This episode is story time. We’re traveling to the remote Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan for an old Japanese tale collected by Richard Gordon Smith in his 1908 book Ancient Tales and Folk-Lore of Japan.
When young Tokoyo sets out to find her banished father, her journey leads her to an island haunted by a terrible tradition: every year, a young woman must ... Show More
Sep 29
The Lost Wolves of Japan: Gods, Guardians, and Ghosts (Ep. 200) -from the archives
Once, wolves roamed the mountains of Japan—not simply as predators, but as protectors, messengers of the gods, and sometimes gods themselves. For this special archive episode, I’ve combined two earlier Uncanny Japan episodes into one extended journey through the history and folkl ... Show More
39m 56s
Aug 17
100 Ghost Stories in the Dark: Why Summer Is Ghost Season in Japan (Ep. 197)
In Japan, ghosts don’t wait for October. Summer—especially the hot, humid weeks around Obon—has long been the season for ghost stories, strange encounters, and deliberately scaring yourself silly. In this episode of Uncanny Japan, we’ll sit down for hyakumonogatari, the old pract ... Show More
26m 52s
Jul 2024
Orientalism and Cultures of Death
<p>John, Jim, Brian, and Paul discuss how Japan reversed western notions of orientalism, particularly in psychology, so as to create a unified national identity dealing in death in both inward self-identity and outward colonialism. Japan is a case in point of how cultures reify d ... Show More
1h 2m
Oct 2024
Yurei - Japanese Ghosts & Hauntings
<p>Explore the chilling world of Yurei, the vengeful ghosts of Japanese folklore. In this episode, we delve into the origins, stories, and legends surrounding Yurei spirits, from their connection to death and unresolved grudges to their portrayal in popular Japanese horror. Disco ... Show More
28m 17s