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Category: Japanese Language 

The Yōkai That Drops from the Trees *squish*: Tsurube Otoshi

*humming*  You’re just minding your own business, taking a stroll through the woods, humming a little tune to scare away the snakes and the monkeys and the bears. Because that always works.  When you hear something that sounds like gii gii. Is that a straining rope out here in the middle of nowhere?   It’s […]

Childhood Incantations: Engacho, Pain Magic, & Severed Pinkies! (Ep. 194)

Legends of Japanese Mythology: Meet the Heroes, Spirits, Monsters, and Yokai of Japanese Folklore (Wide Eyes Editions) Pre Order Publishing date: September 1, 2026 Dark Tales from Japan: Japanese Horror Stories of Yokai, Ghosts, and the Supernatural (Adams Media) Pre Order (The above are affiliate links, if you order from there I’ll receive a small […]

Everyone Has a Throat Buddha: Nodohotoke and a Story: “The Buddha Bone” (Ep. 189)

In this episode, I talk about the nodo-hotoke, or “throat Buddha”—a phrase that means one thing while you’re alive and something quite different after death. We’ll look at the Buddha bone found after cremation in Japan, the funeral ritual of placing bones into the urn with long chopsticks, and the beliefs and taboos surrounding it. Then I’ll read my dark story “The Buddha Bone,” originally published in Weird Horror Issue 7. Content warning: this episode discusses death, cremation, and funeral customs.

Sanshi: The Three Body-Parasite Problem (Ep. 178)

You're not gonna believe this, but you have not one, not two, but three worms or parasites writhing around in your body right now, actively trying to kill you, but not in the way you think.
Mystical creatures and a floating figure in a colorful, surreal scene.

Saiō ga Uma: The Old Man’s Horse (Ep. 174)

In this episode, I explore the ancient Chinese parable that became a Japanese proverb: "Saiō ga Uma" (塞翁が馬) - the story of an old man whose horse's disappearance leads to an unexpected chain of fortune and misfortune. It's very strange, but recently it's been popping up in my thoughts a lot, so I thought I'd share this 2,000-year-old tale.
Mythical horse with green hair in a Japanese setting

Moshi Moshi! You’re About to Meet Some Demons! (Ep. 154)

Two fascinating phrases in Japanese that have very creepy origins. What are you really doing when you answer the phone "moshi moshi" anyway?
A person with glowing eyes and horns, wearing a dark outfit, stands on a quiet street with old buildings and dim lights at dusk.

Bug News: Body Parasites or Ghosts (Mushi no Shirase)? (Ep. 148)

Have you ever had a premonition or a foreboding feeling that turned out to be true? Was it a parasitic insect living in your belly or a ghost trying to tell you something?
Illustration of a traditional East Asian scholar holding a scroll, flanked by mythical creatures in a forest setting.

Another Chilling Children’s Song – Tōryanse (Ep. 104)

Do you remember when I talked about "Kagome Kagome"? A Japanese children's song that had curiously unnerving lyrics. Guess what. That's not the only goosebump-raising children's song in Japan. There's another. Well, at least one more. Today I'm going to tell you about "Toryanse". Like "Kagome Kagome", even Japanese people get a very off vibe from the lyrics.
Japanese Children Playing Games at Sunset
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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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