Ebisugaoka, the “new” Silent Hill, is modeled after a real place in Japan and its residents are now sharing eerie photos.
Silent Hill f is Konami’s creepy city trip and is set in Japan for the first time. So instead of American suburban flair, this time we can expect to find a rural village in the mountains. That may sound quite idyllic at first, but the trailer has already taught us otherwise.
Residents post creepy pictures of the real city
On social media, some of Kanayama’s residents expressed surprise that their hometown would appear in a new horror game. For example, the X/Twitter user @sinonomeimori posted a few pictures of his old “boring” hiking route that he recognized in the trailer.
twitter.com/T1qJtsDFJu
— 井守 (@sinonomeimori) March 14, 2025
The] town of Kanayama in Gifu Prefecture [is] my grandmother’s hometown. As I looked at the screen, my usually boring walking route had been transformed into a disturbing and bizarre landscape.
While this view might be considered rudimentary and just a little old-fashioned, other images of the city look a lot creepier, especially at night. For example, @sinonomeimori shared some photos of a candy store showing strange handprints.
In the thread, other users also began to share souvenir photos from trips to the area. One user shared about their recent vacation and the interesting architecture of the city, including an adventurous staircase.
Link to the Twitter content
In Kanayama, there was a room right above the river! I thoroughly enjoyed this fascinating view. From this room, an old lady looked at me and smiled. Sorry, but it felt like a scene from a horror game, and it totally lifted my spirits! I also saw the scariest staircase, so I’m completely satisfied!
Why Kanayama was chosen
In a livestream for Silent Hill f Ryukishi07, the game’s scenario writer, talked about the background of the new setting.
Ryukishi07 was looking for a location that could capture the atmosphere of a rural town in the 1960s. He had compared various locations and then visited the labyrinthine streets of Kanayama himself.
The structure of the buildings and the lifestyle of their inhabitants had changed noticeably over the years, which was also reflected in the special townscape. Ryukishi07 was fascinated by the fact that you could literally feel the history of the city, and that suited his idea of the new Silent Hill.
