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 oiran who wears a kimono covered in images of hell? In this episode I talk about her legend and relationship with the eccentric monk Ikkyuu.
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Jun 1
The Ghost-Playing Actor Who Became a REAL Vengeful Ghost: Kohada Koheiji (Ep. 191)
Not all Japanese revenge ghosts are wronged women. Meet Kohada Koheiji: a failed Edo-period actor who became famous for playing ghosts, only to be murdered, drowned, and returned as the very thing he once performed. In this episode, we explore the tangled history of the “real” Ko ... Show More
30m 56s
May 18
All That Flows: Benzaiten, White Snakes, and Human-Headed Serpents
In this episode of Uncanny Japan, we follow Benzaiten — also known as Benten — from her origins as Saraswati to her place among Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods. Along the way: Enoshima’s five-headed dragon, white snakes as divine messengers, snake-skin wallets, house snakes, and Ugajin, ... Show More
22m 30s
May 4
Everyone Has a Throat Buddha / What is it and Why? -- Nodohotoke & Story Time: "The Buddha Bone" (Ep. 189)
Have you ever heard of the nodo-hotoke, or “throat Buddha”? In everyday Japanese, it usually refers to the Adam’s apple. But after death, especially in the context of cremation, the nodo-hotoke becomes something else entirely, the actual seat of your soul. In this episode of Unca ... Show More
32m 51s
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
Dec 2023
Le Japon et la période des royaumes combattants - Entretien avec Julien Peltier
<p>Mes chers camarades, bien le bonjour, et bienvenue dans ce nouvel entretien historique ! </p><p>J’ai eu le plaisir d’y recevoir Julien Peltier, un spécialiste de l’histoire japonaise médiévale, et plus particulièrement de la figure du guerrier japonais, ainsi que de la période ... Show More
1h 49m
Jun 2024
The Ultimate Samurai Warlord: Oda Nobunaga, Japan's First Great Unifier
Oda Nobunaga, samurai warlord. He’s one of Japan’s most infamous and consequential figures, known to many as Japan’s first ‘Great Unifier’. From humble beginnings as the daimyo of Owari province, he embarked on a mission to unite all of Japan under his sole control. But how did h ... Show More
49m 12s
Jun 2024
Shogun and Shinto: What Life Was Like In Feudal Japan
What was life like in feudal Japan? If you were born into the chaos of the Warring States period, would you have been a farmer, a merchant or a samurai? Or perhaps even an Emperor?Delving into the history behind the latest Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Matt Lew ... Show More
37m 40s
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
May 2021
223B-Samurai Legends: Dinner Party
<p>There's a killer on the loose in Kyoto. Young women are disappearing from the streets, never to be heard from again. Minamoto no Raikō, the legendary samurai, knows that it isn't merely a serial killer, but the demons. After he and other samurai like him drove the demons away, ... Show More
50m 7s
Aug 2023
178.【会話後半】Discovery Chat with Miku from Miku Real Japanese | Rokuyō, Superstitions, and Miku's World Tour Plans
<p>Join us once again as we welcome Miku from Miku Real Japanese. In this episode, we delve into intriguing topics, exploring the concept of "六曜Rokuyō," unraveling the mysteries behind Japanese superstitions, and discussing Miku's upcoming grand world tour plans! </ ... Show More
18m 43s
Mar 2022
262-Japanese Folklore: Fatal Attraction
Three stories from Japan about love gone wrong. On the first, the fairest youth in all the land is set to marry the daughter of a rich noble. The problem? His father kind of oversold his looks... On the second, we'll see why moths and other nighttime bugs go toward the light, and ... Show More
41m 9s