The cicadas are fading, the bell crickets are singing, and autumn is beginning to creep into Japan. There’s an old saying: aki no hi wa tsurube otoshi—“an autumn day falls like a well bucket”—describing how suddenly darkness arrives this time of year.
But Tsurube Otoshi is also the name of a very strange yōkai.
Depending on where you are, it might be a wel ... 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