Uncanny Japan
Episodes
Sakuragaike: A Snake-Dragon Coiled and Waiting, Part 1 (Ep. 88)
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The story goes that a large snake-dragon lives at the bottom of Sakuragaike Lake. It's waiting. But where did this snake-dragon come from, and who is ...
Halloween Episode: Kokkuri Spirit Boards and WTF?! (Ep. 87)
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Kokkuri or Kokkuri-san is the name for the Japanese ouija or spirit board. It's also the name for the spirit who visits during the game. For Halloween...
Scary Story Time: "Go-Away Monkey" (Ep. 86)
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For the spooky month of October, I'm reading my short horror story, "Go-Away Monkey" from my collection The Carp-Faced Boy and Other Tales. It's set i...
The Most Merciless Yokai: the Korori (Ep.85)
29 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The obscure and terrifyingly deadly yokai, the korori, ravaged Edo Japan. On today's episode I'll tell you all about it, what it really was and how fo...
Misemono: Edo Era Freak Shows (Ep. 84)
15 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A misemono is like a carnival, museum, zoo, and freak show all rolled into one. Here you could see exotic animals, buy cure-all medicines, and check o...
Ningyo: The Ugly (and Delicious!) Japanese Mermaid (Ep. 83)
30 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A Japanese mermaid is called a ningyo (人魚) or human fish. Today I'll tell you about their history, the good, the bad, and the delicious! Visit th...
Obon Story Time: "At Yaidzu" by Lafcadio Hearn (Ep. 82)
15 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's Obon and today I want to read to you an essay by Lafcadio Hearn. He wrote it about the town he would stay at during summers, the town I've lived ...
Hitobashira: The Tragic Stories of Human Pillars (Ep. 81)
30 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do you build a bridge that stands up to storms and floods? Well, you have to appease the nature gods, of course. But how do you do that? Human sac...
The Adorably Creepy Tofu Kozo (Ep. 80)
15 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Tofu Kozo is a seemingly innocent little yokai who appears on rainy days offering a plate of tofu to unsuspecting people. What could possibly go w...
Mushi Okuri: Sending Off the Bugs (Ep. 79)
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Let's say you have a plague of insects, like millions of cicada awakening after a years-long slumber. Or worse, bugs that would rather devour your cro...
Utsuro-Bune: The Hollow (Space?) Ship (Ep. 78)
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're being visited by UAPs, Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon. Or you might be more familiar with their older name: UFOs. There is a lot of interesting ...
Story Time – "Kaguya Hime: The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon Princess" (Ep. 77)
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today I'll read to you, "The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon Princess" called Kaguya Hime in Japanese. It's an old tale that some believe talks about other...
Fuujin & Raijin: The Gods of Thunder and Wind (Ep. 76)
16 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Who are Fujin and Raijin (the Japanese Wind God and Thunder God), where did they come from, and what do they do? Today I'll tell you about their origi...
Story Time: The Kappa's Abyss (Ep. 75)
02 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today's Story Time is one I found in an old collection of Japanese folklore. It's about a couple of conniving kappa and an innocent young girl. It's c...
Jigoku Tayuu: The Mysterious Hell Courtesan (Ep. 74)
15 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Hell Courtesan (Jigoku Tayuu) is a mysterious figure that appears in art and story in Japan since the 1600s. But who is this beautiful high-ranked...
Rated G Tanuki Buttons: This Unbelievable Story Will Blow Your Mind! (Ep. 73.5)
04 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Here is it already April first and the cherry blossoms are blooming and spring is in the air. I think today is a good day to tell you a story I've bee...
PG-13 Tanuki Buttons: This Unbelievable Story Will Blow Your Mind! (Ep. 73)
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Here is it already April first and the cherry blossoms are blooming and spring is in the air. I think today is a good day to tell you a story I've bee...
Adorable Tanuki: Fluffy, Shape-Shifting, and Lucky! (Ep. 72)
15 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tanuki are those adorable, magical animals you find all through Japanese history. They're in folktales, art, legend, and even in modern day manga and ...
Kan no Mushi: Adorable Parasites Living Inside Your Spine (Ep. 71)
28 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Let me tell you why your toddler might cry at night and throw tantrums and what you can do to remedy. It could be a mythical parasite that lives in th...
Sanzaru: Three Wise Monkeys and How They Can Help Extend Your Life (Ep. 70)
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone is familiar with the Three Wise Monkeys or as they're called in Japan Sanzaru (Three Monkeys). But did you know the See No Evil, Hear No Evil...
Cursed Swords That Want to Murder You (Youtou) (Ep. 69)
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A Muramasa blade is one of exceptional quality and great bloodlust. It's called a youtou (妖刀) in Japanese. Depending on how you translate that, it...
Enjoying the Luck of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin) (Ep. 68)
14 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In Japan the Shichifukujin or Seven Lucky Gods appear in a boat on the first day of the year to impart various kinds of luck on those they deem worthy...
Year of the Ox: Save Us All (Ep. 67)
30 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The year 2021 is the Year of the Ox according to the animal zodiac. But what does that mean? On today's show I'll talk a little about the character of...
Toshikoshi Soba: Breaking Off the Pain of 2020 with Noodles (Ep. 66)
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Toshikoshi soba is the Japanese tradition of eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve. It's a custom that has continued since the 1700s. There are quite ...
Baku: The Eater of Dreams (Ep. 65)
29 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The baku (獏) is a Japanese mythical creature that, when invited, slips into your room at night to gobble up your nightmares. Visit the Uncanny Japa...
Story Time: "The Dream of Akinosuke" by Lafcadio Hearn (Ep. 64)
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"The Dream of Akinosuke" is Lafcadio Hearn's translation of a sweet Japanese (originally Chinese) folktale. In it you'll learn how insects can manipul...
Shinrei Supotto: Freaky Haunted Areas in Japan (Ep. 63)
31 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Let's visit some local haunted areas or shinrei supotto in Japanese. The Suicide Forest, a very haunted tunnel, and a Severed Head Grave are all in to...
Yuurei: Japanese Ghosts from Protective to Wrathful (Ep. 62)
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Yuurei are Japanese ghosts and they come in quite a few varieties, from the protecting shugorei to the vengeful and very dangerous onryou. Visit the ...
Oiran: The Glamorous and Wretched Life of a High Courtesan (Ep. 61)
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
An oiran is not a geisha. Although at first glance they may look alike, one is a more reserved entertainer who is still in existence today. The other ...
Kanreki: Your Auspicious Years, Yakudoushi: Your Calamitous Ones (Ep. 60)
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Kanreki is the celebration of a 60th birthday. They'll don a red vest, called a chanchanko, a red billowy hat, called an e-boshi and be given a white ...
Koumare Ishi: Inexplicable Rocks That Predict the Deaths of Monks (Ep. 59)
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Koumare Ishi is one of the nanafushigi or seven mysterious occurrences from my area. The belief is that a rock is born from the side of the mountain, ...
Bon Odori: Dancing with the Dead (Ep. 58)
17 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bon Odori or Bon Dancing is a summer tradition held all over Japan. It's a chance for families to get together and have an enjoyable time dancing to t...
Story Time - The Jellyfish Takes a Journey (plus eel and seppuku!) (Ep. 57)
29 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder why a jellyfish looks the way they do? Well, the Japanese folktale "The Jellyfish Takes a Journey" (Kurage no Honenashi) tells you how tha...
Food Superstitions and Sayings (Ep. 56)
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why shouldn't you eat crab and watermelon together? What will happen if you don't eat all the rice in your bowl? Today I'll answer these and a whole l...
Star-Crossed Lovers (Tanabata) (Ep.55)
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tanabata is a Japanese festival based on the bizarre tale of two star-crossed lovers, Orihime and Hikoboshi. In episode 55, I'll tell you their story,...
Yokai-Related Sayings (Becoming a Tengu) (Ep. 54)
18 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What if someone told you that you were turning into a tengu, one of those red-faced, long-nosed goblins? What would they mean? In this episode of Unca...
Creepy Children's Song (Kagome Kagome) (Ep. 53)
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In Japan "Kagome Kagome" is an old children's game and the song that goes along with it. It's interesting because the mysterious lyrics have several d...
Putting a Curse on Your Enemies (Ushi no Koku Mairi) (Ep. 52)
16 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ushi no Koku Mairi means visiting a shrine at the hour of the ox (between 1:00 and 3:00 am). It also means going there so you can put a curse on your ...
Children's Day Iris Baths and Golden Boys: Japanese Traditions (Ep. 51)
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Looking at the calendar, I see we're fast approaching Golden Week in Japan, and I wanted to share some of my favorite traditions from the most excitin...
Story Time: Sand Walls, Paper Doors (Ep. 50)
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I want to celebrate my fiftieth episode by reading my yokai story, "Sand Walls, Paper Doors" from my book A Robe of Feathers and Other Stories. This i...
Close Encounter with an Amabie (Ep. 49)
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
An amabie is a Japanese yokai that is said to have predicted a plague and then encouraged people to share its image to protect them from that previous...
The Kappa's Fart (Ep. 48)
15 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A kappa is a small, scrawny, aquatic yokai with a parrot-like beak, a tortoise-style shell on its back, and an indentation on the top of its head full...
The Guest Room Child (Zashiki Warashi) (Ep. 47)
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been sleeping and had a bout of kanashibari (sleep paralysis)? Then during that surreal--most likely frightening--experience, have you e...
Kanashibari: Sleep Paralysis and the Pillow Flipper (Ep. 46)
11 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever woken up frozen, unable to move or speak? You're wide awake—or at least you think you are. You can hear everything around you, but you...
Osechi Ryōri: Lucky New Year Foods in Japan (Ep. 45)
23 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Akemashite omedetō. Happy New Year. I'm surrounded by moving boxes in my new creaky house, but I want to share Japan's amazing New Year food traditio...
Haunted Artifacts (Tsukumogami) (Ep. 44)
24 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In Japan when an inanimate object reaches its 100th birthday and perhaps it was mistreated, or lost, or thrown away, it gains a soul and might possibl...
The Great Horned Master (Tsuno Daishi) (Ep. 43)
14 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When walking around Japan you might see a small rectangular piece of paper pasted near a front door or on a gate. On this paper is an image that can o...
Story Time: Yotsuya Kaidan (The Ghost of Oiwa) (Ep. 42)
25 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It's almost Halloween, so for this episode of Uncanny Japan I'm going to tell you a spooky tale called Yotsuya Kaidan, the story of Oiwa and her sad a...
Japanese Superstitions II: Spider Lilies and Ghostly Trees (Ep. 41)
10 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why is the beautiful Spider lily also called a corpse flower? Why didn't samurai keep camellias in their gardens? Why do Japanese ghosts like to hang ...
Daruma - He Cut Off His What?! (Ep. 40)
12 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
His eyelids. He cut off his eyelids. But that is not all that the Daruma (Bodhidharma) is famous for. He's the man who brought Chan to China and Zen t...
Behind the Curtain: Advice for people coming to Japan (Ep. 39)
22 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 39 of Uncanny Japan is different, it's special. Today I forgo my usual format and invite my friend, fellow long time expat, and Sound Dude, Ri...
Story Time: Cicada by Lafcadio Hearn (Ep. 38)
08 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In Episode 38, you can listen to Lafcadio Hearn's whimsical take on the cicada (semi) while enjoying some real time cicada singing in the background. ...
Oni Kara Denwa: The Ogre App to Discipline Your Child (Ep. 37)
21 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ever since I saw a mother discipline her child by threatening to call an oni/ogre, I've been wanting to do talk about this. Then I found out it really...
The Rock That Cries at Night (Yonaki Ishi) (Ep. 36)
27 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A rock that gets weepy when the sun goes down, a pregnant woman slain alone in the mountains, a newborn baby visited by a ghostly priest who feds him ...
Nanafushigi: Seven Mysterious Things (Ep. 35)
27 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A giant hairy foot crashing through the roof of an old house and demanding to be washed. A festive tanuki band that appears in the dead of night and l...
Hidden by the Gods (Kamikakushi) (Ep. 34)
06 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Today's show feels like a wacky and wonderful one. You see, I started talking about the tengu in Episode 32 (Heavenly Dogs and Brilliant Swordsmen), b...
Story Time: Hoichi The Earless by Lafcadio Hearn (Mimi-nashi Hoichi) (Ep. 33)
15 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After coming to live in Japan (1890), Lafcadio Hearn listened intently to the folk stories and ghostly tales that were related to him. He then wrote t...
Heavenly Dogs and Brilliant Swordsmen (The Tengu) (Ep. 32)
31 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There are two types of tengu: the karasu/crow tengu and the hanadaka/long-nosed tengu. They're both awesome martial artists and fearsome foes, among o...
Story Time: Of a Mirror and a Bell (Lafcadio Hearn) (Ep. 31)
06 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Story Time is a little bit different than the usual Uncanny Japan podcast. Instead of me telling you about some interesting, odd, or spooky tidbit, I'...
Human-Faced Fish (Ep. 30)
21 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Next time you're staring down into a rowdy school of koi, keep an eye out for the one that has a human face. This is a jinmengyo and rumor has it if y...
The Devils are Coming! (Setsubun) (Ep. 29)
29 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The devils are coming! Or the ogres or demons, depending on how you translate the Japanese word oni (鬼). February 3rd is Setsubun in Japan and it's ...
Ebisu, The Leech Boy Who Became a God (Ep. 28)
14 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I'm starting 2019 off with the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichi Fukujin), or, well, more specifically ONE of the Seven Lucky Gods: Ebisu. He's the only one bo...
Ojizo Bound in Ropes Doused in Oil (Ep. 27)
14 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The ojizo only wants to ease our suffering, and for that he gets tied up in ropes, doused in oil, and his head lopped off. Episode 27 of Uncanny Japan...
Ojizo. The Little Guy Saving You and Yours From the Torments of Hell (Ep. 26)
21 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An ojizo-sama is here to put aside his own enlightenment in order to save us all from the torments of hell. True story. He is especially partial to ch...
Bancho Sarayashiki: Okiku and the Nine Plates (Ep. 25)
29 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
One, two, three... Okiku kneeling, counts the priceless plates that have been entrusted to her. Four, five, six... her samurai master, Tessan, stands,...
A Bedtime Story: Kachi-Kachi Mountain (PG Version) (Ep. 24)
11 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 24 of Uncanny Japan is a story, a Bedtime Story. Here I read to you my retelling and reimagining of a classic Japanese folktale Kachi Kachi Ya...
Kuchisake-onna: The Slit-Mouthed Woman (Ep. 23)
20 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I've had quite a few requests via email, DMs, and reviews for a show on Japanese urban legends. This episode is in answer to those requests. Here are ...
Great Screaming and Uninterrupted Pain More Buddhist Hells (Ep. 22)
03 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Here are the last four Buddhist Hot Hells for your enjoyment. There is extreme heat, much screaming, and a flaming rooster. Also, I was able to catch ...
Screaming and Crushing in Four Buddhist Hells (Ep. 21)
14 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The first of two podcasts this month, Episode 21: Screaming and Crushing in Four Buddhist Hells, is just about that, four of the eight Buddhist Hot He...
Ship Goddesses, Boat Ghosts, and Sea Monks (Funadama, Funa Yurei, Umi Bozu) (Ep. 20)
19 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The third Monday of July is Umi no Hi (海の日), Marine Day, so this month on Uncanny Japan I decided to talk about three otherworldly ocean creatur...
The Heavenly Demon (Amanojaku) + Bedtime Story! (Ep. 19)
26 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This month's podcast is a special one. Not only did I do a podcast about a strange little creature called the amanojaku (天邪鬼), but at the end I ...
The God of Smallpox (Housougami) (Ep. 18)
19 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to May's Uncanny Japan. In this episode I talk about the God of Smallpox (housougami/疱瘡神). Come listen to the beliefs in this fearsome g...
Granny Dumping Mountain (Ubasute Yama) (Ep. 17)
21 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This month on Uncanny Japan I talk about Ubasuta Yama (姥捨山) or Granny Dumping Mountain. Back in old Japan when times were tough and there were ...
Playing Hide and Seek by Yourself (Hitori Kakurenbo) (Ep. 16)
18 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Hitori kakurenbo (一人隠れん坊 ) means playing hide and seek by yourself. It sounds silly, but it's actually a super creepy, Japanese urban myth...
Inviting a Friend to Die (Rokuyo) (Ep. 15)
19 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The rokuyo (六曜) or six days is the Japanese calendar that you consult when preparing to engage in various affairs: wedding, funerals, trips, and ...
Sokushinbutsu: The Corpses of “Living” Buddhas (Ep. 14)
17 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to me talk about this wonderfully surreal thing I found: Living Buddhas (ikibotoke, 生き仏 or sokushinbutsu, 即身仏). The thing is, they'...
Teachers Running (Shiwasu) (Ep. 13)
17 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone's busy. It's the end of the year. Come listen to me talk about how we spend December in Japan while you listen to a mochi-pounding event in t...
Goroawase: Tricky Numbers (Ep. 12)
16 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In Japan numbers can be tricky. Four is thought to invite death. Nine brings suffering and agony. But, hey! Eight is good! Please join our community ...
The Devil’s Gate (Kimon) (Ep. 11)
18 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You have one. I have one. We all have one: a Devil's Gate. It's the place where oni (Japanese devils) sneak into your home, steal all your good luck ...
Gaki: Hungry Ghosts (Ep. 10)
13 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Careful. Living a life of luxury while being selfish and coveting your neighbors goodies just might lead you to another spin on this Wheel of Life. Th...
Obon Part Two: Sending Away Fires (Okuribi) (Ep. 9)
15 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This month's podcast is Obon Part Two, the time when you have to send ol' grandma and grandpa back to the World of the Dead. There are various ways of...
Obon Part One: On Cucumber Horses They Ride (Ep. 8)
16 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In Japan, Obon is the time of year when all the ancestors' spirits make the long haul back to the world of the living to pay a visit. It's kind of a b...
Senninbari: The Thousand-Stitch Belt (Ep. 7)
19 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The senninbari or one thousand-stitch belt is a magical kind of sash worn by soldiers in World War 2 to ward off enemies bullets and impart super huma...
Japanese Superstitions Part One (Ep. 6)
15 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In May's Uncanny Japan you get three Japanese superstitions and why: 1)Please don't cut your nails at night. 2)Please don't whistle at night. 3) Pl...
Kishibojin: The Mother of All Devils ー 鬼子母神 (Ep. 5)
14 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
April's podcast is about Kishibojin, an ogress with a penchant for feeding human babies to her own children, but who was able to see the error of her ...
Monkeys and Monkey Lore! (Ep. 4)
17 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Monkey lore in Japan is vast and confusing—monkeys can be good, monkeys can be bad, depending on what you're looking at. There's a wordplay thing go...
Koshin Shinko: The Three Worms in Your Body (Ep. 3)
16 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Koshin Shinko is the belief that you are born with three worms (called sanshi) inside your body, and that these creatures' only purpose is to shorten ...
Hatsu-yume: Your First Dream of the New Year (Ep. 2)
20 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I want to talk about a Japanese saying called hatsuyume—hatsu means the first, and yume is dream. Your first dream in the new year will, as Japanese...
Musha-burui: Trembling Before a Formidable Task (Ep. 1)
30 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
I want to share something my mother-in-law taught me years ago - a Japanese concept that perfectly captures how we feel before life's biggest challeng...