Two fascinating phrases in Japanese that have very creepy origins. What are you really doing when you answer the phone "moshi moshi" anyway? [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Check out her b…

The Tale of Anchin and Kiyohime is an epic story of love, betrayal, and transformation into a serpent dragon, but there are several versions of this classic. [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura…

The northernmost island of Japan, Hokkaido, also has its own brand of yōkai and mythical creatures. Here I talk about seven of them. [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Check out her books inc…

Discover the intricacies of Japanese chopstick etiquette and lore. Learn about godly chopsticks, taboos that can bring death, and the concept of 'wa' (harmony) in Japanese culture. Avoid social faux pas and deepen your understanding of this seemingly simple yet complex utensil. [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a li…

The joro spider, a colorful arachnid from Japan, is harmless but tied to folklore about shape-shifting brides who fatally ensnare lovers at waterfalls. [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Chec…

Listeners who are sensitive to these topics should be aware that the episode contains potentially disturbing content: TRIGGER WARNINGS: Blood & gore depiction, Body horror, Childhood Trauma, Death from exposure, Death from falling, Death of a child, Death and dying, Decapitation, Fear and anxiety, Graphic content, Injury and mutilation, Loss of lim…

Have you ever had a premonition or a foreboding feeling that turned out to be true? Was it a parasitic insect living in your belly or a ghost trying to tell you something? [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncanny Japan is author T…

If a you hear a tree fall in the woods, but can't find any sign of that fallen tree, is it the work of a tengu, a creepy dead guy ghost, or something else? [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. …

Today I'll read you Lafcadio Hearn's short story: The Mirror Maiden. [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Check out her books including The Book of Japanese Folklore by clicking on the Amazon l…

The two-faced, eight-limbed giant named Ryomen Sukuna has been around since very early Japan, still is he a Buddhism-protecting hero or a cursed demon who tried to destroy Japan? [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncanny Japan is a…

You'll often see ghostly-looking dolls strung up in windows in Japan on rainy days. What do they mean and why are they a little creepy? [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Check out her books …

Abe no Seimei was the greatest onmyōji in Japan. While he lived in Kyoto, he visited Shizuoka at some point and performed some magic, giving us another nanafushigi (seven mysterious things). [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncann…

A nanafushigi (seven mysterious things) and a local yokai, the Nami Kozō or Wave Boy has a number of variations to his story, some involving real historical monks. [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.] Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Ma…