Adorable Tanuki: Fluffy, Shape-Shifting, and Lucky! (Ep. 72)
Tanuki are those adorable, magical animals you find all through Japanese history. They're in folktales, art, legend, and even in modern day manga and anime. In this episode I'll talk about these furry...
15 Mars 202120min
Kan no Mushi: Adorable Parasites Living Inside Your Spine (Ep. 71)
Let me tell you why your toddler might cry at night and throw tantrums and what you can do to remedy. It could be a mythical parasite that lives in their spine. And you might have them, too. Visit th...
28 Feb 202120min
Sanzaru: Three Wise Monkeys and How They Can Help Extend Your Life (Ep. 70)
Everyone is familiar with the Three Wise Monkeys or as they're called in Japan Sanzaru (Three Monkeys). But did you know the See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Say No Evil creatures are actually a Japanese pl...
15 Feb 202121min
Cursed Swords That Want to Murder You (Youtou) (Ep. 69)
A Muramasa blade is one of exceptional quality and great bloodlust. It's called a youtou (妖刀) in Japanese. Depending on how you translate that, it could mean cursed sword, mystic sword, or demon sword...
1 Feb 202120min
Enjoying the Luck of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin) (Ep. 68)
In Japan the Shichifukujin or Seven Lucky Gods appear in a boat on the first day of the year to impart various kinds of luck on those they deem worthy. Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the sho...
14 Jan 202117min
Year of the Ox: Save Us All (Ep. 67)
The year 2021 is the Year of the Ox according to the animal zodiac. But what does that mean? On today's show I'll talk a little about the character of people born in this year, what to expect in 2021,...
30 Dec 202015min
Toshikoshi Soba: Breaking Off the Pain of 2020 with Noodles (Ep. 66)
Toshikoshi soba is the Japanese tradition of eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve. It's a custom that has continued since the 1700s. There are quite a few reasons why. Some have to do with long life,...
16 Dec 202021min
Baku: The Eater of Dreams (Ep. 65)
The baku (獏) is a Japanese mythical creature that, when invited, slips into your room at night to gobble up your nightmares. Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript. Un...
29 Nov 202014min
