Uncanny Japan - Japanese Folklore, Folktales, Myths and Language
225 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 153 ratingsSpeculative 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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Episodes
Children's Day Iris Baths and Golden Boys (Shobuyu and Kintaro) (Ep. 51)
April 30, 2020 03:10 - 17 minutes - 16.7 MBOn May 5th people all across Japan celebrate Children's Day or Kodomo no Hi. It might not be a normal year, but if you look out your veranda you can possibly see some carp streamer (koi nobori). One of the ways to celebrate is with an iris bath or shoubu-yu. It's purported to make you strong like a samurai. Another way to celebrate is for boys to set out a fancy doll. Kintaro is often found in houses all over Japan. He's also big and strong like a samurai. Visit the Uncanny Japan website t...
Episode 51: Children's Day Iris Baths and Golden Boys (Shobuyu and Kintaro)
April 30, 2020 03:10 - 17 minutes - 16.7 MBOn May 5th people all across Japan celebrate Children's Day or Kodomo no Hi. It might not be a normal year, but if you look out your veranda you can possibly see some carp streamer (koi nobori). One of the ways to celebrate is with an iris bath or shoubu-yu. It's purported to make you strong like a samurai. Another way to celebrate is for boys to set out a fancy doll. Kintaro is often found in houses all over Japan. He's also big and strong like a samurai. You can also find me on: Twi...
Episode 50: Story Time - Sand Walls, Paper Doors
April 16, 2020 01:12 - 32 minutes - 31.1 MBI want to celebrate my fiftieth episode by reading my yokai story, "Sand Walls, Paper Doors" from my book A Robe of Feathers and Other Stories. This is the one that got me my book deal, my agent, and my best friend. Also, yokai, lots of yokai. I'm also going to announce a super-sekrit project Rich Pav and I have just embarked on. Hint: Horror Audio Drama. Thank you for listening, sharing, and reaching out these past three and a half years. I'm looking forward to the next fifty episodes! ...
Story Time - Sand Walls, Paper Doors (Ep. 50)
April 16, 2020 01:12 - 32 minutes - 31.1 MBI want to celebrate my fiftieth episode by reading my yokai story, "Sand Walls, Paper Doors" from my book A Robe of Feathers and Other Stories. This is the one that got me my book deal, my agent, and my best friend. Also, yokai, lots of yokai. I'm also going to announce a super-sekrit project Rich Pav and I have just embarked on. Hint: Horror Audio Drama. Thank you for listening, sharing, and reaching out these past three and a half years. I'm looking forward to the next fifty episodes! ...
Story Time: Sand Walls, Paper Doors (Ep. 50)
April 16, 2020 01:12 - 32 minutes - 31.1 MBI want to celebrate my fiftieth episode by reading my yokai story, "Sand Walls, Paper Doors" from my book A Robe of Feathers and Other Stories. This is the one that got me my book deal, my agent, and my best friend. Also, yokai, lots of yokai. Thank you for listening, sharing, and reaching out these past three and a half years. I'm looking forward to the next fifty episodes! Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript. Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. ...
Close Encounter with an Amabie (Ep. 49)
April 01, 2020 01:31 - 13 minutes - 13.1 MBAn amabie is a Japanese yokai that is said to have predicted a plague and then encouraged people to share its image to protect them from that previously predicted plague. Or something like that. The amabie has recently been re-remembered all over Japanese social media with people posting their own adorable depictions of that long-haired, beak-faced, three-footed creature and wishing the current plague (Covid-19) to go away. But that's not the half of it. Imagine my surprise when I learne...
Episode 49: Close Encounter with an Amabie
April 01, 2020 01:31 - 13 minutes - 13.1 MBAn amabie is a Japanese yokai that is said to have predicted a plague and then encouraged people to share its image to protect them from that previously predicted plague. Or something like that. The amabie has recently been re-remembered all over Japanese social media with people posting their own adorable depictions of that long-haired, beak-faced, three-footed creature and wishing the current plague (Covid-19) to go away. But that's not the half of it. Imagine my surprise when I learne...
The Kappa's Fart (Ep. 48)
March 15, 2020 06:13 - 14 minutes - 14.4 MBA kappa is a small, scrawny, aquatic yokai with a parrot-like beak, a tortoise-style shell on its back, and an indentation on the top of its head full of water. They're found in rivers, lakes, ponds, and even coastal areas. But what do they do? While recently kappa have been rebranded to be very kawaii, that hasn't always been the case. Listen to find out how heinous these slimy critters can be. Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript. Uncanny Japan is aut...
Episode 48: The Kappa's Fart
March 15, 2020 06:13 - 14 minutes - 14.4 MBA kappa is a small, scrawny, aquatic yokai with a parrot-like beak, a tortoise-style shell on its back, and an indentation on the top of its head full of water. They're found in rivers, lakes, ponds, and even coastal areas. But what do they do? While recently kappa have been rebranded to be very kawaii, that hasn't always been the case. Listen to the newest episode of Uncanny Japan to find out how heinous these slimy critters can be. You can also find me on: Twitter: https://twitter.co...
Episode 47: The Guest Room Child (Zashiki Warashi)
February 27, 2020 09:38 - 15 minutes - 15.5 MBHave you ever been sleeping and had a bout of kanashibari (sleep paralysis)? Then during that surreal -- most likely frightening -- experience, have you ever had what feels like a ghost child crawling on top of you? Or maybe late one night when you're all alone, you've heard an unseen child giggling. Perhaps you've heard tiny footsteps running across the floor, or found little footprints on your floor or handprints on the wall. If so, you've probably just experienced a have you ever had what...
The Guest Room Child (Zashiki Warashi) (Ep. 47)
February 27, 2020 09:38 - 15 minutes - 15.5 MBHave you ever been sleeping and had a bout of kanashibari (sleep paralysis)? Then during that surreal--most likely frightening--experience, have you ever had what feels like a ghost child crawling on top of you? Or maybe late one night when you're all alone, you've heard an unseen child giggling. Perhaps you've heard tiny footsteps running across the floor, or found little footprints on your floor or handprints on the wall. If so, you've probably just experienced a zashiki warashi (a guest r...
Kanashibari and the Pillow Flipper (Makura Gaeshi) (Ep. 46)
February 11, 2020 11:34 - 11 minutes - 11.2 MBThe makura gaeshi, or pillow flipper, was thought to cause kanashibari, otherwise known as sleep paralysis. It happens when you believe you've woken up in bed, but you're actually somewhere between wakefulness and sleep. You’re aware of the room around you, but there's a subtle change in the air. You try to move, but you're frozen. You try to call out, but you can't make a sound. It's a terrifying experience. Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript. Uncanny ...
Episode 46: Kanashibari and the Pillow Flipper (Makura Gaeshi)
February 11, 2020 11:34 - 11 minutes - 11.2 MBThe makura gaeshi, or pillow flipper, was thought to cause kanashibari, otherwise known as sleep paralysis. It happens when you believe you've woken up in bed, but you're actually somewhere between wakefulness and sleep. You’re aware of the room around you, but there's a subtle change in the air. You try to move, but you’re frozen. You try to call out, but you can’t make a sound. It’s a terrifying experience. You can also find me on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: h...
Episode 45: Auspicious Cuisine (Osechi Ryori)
January 23, 2020 04:41 - 16 minutes - 16.3 MBWant to increase your chances of a new year filled with health, prosperity, and an abundance of children and grandchildren? All you need to do is eat some delicious osechi ryori. Osechi is Japan's New Year's cuisine that includes such delicacies as herring wrapped in kelp and tied with gourd strings (nori maki), dried and candied anchovies (tazukuri), and golden sweet potato and chestnut mash (kurikinton). You can also find me on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Faceboo...
Auspicious Cuisine (Osechi Ryori) (Ep. 45)
January 23, 2020 04:41 - 16 minutes - 16.3 MBWant to increase your chances of a new year filled with health, prosperity, and an abundance of children and grandchildren? All you need to do is eat some delicious osechi ryori. Osechi is Japan's New Year's cuisine that includes such delicacies as herring wrapped in kelp and tied with gourd strings (nori maki), dried and candied anchovies (tazukuri), and golden sweet potato and chestnut mash (kurikinton). Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript. Uncanny Jap...
Haunted Artifacts (Tsukumogami) (Ep. 44)
December 24, 2019 03:53 - 13 minutes - 13 MBIn Japan when an inanimate object reaches its 100th birthday and perhaps it was mistreated, or lost, or thrown away, it gains a soul and might possibly start playing tricks on people. This is called tsukumogami, or haunted artifacts. In this episode I talk about the tsukumogami and some traditional ones you could run across on a dark spooky night. Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript. Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Her other shows are Uncanny Ro...
Episode 44: Haunted Artifacts (Tsukumogami)
December 24, 2019 03:53 - 13 minutes - 13 MBIn Japan when an inanimate object reaches its 100th birthday and perhaps it was mistreated, or lost, or thrown away, it gains a soul and might possibly start playing tricks on people. This is called tsukumogami, or haunted artifacts. In this episode of Uncanny Japan, I talk about the tsukumogami and some traditional ones you could run across on a dark spooky night. You can also find me on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/ Patreo...
The Great Horned Master (Tsuno Daishi) (Ep. 43)
November 14, 2019 05:02 - 12 minutes - 12.8 MBWhen walking around Japan you might see a small rectangular piece of paper pasted near a front door or on a gate. On this paper is an image that can only be described as a demon or devil. While off-putting at first, this creepy little fellow isn't actually a bad guy; he's there to protect the family and household. In this episode I'm going to tell you why. Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript. Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Her other shows are U...
Episode 43: The Great Horned Master (Tsuno Daishi)
November 14, 2019 05:02 - 12 minutes - 12.8 MBWhen walking around Japan you might see a small rectangular piece of paper pasted near a front door or on a gate. On this paper is an image that can only be described as a demon or devil. While off-putting at first, this creepy little fellow isn't actually a bad guy; he's there to protect the family and household. On this episode of Uncanny Japan, I'm going to tell you why. You can also find me on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyja...
Story Time: Yotsuya Kaidan (The Ghost of Oiwa) (Ep. 42)
October 25, 2019 22:54 - 21 minutes - 21.2 MBIt's almost Halloween, so for this episode of Uncanny Japan I'm going to tell you a spooky tale called Yotsuya Kaidan, the story of Oiwa and her sad and vengeful ghost. The last ghost story I told here was in episode 25, Okiku and the Nine Plates (Bancho Sarayashiki). Well, Yotsuya Kaidan's main character, Oiwa, is another one of the biggies, who I'm guessing is even more well known than Okiku. There are so many versions of this story, so here I'm going to tell you mine. I'm going to try and...
Episode 42: Story Time - Yotsuya Kaidan (The Ghost of Oiwa)
October 25, 2019 22:54 - 21 minutes - 21.2 MBIt's almost Halloween, so for this episode of Uncanny Japan I'm going to tell you a spooky tale called Yotsuya Kaidan, the story of Oiwa and her sad and vengeful ghost. The last ghost story I told here was in episode 25, Okiku and the Nine Plates (Bancho Sarayashiki). Well, Yotsuya Kaidan's main character, Oiwa, is another one of the biggies, who I'm guessing is even more well known than Okiku. There are so many versions of this story, so here I'm going to tell you mine. I'm going to try and...
Story Time - Yotsuya Kaidan (The Ghost of Oiwa) (Ep. 42)
October 25, 2019 22:54 - 21 minutes - 21.2 MBIt's almost Halloween, so for this episode of Uncanny Japan I'm going to tell you a spooky tale called Yotsuya Kaidan, the story of Oiwa and her sad and vengeful ghost. The last ghost story I told here was in episode 25, Okiku and the Nine Plates (Bancho Sarayashiki). Well, Yotsuya Kaidan's main character, Oiwa, is another one of the biggies, who I'm guessing is even more well known than Okiku. There are so many versions of this story, so here I'm going to tell you mine. I'm going to try and...
Episode 41: Japanese Superstitions II: Spider Lilies and Ghostly Trees
October 10, 2019 02:03 - 13 minutes - 13.3 MB(Transcript below) Why is the beautiful Spider lily also called a corpse flower? Why didn't samurai keep camellias in their gardens? Why do Japanese ghosts like to hang out under weeping willows? On this episode of Uncanny Japan I'll take on a few more Japanese superstitions, but this time plant and flower-related stories. You can also find me on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thersamatsuu...
Japanese Superstitions II: Spider Lilies and Ghostly Trees (Ep. 41)
October 10, 2019 02:03 - 13 minutes - 13.3 MBWhy is the beautiful Spider lily also called a corpse flower? Why didn't samurai keep camellias in their gardens? Why do Japanese ghosts like to hang out under weeping willows? On this episode I'll take on a few more Japanese superstitions, but this time plant and flower-related stories. Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript. Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Her other shows are Uncanny Robot Podcast and The Soothing Stories Podcast. Check out her...
Episode 40: Daruma - He Cut Off His What?!
September 12, 2019 04:51 - 12 minutes - 12.4 MBHis eyelids. He cut off his eyelids. But that is not all that the Daruma (Bodhidharma) is famous for. He's the man who brought Chan to China and Zen to Japan. Some say he taught the Shaolin monks how to fight while other tales talk about how he invented green tea, or well, his eyelids did. Join me and a thousand singing night insects while in episode 40 I tell you about the great sage, Daruma. Also, you know how if you wait until the end of the credits in some movies you're rewarded with...
Daruma - He Cut Off His What?! (Ep. 40)
September 12, 2019 04:51 - 12 minutes - 12.4 MBHis eyelids. He cut off his eyelids. But that is not all that the Daruma (Bodhidharma) is famous for. He's the man who brought Chan to China and Zen to Japan. Some say he taught the Shaolin monks how to fight while other tales talk about how he invented green tea, or well, his eyelids did. Join me and a thousand singing night insects while I tell you about the great sage, Daruma. Also, you know how if you wait until the end of the credits in some movies you're rewarded with a little some...
Episode 39: Behind the Curtain: Advice for people coming to Japan
August 22, 2019 02:13 - 18 minutes - 17.6 MBEpisode 39 of Uncanny Japan is different, it's special. Today I forgo my usual format and invite my friend, fellow long time expat, and Sound Dude, Rich Pav, to join me in answering some listener questions about advice when coming to Japan. Here we talk about just a few things we've gleaned from our living-in-Japan experience. A longer version is available for my $5 and up Patrons. Since this is an experiment, tell us what you think. Would this kind of show every so often be of interest to...
Behind the Curtain: Advice for people coming to Japan (Ep. 39)
August 22, 2019 02:13 - 18 minutes - 17.6 MBEpisode 39 of Uncanny Japan is different, it's special. Today I forgo my usual format and invite my friend, fellow long time expat, and Sound Dude, Rich Pav, to join me in answering some listener questions about advice when coming to Japan. Here we talk about just a few things we've gleaned from our living-in-Japan experience. A longer version is available for my $5 and up Patrons. Since this is an experiment, tell us what you think. Would this kind of show every so often be of interest to...
Story Time: Cicada by Lafcadio Hearn (Ep. 38)
August 08, 2019 02:15 - 20 minutes - 19.8 MBIn Episode 38, you can listen to Lafcadio Hearn's whimsical take on the cicada (semi) while enjoying some real time cicada singing in the background. Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript. Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Her other shows are Uncanny Robot Podcast and The Soothing Stories Podcast. Check out her books including The Carp-Faced Boy on Amazon. If you'd like to help support the podcast and have a bedtime story read to you monthly, please...
Episode 38: Story Time - Cicada (Lafcadio Hearn)
August 08, 2019 02:15 - 20 minutes - 19.8 MBIn Episode 38, you can listen to Lafcadio Hearn's whimsical take on the cicada (semi) while enjoying some real time cicada singing in the background. A lot of the poems didn't make it into the podcast. Here are a few: "A very large number of Japanese poems about sémi describe the noise of the creatures as an affliction. To fully sympathize with the complaints of the poets, one must have heard certain varieties of Japanese cicadæ in full midsummer chorus; but even by readers without experi...
Story Time: Cicada (Lafcadio Hearn) (Ep. 38)
August 08, 2019 02:15 - 20 minutes - 19.8 MBIn Episode 38, you can listen to Lafcadio Hearn's whimsical take on the cicada (semi) while enjoying some real time cicada singing in the background. A lot of the poems didn't make it into the podcast. Here are a few: "A very large number of Japanese poems about sémi describe the noise of the creatures as an affliction. To fully sympathize with the complaints of the poets, one must have heard certain varieties of Japanese cicadæ in full midsummer chorus; but even by readers without experi...
Story Time - Cicada (Lafcadio Hearn) (Ep. 38)
August 08, 2019 02:15 - 20 minutes - 19.8 MBIn Episode 38, you can listen to Lafcadio Hearn's whimsical take on the cicada (semi) while enjoying some real time cicada singing in the background. A lot of the poems didn't make it into the podcast. Here are a few: "A very large number of Japanese poems about sémi describe the noise of the creatures as an affliction. To fully sympathize with the complaints of the poets, one must have heard certain varieties of Japanese cicadæ in full midsummer chorus; but even by readers without experi...
Episode 37: The Ogre App to Discipline Your Child (Oni Kara Denwa)
July 21, 2019 04:30 - 17 minutes - 17 MB(Transcript below) Ever since I saw a mother discipline her child by threatening to call an oni/ogre, I’ve been wanting to do talk about this. Then I found out it really is a thing, an app called Oni Kara Denwa (A Call From an Oni, or as it’s translated in Japanese: Ghost Call) to be more precise. In Episode 37, I talk about what I’ve heard playfully called the oni appuli. It has over 10 million downloads and purports to help you raise your child. I’ve got a lot of thoughts and feelings ...
The Ogre App to Discipline Your Child (Oni Kara Denwa) (Ep. 37)
July 21, 2019 04:30 - 17 minutes - 17 MB(Transcript below) Ever since I saw a mother discipline her child by threatening to call an oni/ogre, I’ve been wanting to do talk about this. Then I found out it really is a thing, an app called Oni Kara Denwa (A Call From an Oni, or as it’s translated in Japanese: Ghost Call) to be more precise. In Episode 37, I talk about what I’ve heard playfully called the oni appuli. It has over 10 million downloads and purports to help you raise your child. I’ve got a lot of thoughts and feelings ...
Oni Kara Denwa: The Ogre App to Discipline Your Child (Ep. 37)
July 21, 2019 04:30 - 17 minutes - 17 MBEver since I saw a mother discipline her child by threatening to call an oni/ogre, I've been wanting to do talk about this. Then I found out it really is a thing, an app called Oni Kara Denwa (A Call From an Oni, or as it's translated in Japanese: Ghost Call) to be more precise. In Episode 37, I talk about what I've heard playfully called the oni appuli. It has over 10 million downloads and purports to help you raise your child. I've got a lot of thoughts and feelings about this one, but I...
Episode 36: The Rock That Cries at Night (Yonaki Ishi)
June 27, 2019 02:00 - 12 minutes - 12.9 MBA rock that gets weepy when the sun goes down, a pregnant woman slain alone in the mountains, a newborn baby visited by a ghostly priest who feds him candy to stay alive. These are all parts of this month's podcast: The Rock The Cries at Night (Yonaki Ishi). In this episode, I visit a local spot (one of the Enshu Nanafushigi / Seven Mysterious Things of Enshu). Come listen to me tell the tale while I sit by some rain, thunder, and an ambitious frog. It's a wonderful old legend, but can y...
The Rock That Cries at Night (Yonaki Ishi) (Ep. 36)
June 27, 2019 02:00 - 12 minutes - 12.9 MBA rock that gets weepy when the sun goes down, a pregnant woman slain alone in the mountains, a newborn baby visited by a ghostly priest who feds him candy to stay alive. These are all parts of this month's podcast: The Rock The Cries at Night (Yonaki Ishi). In this episode, I visit a local spot (one of the Enshu Nanafushigi / Seven Mysterious Things of Enshu). Come listen to me tell the tale while I sit by some rain, thunder, and an ambitious frog. It's a wonderful old legend, but can y...
Nanafushigi: Seven Mysterious Things (Ep. 35)
May 27, 2019 06:31 - 15 minutes - 15.4 MBA giant hairy foot crashing through the roof of an old house and demanding to be washed. A festive tanuki band that appears in the dead of night and lures you into parts unknown. These are just two of the Honjo Nanafushigi. Nanafushigi can be translated as seven wonders, but they're more like seven mysteries. All over Japan you can find stories (old and new) of seven strange occurrences. As an introduction to my new idea of covering local legends and creepy tales, this month's podcast is abo...
Episode 35: Seven Mysterious Things (Nanafushigi)
May 27, 2019 06:31 - 15 minutes - 15.4 MBA giant hairy foot crashing through the roof of a old house and demanding to be washed. A festive tanuki band that appears in the dead of night and lures you into parts unknown. These are just two of the Honjo Nanafushigi. Nanafushigi can be translated as seven wonders, but they're more like seven mysteries. All over Japan you can find stories (old and new) of seven strange occurances. As an introduction to my new idea of covering local legends and creepy tales, this month's podcast is about...
Seven Mysterious Things (Nanafushigi) (Ep. 35)
May 27, 2019 06:31 - 15 minutes - 15.4 MBA giant hairy foot crashing through the roof of a old house and demanding to be washed. A festive tanuki band that appears in the dead of night and lures you into parts unknown. These are just two of the Honjo Nanafushigi. Nanafushigi can be translated as seven wonders, but they're more like seven mysteries. All over Japan you can find stories (old and new) of seven strange occurances. As an introduction to my new idea of covering local legends and creepy tales, this month's podcast is about...
Hidden by the Gods (Kamikakushi) (Ep. 34)
May 06, 2019 07:30 - 16 minutes - 15.9 MBToday's show feels like a wacky and wonderful one. You see, I started talking about the tengu in Episode 32 (Heavenly Dogs and Brilliant Swordsmen), but I wasn't able to cover one of my favorite things about this red faced, long nosed, mountain warrior. That being the notion of kamikakushi (神隠し) or being spirited away. In this episode I get into that but the more I researched the really wild and fascinating information I ran across. In this Episode 34: Spirited Away (Kamikakushi), I'll tel...
Episode 34: Hidden by the Gods (Kamikakushi)
May 06, 2019 07:30 - 16 minutes - 15.9 MB(Transcript below) Today’s show feels like a wacky and wonderful one. You see, I started talking about the tengu in Episode 32 (Heavenly Dogs and Brilliant Swordsmen), but I wasn’t able to cover one of my favorite things about this red faced, long nosed, mountain warrior. That being the notion of kamikakushi (神隠し) or being spirited away. In this episode I get into that but the more I researched the really wild and fascinating information I ran across. In this Episode 34: Spirited Away (...
Story Time: The Story of Mimi-Nashi Hoichi (Lafcadio Hearn) (Ep. 33)
April 15, 2019 05:07 - 24 minutes - 23.3 MBAfter coming to live in Japan (1890), Lafcadio Hearn listened intently to the folk stories and ghostly tales that were related to him. He then wrote them down in English, adding his own unique style and began publishing books of his gathered observances and retellings. Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan, Exotics and Retrospectives, and Kwaidan to name a few. Today on Uncanny Japan, I read you "Mimi-nashi Hoichi", arguably Mr. Hearn's most well-known story. A story that has been made into a movie...
Episode 33: Story Time: The Story of Mimi-Nashi Hoichi (Lafcadio Hearn)
April 15, 2019 05:07 - 24 minutes - 23.3 MBAfter coming to live in Japan (1890), Lafcadio Hearn listened intently to the folk stories and ghostly tales that were related to him. He then wrote them down in English, adding his own unique style and began publishing books of his gathered observances and retellings. Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan, Exotics and Retrospectives, and Kwaidan to name a few. Today on Uncanny Japan, I read you "Mimi-nashi Hoichi", arguably Mr. Hearn's most well-known story. A story that has been made into a movie...
Episode 33: Story Time - The Story of Mimi-Nashi Hoichi (Lafcadio Hearn)
April 15, 2019 05:07 - 24 minutes - 23.3 MB(Transcript below) After coming to live in Japan (1890), Lafcadio Hearn listened intently to the folk stories and ghostly tales that were related to him. He then wrote them down in English, adding his own unique style and began publishing books of his gathered observances and retellings. Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan, Exotics and Retrospectives, and Kwaidan to name a few. Today on Uncanny Japan, I read you “Mimi-nashi Hoichi“, arguably Mr. Hearn’s most well-known story. A story that has b...
Story Time: Hoichi The Earless by Lafcadio Hearn (Mimi-nashi Hoichi) (Ep. 33)
April 15, 2019 05:07 - 24 minutes - 23.3 MBAfter coming to live in Japan (1890), Lafcadio Hearn listened intently to the folk stories and ghostly tales that were related to him. He then wrote them down in English, adding his own unique style and began publishing books of his gathered observances and retellings. Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan, Exotics and Retrospectives, and Kwaidan to name a few. Today on Uncanny Japan, I read you "Mimi-nashi Hoichi", arguably Mr. Hearn's most well-known story. A story that has been made into a movie...
Episode 32: Heavenly Dogs and Brilliant Swordsmen (The Tengu)
March 31, 2019 13:01 - 11 minutes - 11.6 MBThere are two types of tengu: the karasu/crow tengu and the hanadaka/long-nosed tengu. They're both awesome martial artists and fearsome foes, among other things. On episode 32, I'll introduce you to these two super cool Japanese yokai and tell you a little bit about their lore. A Hanadaka (long-nosed) Tengu You can also find me on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thersamatsuura Instagram: ...
Heavenly Dogs and Brilliant Swordsmen (The Tengu) (Ep. 32)
March 31, 2019 13:01 - 11 minutes - 11.6 MBThere are two types of tengu: the karasu/crow tengu and the hanadaka/long-nosed tengu. They're both awesome martial artists and fearsome foes, among other things. In this episode, I'll introduce you to these two super cool Japanese yokai and tell you a little bit about their lore. Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript. Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Her other shows are Uncanny Robot Podcast and The Soothing Stories Podcast. Check out her books in...
Story Time: Of a Mirror and a Bell (Lafcadio Hearn) (Ep. 31)
March 06, 2019 06:29 - 15 minutes - 19.4 MBStory Time is a little bit different than the usual Uncanny Japan podcast. Instead of me telling you about some interesting, odd, or spooky tidbit, I'll be reading you a story. This is something I do over on Patreon once a month. There I call them Bedtime Stories and they're more varied, from obscure pieces of folklore I find, translate, and slightly reimagine (for the story's sake), to pieces I discover in the public domain and sometimes even my own work. But that's that. Here on Uncanny ...
Story Time - Of a Mirror and a Bell (Lafcadio Hearn) (Ep. 31)
March 06, 2019 06:29 - 15 minutes - 19.4 MBStory Time is a little bit different than the usual Uncanny Japan podcast. Instead of me telling you about some interesting, odd, or spooky tidbit, I'll be reading you a story. This is something I do over on Patreon once a month. There I call them Bedtime Stories and they're more varied, from obscure pieces of folklore I find, translate, and slightly reimagine (for the story's sake), to pieces I discover in the public domain and sometimes even my own work. But that's that. Here on Uncanny ...