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Uncanny Japan

By Thersa Matsuura

Uncanny Japan is author, Thersa Matsuura, exploring all that is weird from old Japan. Strange superstitions, old wives tales, cultural oddities, and interesting language quirks. These are little treasures dug up while doing research for her writing. Every episode is recorded with binaural mics, so you can experience the ocean, the festivals, and the frog-filled rice fields, too.

  1. 1.
    Episode 1: Musha-burui: Trembling Before a Formidable Task10/30/2016
    10:58
  2. 2.
    Episode 2: Hatsu-yume: Your First Dream of the New Year01/20/2017
    12:02
  3. 3.
    Episode 3: Koshin Shinko: The Three Worms in Your Body02/16/2017
    13:10
  4. 4.
    Episode 4: Monkeys and Monkey Lore!03/17/2017
    13:41
  5. 5.
    Episode 5: Kishibojin-The Mother of All Devils ー 鬼子母神04/14/2017
    12:56
  6. 6.
    Episode 6: Japanese Superstitions 105/15/2017
    14:31
  7. 7.
    Episode 7: The Thousand-Stitch Belt (Senninbari)06/19/2017
    12:48
  8. 8.
    Episode 8: Obon Part One-On Cucumber Horses They Ride07/16/2017
    11:19
  1. 9.
    Episode 9: Obon Part Two-Sending Away Fires (Okuribi)08/15/2017
    16:47
  2. 10.
    Episode 10: Hungry Ghosts (Gaki)09/13/2017
    15:50
  3. 11.
    Episode 11: The Devil’s Gate (Kimon)10/18/2017
    19:51
  4. 12.
    Episode 12: Tricky Numbers (Goro Awase)11/16/2017
    15:35
  5. 13.
    Episode 13: Teachers Running (Shiwasu)12/17/2017
    17:18
  6. 14.
    Episode 14: Living Buddhas-kinda… (Sokushinbutsu)01/17/2018
    11:21
  7. 15.
    Episode 15: Inviting a Friend to Die (Rokuyo)02/19/2018
    12:58
  8. 16.
    Episode 16: Playing Hide and Seek by Yourself (Hitori Kakurenbo)03/18/2018
    10:53
  9. 17.
    Episode 17: Granny Dumping Mountain (Ubasute Yama)04/21/2018
    8:56
  10. 18.
    Episode 18: The God of Smallpox (Housougami)05/19/2018
    10:09
  11. 19.
    Episode 19: The Heavenly Demon (Amanojaku) + Bedtime Story!06/26/2018
    29:06
  12. 20.
    Episode 20: Ship Goddesses, Boat Ghosts, and Sea Monks (Funadama, Funa Yurei, Umi Bozu)07/19/2018
    9:56
  13. 21.
    Episode 21: Screaming and Crushing in Four Buddhist Hells08/14/2018
    11:48
  14. 22.
    Episode 22: Great Screaming and Uninterrupted Pain More Buddhist Hells09/03/2018
    9:46
  15. 23.
    Episode 23: The Slit-Mouthed Woman (Kuchisake Onna)09/20/2018
    13:13
  16. 24.
    Episode 24: A Bedtime Story - Kachi-Kachi Mountain (PG Version)10/11/2018
    26:07
  17. 25.
    Episode 25: Okiku and the Nine Plates (Bancho no Sarayashiki)10/29/2018
    9:40
  18. 26.
    Episode 26: Ojizo. The Little Guy Saving You and Yours From the Torments of Hell11/21/2018
    10:56
  19. 27.
    Episode 27: Ojizo Bound in Ropes Doused in Oil12/14/2018
    14:08
  20. 28.
    Episode 28: The Leech Boy Who Became a God01/14/2019
    11:07
  21. 29.
    Episode 29: The Devils are Coming! (Setsubun)01/29/2019
    12:55
  22. 30.
    Episode 30: Human-Faced Fish02/21/2019
    12:09
  23. 31.
    Episode 31: Story Time - Of a Mirror and a Bell (Lafcadio Hearn)03/06/2019
    15:08
  24. 32.
    Episode 32: Heavenly Dogs and Brilliant Swordsmen (The Tengu)03/31/2019
    11:35
  25. 33.
    Episode 33: Story Time - The Story of Mimi-Nashi Hoichi (Lafcadio Hearn)04/15/2019
    24:16
  26. 34.
    Episode 34: Hidden by the Gods (Kamikakushi)05/06/2019
    16:13
  27. 35.
    Episode 35: Seven Mysterious Things (Nanafushigi)05/27/2019
    15:44
  28. 36.
    Episode 36: The Rock That Cries at Night (Yonaki Ishi)06/27/2019
    12:58
  29. 37.
    Episode 37: The Ogre App to Discipline Your Child (Oni Kara Denwa)07/21/2019
    17:23
  30. 38.
    Episode 38: Story Time - Cicada (Lafcadio Hearn)08/08/2019
    20:29
  31. 39.
    Episode 39: Behind the Curtain: Advice for people coming to Japan08/22/2019
    18:05
  32. 40.
    Episode 40: Daruma - He Cut Off His What?!09/12/2019
    12:25
  33. 41.
    Episode 41: Japanese Superstitions II: Spider Lilies and Ghostly Trees10/10/2019
    13:25

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