Ghost of Ueno

Incoming Editorial·Verified August 7, 2026

In 2023, over 80,000 people went missing in Japan, with 30,000 dying alone. Ten percent remained unidentified, known as “muenbotoke” (buddhas without connections). Satsuki works part-time at an NGO near Ueno Park, indifferent to her job and the faces of those seeking help, until she stumbles upon the diary of a deceased homeless man. Toshi, a fellow drifter in the park, tells her that her encounter with the man’s ghost is no accident. Guided by the diary, they embark on a journey into the past to uncover the man’s identity, which is deeply intertwined with Ueno’s post-war history. Along the way, they meet those whose lives the ghost touched, each revealing a story of a man who willingly cut ties with his family. Satsuki’s dreams and memories lead her astray, uncovering a bitter truth. Her search for answers about the vanished finds resolution in Toshi, who waits for the third reincarnation of his late wife.