Bon Odori or Bon Dancing is a summer tradition held all over Japan. It's a chance for families to get together and have an enjoyable time dancing to the rhythmical music. Seeing as how the Obon season is also when ancestors visit from beyond the grave, they, too, can take part in the festivities if they wish.
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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
32m 28s
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
Feb 16
Why the Year of the Fire Horse is Dreaded in Japan and Cursed Kimonos (Ep. 185)
2026 is the year of the fire horse—a year that happens only once every 60 years. Across East Asia, it symbolizes transformation, intensity, and bold action. But in Japan? It's feared. Birth rates actually plummet during fire horse years because of a superstition that dates back t ... Show More
16m 25s
Jun 2023
History of Everything: The Legend of Houdini
Harry Houdini was an American escape artist, magic man, and stunt performer, noted for his escape acts. His pseudonym is a reference to his spiritual master, French magician Robert-Houdin. Truly though his story is wild and with many twists and turns.
Travel to Japan With Me her ... Show More
1h 32m
Feb 2024
Mussoorie - A short history with Anmol Jain
GIVEAWAY ALERT: Listen to the episode and answer 3 simple questions linked in the URL below: https://forms.gle/V383GKghqBfarsNi6 This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to columnist and author, Anmol Jain, as we discuss his book Wanderings in the Land of Mist - A complete story of ... Show More
57m 17s
Mar 2023
The Princess Mouse - A Tale from Finland
<p>Tonight’s storytelling is a tale from Finland called ‘The Princess Mouse’, a retelling by Aaron Shepherd, about a young man named Mikko. According to his family tradition, in order to find a sweetheart, Mikko must cut down a tree and follow to where it points. Mikko’s brother ... Show More
31m 19s
Feb 2023
The Dark History Of Valentines Day ,And The Festival Of Lupercalia
On todays episode im reuploading a episode from 2002 , talking about the dark history of valentines day , you find much romance at the beggining , but you will find , rituals , beatings and decapitation and the festival of lupercalia ......enjoy
Bizarre Podcast also has a youtube ... Show More
8m 57s
Feb 2023
The Soul of Music: Rhiannon Giddens excavates the past
This episode is part one of The Soul of Music—Overheard’s four-part series focusing on music, exploration, and Black history. Our guest this week is two-time Grammy award winner Rhiannon Giddens, a singer, songwriter, and banjo and fiddle player. A self-described “armchair histor ... Show More
35m 14s
<p>Back to the land of fairy tales this week with another great story by Yei Theodora Osaki. </p><p>For a searchable, tagged index of all the episodes or to make a request, go to <a href="https://www.listentosleep.com/">https://www.listentosleep.com</a>. </p><p>If you'd ... Show More
