fast.
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| Teke Teke |
And she’s much faster than you.
Welcome to the nightmare of Teke Teke, one of Japan’s most unsettling urban legends. Like many great ghost stories, it blends tragedy, vengeance, and just enough realism to make your skin crawl.
Where the Legend Begins
Teke Teke’s story almost always starts the same: a young woman, sometimes a schoolgirl, falls—or is pushed—onto a railway track. A train barrels through before she can escape, severing her body in half.
She dies in agony.
But death isn’t the end for her.
Now, her torso drags itself through the night, elbows clicking and scraping against the ground, hunting for revenge. The sound her body makes—teke teke teke—is the last thing you hear before she catches you.
If she does, she’ll slice you in half, just like her.
And the worst part? She’s fast. Unnaturally fast. Much quicker than you'd ever expect from something without legs.
Her Name is Her Warning
The name “Teke Teke” is onomatopoeic—it mimics the sound of her bony elbows or her scythe dragging across pavement, tile, or school hallways. That sound is your only warning.
Much like other Japanese yokai (spirits) or onryō (vengeful ghosts), she has one goal: make others suffer as she did. Her name alone has become synonymous with fear in many Japanese schoolyards.
In some versions, she doesn’t use her arms at all. Instead, she glides unnaturally—faster than any human should be able to run. Witnesses claim that even sprinting won't save you. Once you’ve seen her, your fate is sealed.
Variations: Say Hello to Kashima Reiko
There’s a particularly creepy variation of the legend that gives Teke Teke a name: Kashima Reiko.
According to this version:
Reiko was a woman assaulted by a group of men and left for dead near a railway crossing.
She tried to crawl for help, but a train severed her at the waist.
Now she haunts bathrooms (yep—another school bathroom ghost) and asks students a series of questions:
“Where are my legs?”
If you don’t answer correctly, she kills you.
The “right” answer is supposedly:
“On the Meishin Expressway.”
But even if you get it right, she might ask another:
“Who told you that?”
Answer: “Kashima Reiko did.”
Miss one answer, and she rips off your legs. Or worse.
Some versions go even further, claiming that if you speak her name aloud, she’ll appear within days. To ward her off, you must answer the questions exactly and remain calm—no easy feat when she’s standing right in front of you.
What She Looks Like
Descriptions vary, but Teke Teke is usually described as:
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A young woman, often in a school uniform
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With long, dark hair
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A pale, tortured face twisted by rage or pain
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And a bloody, severed waist
She either uses her elbows to crawl, dragging herself unnaturally fast—or sometimes carries a rusted sickle, adding another level of horror to her already chilling presence.
Some versions say she floats or hovers. Others say she bounds, even leaping great distances in search of her next victim.
There’s also something deeply disturbing about how she smiles—a wide, grotesque grin that splits her face as she catches up to her prey.
Many artists depict her with blood-soaked school uniforms or hollowed-out eyes. Her hair often hangs in her face, masking her expression until it’s too late. She’s become a visual icon in Japanese ghost lore.
Where She Hunts
Teke Teke is a regional legend, but she’s also become part of broader Japanese pop culture. Most versions place her:
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Near railway crossings
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In school bathrooms (a common setting for many Japanese ghost stories)
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Or haunting empty school halls after dark
In modern retellings, she even shows up in dreams or phone calls—echoing other internet-adjacent spirits like Sadako from The Ring or Kuchisake-onna, the slit-mouthed woman.
And like many urban legends, her presence has migrated to the internet. Reddit forums, creepypasta sites, and YouTube channels often feature modern interpretations of her story, making her one of the most shared ghost legends in the world.
Some horror fans even report experiences similar to sleep paralysis after reading her story late at night, attributing shadows in their room to her presence. Others claim they dream about her after hearing the story, only to wake up to the sound of dragging outside their window.
Origins: Folklore or Cautionary Tale?
While there’s no confirmed real-life inspiration, some theorize that the legend of Teke Teke grew out of:
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Railway accidents, which were more common in post-war Japan
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Urbanization, which led to crowded trains and more tragic incidents
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Warnings to young girls about safety, modesty, and caution
Like many urban legends, it may have begun as a way to scare teens into not wandering at night—or to be wary of strangers and places considered dangerous.
Another theory is that she was inspired by a real woman who died in a railway accident. Over time, that story may have evolved—layering horror elements onto a tragic incident until it morphed into the tale we know today.
Others believe that she could be a stand-in for trauma survivors—those whose pain and suffering are never resolved, who keep returning in stories because justice never came in life.
Pop Culture & Film Appearances
Teke Teke’s popularity exploded in the 2000s thanks to the internet and Japan’s horror film boom. She’s appeared in:
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Teke Teke (2009): A Japanese horror film that reimagines the legend in a graphic, cinematic way. A sequel followed in 2010.
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Manga and anime references: While not always named, many characters and spirits in horror-themed series draw from her archetype.
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Creepypasta and horror forums: International audiences picked up the tale and began creating art, stories, and videos based on her.
She’s even crossed into Western horror fanbases through sites like Reddit’s r/NoSleep and YouTube horror storytellers.
Her story also fits perfectly alongside other modern ghost tales that blend the supernatural with technology—making her legend particularly viral in the age of TikTok horror challenges and Instagram reels.
In recent years, TikTok creators have staged fictional Teke Teke encounters as part of “found footage” horror trends, introducing her to a new generation.
Why She Still Terrifies
There’s something especially horrific about a ghost that moves faster than you, gives you no chance to escape, and targets random victims.
Unlike some spirits who haunt specific people or places, Teke Teke’s terror is that she could show up anywhere. You’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
And there’s something primal about her story:
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The feeling of being chased
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Of not being able to run fast enough
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Of your body betraying you
She’s also a revenge ghost, which adds emotional weight. Teke Teke didn’t ask for this. She was brutalized—and now she’s become the brutality.
It’s not just about fear—it’s about justice. And that makes her all the more chilling.
She also triggers a fear of disfigurement and mutilation—taboos that deeply unsettle us. Her very form is a reminder of suffering, pain, and violence that cannot be undone.
Common Rules and Warnings
Just like other legends, Teke Teke comes with a list of unspoken “rules”:
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Don’t stay out near train stations after dark
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Don’t talk about her too much—she might hear you
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Don’t ignore the sound of dragging limbs
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If you hear “Teke... Teke...” behind you, don’t look back
These rules aren’t official—but they’ve emerged from the way people share the story, treating it more like folklore than fiction. The repetition of these warnings gives her myth staying power, especially among younger generations.
In some cases, people even report dreaming about her after hearing the story—suggesting that once she’s in your head, she’s hard to shake. Like a subconscious curse that travels with the tale.
Psychological Layers: A Symbol of Trauma?
Some have interpreted the legend of Teke Teke through a psychological lens, suggesting she’s more than just a scary ghost.
She may represent:
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Female trauma and violation: Especially the Kashima Reiko version, which includes a sexual assault component.
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Societal pressure on young women: Schoolgirl ghosts are everywhere in Japanese horror, often representing the stress and expectations placed on them.
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Body horror and identity: Her split body reflects a loss of agency, identity, and the horror of being physically violated.
Whether intentional or not, she’s a powerful symbol—and a terrifying one.
Some theorists believe her story has endured because it offers a way to express unspoken fears—of violence, abandonment, and injustice—in a way that feels distant enough to explore, but close enough to feel real.
Final Thoughts
Teke Teke isn’t just a ghost story—it’s a reflection of deeper fears. Whether you see her as a cautionary tale, a symbol of trauma, or simply a terrifying monster, there’s no denying her impact.
And maybe that’s what makes legends like this last.
They chase us.
Even after the story ends.
Enjoyed this story?
Urban Legends, Mystery, and Myth explores the creepiest corners of folklore—from haunted objects and backroad creatures to mysterious rituals and modern myth.
Want even more terrifying tales?
Check out our companion book series, Urban Legends and Tales of Terror, featuring reimagined fiction inspired by the legends we cover here.
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