Japanese ‘holdout’ Shoichi Yokoi had been hiding out in the jungles of Guam since the Second World War when he was discovered by hunters on 24th January, 1972, dressed in clothes woven from tree fibre.
The 57 year-old soldier had endured 27 years living in an underground shelter he dug himself, eating toads, river eels and rats. Although he had heard the War ... Show More
Jan 29
Desert Island Discs' First Castaway
The BBC broadcast the first ever edition of Roy Plomley’s ‘Desert Island Discs’ - the world’s longest-running interview programme - on 29th January, 1942. Opening, as the show still does, with Eric Coates’s theme music ‘By the Sleepy Lagoon’, the episode welcomed comedian Vic Oli ... Show More
13m 54s
Jan 28
Lego Shifts To Plastic
Stud-and-tube bricks, which paved the way for Lego to become one of the most successful companies in Denmark, were patented on 28th January, 1958. But this family business had already been in existence for 26 years, mostly making wooden toys. It later emerged, however, that the p ... Show More
11m 23s
Oct 2023
The Hiroshima Maidens (1955) w/ Josh Levin
<p>It’s October 3rd. This day in 1956, a group of 25 Japanese women are heading back to Japan after spending a year in the United States receiving medical and cosmetic surgery.</p>
<p>Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Slate’s Josh Levin to talk about the “Hiroshima Maidens,” ... Show More
26m 47s
Dec 2022
277: Japan: Samurai and Shoguns
In today's episode, Tom and Dominic discuss the history of Japan through six characters, with leading cultural historian of Japan, Chris Harding, as they cover feuding lords and buddhist monks, both world wars, Japanese medieval poetry, Manga culture, and much, much more.
Join T ... Show More
1h 2m
Sep 2021
The Most Merciless Yokai: the Korori (Ep.85)
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 foreigners were the ones who brought it to Japan.
Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript.
Uncanny J ... Show More
15m 54s
May 2024
Yasuke: The First African Samurai
<p>Yasuke is one of the most captivating and yet mysterious figures within Japanese history. In 1581, at the height of the civil war, he crossed paths with the country’s most powerful warlord, Oda Nobunaga. Their meeting bound the two men together and set Yasuke on a path to beco ... Show More
29m 30s
<p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/89428/THEM.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="250" />Jim dedicates this episode to the memory of his parents, Jim & Phyllis, who would have celebrated their 70th Weddi ... Show More
