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Japanese Myths, Folktales, Folklore and Language

Episodes

A Handful of Deadly Beach Beauties: Iso Onna, Nure Onna, Nure Onago (Ep. 177)

The summer heat in Japan is shattering and inescapable. Why not go to the beach to cool off? I'll tell you why not. Because there's something lurking on the coasts that is far more dangerous than any rip current.
Spectral figure with devil mask against a sunset backdrop

Your Guide to the Afterlife in Japan (Ep. 176)

So, you've died in Japan. Let me help you navigate the underworld and if we can, avoid the nastiest hells. In this episode, I explore the complex afterlife journey that awaits in Japanese Buddhist tradition.
King of Hell Enma Daio with crown and armor in flames

A Cursed Severed Head: Taira no Masakado (Ep. 175)

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night wondering who the first samurai was? Today I'm going to tell you about the fierce, legendary Taira no Masakado—and yes, we'll get into flying severed heads and curses too.
Illustration of Taira no Masakado with bold features and red accents

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

Have you ever heard the proverb: Saio ga Uma? In English, it’s often called “The Old Man’s Horse” or “The old man on the Frontier who lost his horse.” It is thought to have arrived in Japan from China during the Nara or Heian Eras. There are many different versions, but let me tell you mine...
Mythical horse with green hair in a Japanese setting

Myth Tales Vol. 2: The Wonderfully Unhinged Susanoo (Ep. 173)

This second installment of Myth Tales dives into the wild, chaotic life of Susanoo — Japan's tempestuous god of storms and sea. From being birthed out of a sneeze to slaying a monstrous eight-headed dragon, Susanoo’s mythos is as thrilling as it is unhinged. If you like gods with a flair for drama and destruction (and a redemption arc to boot), you’ll love this episode.
Susano'o holding a sacred tree in a mountainous setting

Tsuyu: The Dreaded Fifth Season in Japan (Ep. 172)

In this episode, I explore Japan's forgotten fifth season - tsuyu, the dreaded rainy season that brings relentless humidity, mold, and gray skies, but also beautiful hydrangea blooms and fascinating rain spirits.
Rainy scene with hydrangeas, kimono-clad figure, and karakasa kozo yokai.

Tōdaiki: The Truly Horrific Tale of the Candlestick Demon (Ep. 171)

Two tales of travel that went awry. The first is the gruesome story of "Tōdaik" ("The Candlestick Demon") and the second a sillier legend of "Minister Kibi's Adventures in China".
Demon with candlestick head in Japanese setting

Story Time: “Readings from the Dream Book” by Lafcadio Hearn (Ep. 170)

In this deeply contemplative episode, I share something we all might need right now - a little break from reality through the words of Lafcadio Hearn. I read his complete mystical piece "Readings from a Dream Book," a meditation on waves that fear breaking, souls that remember countless lives, and the eternal cycle of consciousness through cosmic time. Against the backdrop of soothing Pacific Ocean waves, this episode is a journey into Hearn's most philosophical work about dreams, impermanence, and the mysterious nature of existence itself.
Skeletal figure in water with big wave 'Uncanny Japan Ep. 170' text
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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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