More listeners' true Japanese ghost stories as well as one of my most terrifying experiences. This is part two of a three part series.
Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Her other shows are Uncanny Robot Podcast and The Soothing Stories Podcast. Check out her books including The Carp-Faced Boy on Amazon. If you'd like to help support the podcast and h ... Show More
Today
Ofuda & Omamori: Lucky Talismans & Charms
After exploring animal spirit possession last episode, Thersa turns to the Japanese ways of staying safe, getting a little lucky, and maybe even finding love through ofuda and omamori, talismans and charms filled with divine power and everyday hope. With birdsong in the backgroun ... Show More
29m 21s
Apr 7
Tsukimono: Possessed by an Animal (Ep. 187)
What is tsukimono? In Japanese culture, it’s the unsettling idea of possession—when a human or animal spirit attaches itself to you and usually does harm. In this episode of Uncanny Japan, I explore animal possession: foxes, dogs, snakes, and even horses that cling to people for ... Show More
31m 3s
Mar 17
Takiyasha Hime & the Gashadokuro: Japan's Frog-Riding Witch & Giant Skeleton (Ep. 186)
A vengeful princess rides a giant toad into battle while a monstrous skeleton tears through castle walls — and these two legends are connected in ways you might not expect. In this episode, I dig into the story of Takiyasha Hime, daughter of the infamous Taira no Masakado, and th ... Show More
21m 57s
Apr 2021
223A-Samurai Legends: The Devil went down to Kyoto
Three connected stories of samurai from medieval Japan. On the first, Kintaro, a buff eight-year-old, discovers his destiny. On the second, Watanabe no Tsuna, a samurai warrior in his prime fights a demon that's been terrorizing a gate in Kyoto, and on the third he's recruited by ... Show More
40m 24s
Jul 2023
Préhistoire japonaise et Préhistoire européenne : quelles différences ? - Entretien avec Linda Gilaizeau
<p>Mes chers camarades, bien le bonjour ! </p><p>Bienvenue dans ce nouvel entretien historique ! Quand on parle de la Préhistoire en Europe, on peut facilement s’emmêler les pinceaux entre les différentes périodes : Âge du Fer, Âge du Bronze, Néolithique… Mais quand on s’intéress ... Show More
1h 44m
Dec 2023
À quoi ressemblait le Japon féodal ? - Entretien avec Julien Peltier
<p>Mes chers camarades, bien le bonjour ! </p><p>J’ai eu la chance de recevoir récemment en entretien Julien Peltier, un spécialiste de l’histoire militaire japonaise médiévale et de la figure du guerrier japonais. On a abordé ensemble l’histoire de l’unification du Japon, mais ç ... Show More
2m 51s