The Strange Case of the Woman Found Living in a Closet in Japan

A Strange Tale of Survival

In 2008, Kasuya, Japan was stunned by a shocking discovery which shed light on homelessness’s difficult realities. What began as missing food in one fridge became an absorbing story which shed light on an often ignored topic.

One 57-year-old resident noticed his food vanishing and immediately suspected burglaries. To catch their perpetrator, he installed security cameras linked to his phone; much to his disbelief, footage revealed not an intruder but Tatsuko Horikawa from Japan living under one shelf of his closet for months – shocking footage!

Police were summoned, and found no indications of forced entry–all doors and windows were secure and closed. After conducting a comprehensive search, Horikawa was discovered curled up in her closet; she had been using this home as an makeshift shelter; sneaking food out during hours when nobody else was home while the owner was gone; astoundingly she maintained hygiene by showering regularly thus leaving no trace of her presence behind her.

The incident left many unanswered questions; from how she gained entry and managed to remain undetected for so long to speculation from police that she may have used other properties nearby as shelter. Police speculate that she could have gone to extreme measures just to stay alive when faced with homelessness.

Horikawa’s story serves as an insightful reminder of the unnoticed struggles many endure daily, from homelessness and poverty, to struggling marriages and family breakdown. While the homeowner experienced unease over Horikawa’s actions borne of desperation. Horikawa calls us all to approach homelessness with compassion while remembering that extraordinary stories may lie buried deep inside a closet somewhere.