May 22, 2026, 8:12 am | Read time: 3 minutes
The wind rustles through the trees, often with the sea, forests, or parks nearby–and in the midst of it all stands a solitary phone booth. But it’s anything but ordinary: The so-called wind phones have no connection, and the calls go unanswered. Yet, many people use them. TRAVELBOOK explains the phenomenon behind this unique concept.
A small, sheltered space, often equipped with a notepad, pen, and a rotary phone. However, it is not connected to the telephone network. The so-called wind phones are located in places like parks, cemeteries, or coasts and serve as an important place for many people to process grief.
The Story Behind the Wind Phones
The so-called wind phones, known in Japanese as “Kaze no denwa,” originated in Japan. Artist and garden designer Itaru Sasaki set up a decommissioned phone booth in his garden in the city of Otsuchi after his cousin passed away.
The phone was meant to help him cope with his grief and symbolically continue speaking with the deceased. The name “wind phone” alludes to the idea that spoken words are carried away by the wind.
When a severe earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck northeastern Japan in 2011, the wind phone took on even greater significance. Sasaki placed the phone booth on a hill overlooking the Pacific at the foot of Kujira-Yama, as reported by “Windtelefon.de.” There, bereaved individuals could find a protected space to express thoughts, worries, and final words.
The concept of the wind phone quickly spread internationally through personal stories and media reports. Today, these unique phone booths can be found in numerous countries worldwide–from Japan to the U.S. to Germany. According to the platform “My Wind Phone,” which collects wind phone locations, there are now hundreds of such places of remembrance.
One such wind phone is located at the main cemetery in Kassel. There, visitors can pause, pick up the receiver, and speak words they wish they could have shared with deceased loved ones. Guest books are also available, where many personal memories, messages, and final words are left. While wind phones are primarily intended as a place for grief processing, they can also be used to release personal worries or burdensome thoughts.
Locations of Wind Phones in Germany
- Kassel – Main Cemetery Kassel
- Paderborn – Main Cemetery on the Dören
- Bad Homburg – Waldfriedhof Bad Homburg v.d. Höhe
- Offenbach – Sana Klinikum