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Category: Japanese Folklore 

Mt. Fuji: A Fire Resistant Princess and a Sword Licking Mystic (Ep. 168)

In this episode, I share the legend of Princess Konohanasakuya-hime and how Mount Fuji got its name, plus a story about a mystic who had a very strange way of testing swords.
Mount Fuji with a old fashioned tanuki in a Japanese-inspired design

Turbo Granny: Japanese Urban Legend of the Highway Phantom (Ep. 161)

Turbo Granny is a Japanese urban legend about a fleet-footed old woman, but did you know she has friends?
An animated elderly woman in a purple outfit runs alongside a speeding gray car, with vibrant trees blurred in the background. The text 'Turbo Granny Ep. 161' is displayed in a playful font.

Japanese Supernatural Trees: Bloodthirsty Kodama & Cursed Jubokko (Ep. 156)

Trees. We all love trees. Let's look into the supernatural ones, the potentially deadly kind. Have you ever found yourself out walking in a forest and you're completely alone, but you don't feel that way? Maybe something is there observing you.
A digital illustration of a fantastical forest scene featuring a large, gnarled tree with green and white foliage. There are skulls and hints of blood on the tree trunk, and a dilapidated house is partially visible in the background. The text 'Yōkai Trees' is prominently displayed in orange at the top.

The Tragic (or not?) Tale of Anchin and Kiyohime (Ep. 153)

The Tale of Anchin and Kiyohime is an epic story of love, betrayal, and transforming into serpent dragons. But there are several versions of this classic.
Japanese folklore painting depicting Kiyohime myth: woman transformed into green serpent coiled around golden temple bell, hiding monk Anchin inside. Traditional brushwork on aged paper shows wooden temple pillars, capturing dramatic moment from classic legend of unrequited love and revenge.

Hokkaido Yōkai and Mythical Creatures (Ep. 152)

The northernmost island of Japan, Hokkaido, also has its own brand of yōkai and mythical creatures. Here I talk about seven of them.
A person is painting a whimsical scene with a brush on a sheet of paper. The illustration includes a shark, tentacles, and a character standing on a rock.

The Dangerous Truth about the Jorō Spider (Ep. 150)

The joro spider, a colorful arachnid from Japan, is harmless but tied to folklore about shape-shifting brides who fatally ensnare lovers at waterfalls.
Women in kimono shooting webs from her six spider arms. Baby spiders attached!

Beto Beto-san Vs Teke Teke: Things That Stalk You at Night (Ep. 149)

If you're ever walking alone on an empty street or path at night and you hear something distinctly not human following you, could it be the Beto Beto-san or the Teke Teke? One will take your life in the most horrendous way.
A watercolor illustration of a staircase in a forest with trees on both sides. A whimsical character with a large round head, big smiling mouth, and human-like legs is depicted climbing the stairs. The character is wearing traditional wooden sandals. Two hands are visible in the foreground, one holding a paintbrush and the other a paper towel. Japanese characters are written on the right side of the painting.

Falling Trees: Tengu or Furusoma (Creepy Dead Guy)?(Ep. 147)

If a you hear a tree fall in the woods, but can't find any sign of that fallen tree, is it the work of a tengu, a creepy dead guy ghost, or something else?
A furusoma, dead woodcutter, with tengu looking on

Ryomen Sukuna: Awesome Saint or Japan-Destroying Demon? (Ep. 145)

The two-faced, eight-limbed giant named Ryomen Sukuna has been around since very early Japan, still is he a Buddhism-protecting hero or a cursed demon who tried to destroy Japan?
Drawing of a two-faced creature with long hair sitting in a circle, with Chinese characters on the left and right sides.
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About The Uncanny Japan Podcast

Speculative fiction writer, long-term resident of Japan and Bram Stoker Award finalist Thersa Matsuura explores all that is weird from old Japan—strange superstitions, folktales, cultural oddities, and interesting language quirks. These are little treasures she digs up while doing research for her writing.

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