In this special fan-fiction episode of Rainy Day Rabbit Holes, Shea and Jody dive headfirst into myth, memory, and maritime magic with a story written especially for beloved Patreon supporter Captain Dan.

Set against the storm-soaked docks and taverns of the 19th-century Salish Sea, this tale follows a seasoned ship’s captain whose final voyage brings him face-to-face with Cadborosaurus—the legendary sea serpent said to haunt the waters of Cadboro Bay. What begins as a routine herring run turns into an encounter with something ancient, terrifying, beautiful… and irresistible.

Blending historical texture, Pacific Northwest folklore, and unapologetic romantic weirdness, this episode is a love letter to:

Old sailors with haunted eyes

Sea monsters who may not be monsters at all

The pull of the ocean—and what happens when you answer it

This story is inspired by Episode 26, “Release the Kraken: Sea Monsters of the Salish Sea,” and created as a thank-you to Rainy Day Rabbit Holes Patreon supporters. It is fan fiction, folklore, and birthday present all rolled into one slightly damp, fish-scented package.

🎂 Happy (belated) 70th birthday, Captain Dan.
⚓ Some sailors retire. Others sail on forever.

If fog rolls in and you hear singing from the harbor… maybe don’t follow it. Or do.

Chris Staudinger, sorry we killed you off.

🎉 This week is a little different—and very special.

We’re not bringing you a new historical story in this episode. Instead, we invite you to curl up with us as we look back, laugh, and reflect on the last 100 episodes of Rainy Day Rabbit Holes.

If you’re in the mood for something story-driven instead, no worries at all—feel free to hop over to our latest fan fiction episode, which is ready and waiting for you. 🐇

🎙️ 100 episodes. Somehow.

In this milestone episode, Shea and Jody celebrate over two years of podcasting chaos, curiosity, friendship, and forgotten history. What started as a half-formed idea in the Pacific Northwest turned into 100 full episodes, countless rabbit holes, a growing community, and friendships we never expected.

This episode is part celebration, part reflection, and part love letter—to listeners, collaborators, historians, and each other.

Why reaching 100 episodes is such a rare podcast milestone

Early audio struggles, evolving formats, and champagne-fueled recording days

The episodes that still stick with us (and why)

Listener-favorite stories like:

Madam Mustache

The Salish Sea Human Foot Discoveries

The Traveling Corpse of Elmer McCurdy

Ishi: The Last Wild Indian

Sea Monsters of the Salish Sea

How podcasting changed the way we see history—and historians

Why preserving uncomfortable history matters

Messages and reflections from listeners, friends, and fellow podcasters

The friendships and creative communities that grew out of this show

We take time to thank the people who made the last 100 episodes possible—from collaborators and historians to fellow podcasters, Radio Tacoma, behind-the-scenes helpers, and the listeners who stuck with us while we figured things out.

We also share news about an upcoming project, State of Disgrace, where we’ll explore moments in history that echo loudly into the present—starting with McCarthyism, fear politics, and how societies find their way back from the brink.

This new show will be more focused and seasonal, but rooted in the same curiosity that drives Rainy Day Rabbit Holes.

This episode isn’t about numbers or algorithms. It’s about showing up, staying curious, and building something together.

Whether you’ve been here since episode one or just fell down the rabbit hole—thank you for being part of this journey.

🕳️ Here’s to 100 more. See you down the rabbit hole.

What happens when ancient mythology collides with modern travel, sibling dynamics, and a very tight bus schedule?

In this episode of Rainy Day Rabbit Holes, Shea takes us deep into the mountains of Nagano Prefecture to explore Togakushi Shrine, one of Japan’s most sacred—and least touristy—Shinto sites. Along the way, we unravel the myth of Amaterasu, the sun goddess who plunged the world into darkness after her brother Susanoo’s chaos drove her into hiding inside a cave.

As Shea hikes the same forest paths once walked by gods—beneath towering 800-year-old cedar trees—Japanese legend comes vividly to life. We explore the five shrines of Togakushi, the divine doorway sealed shut to save the world, dancing gods, nine-headed dragons, spiritual power spots, and what it really means to experience Japan beyond the “Golden Route” of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.

This episode blends Japanese mythology, spiritual travel, off-the-beaten-path adventure, and real-life mishaps, including sprinting down mountain roads, surviving a hair-raising taxi ride, and realizing—too late—that the bus was actually running behind schedule.

If you’re fascinated by Shinto legends, sacred hikes, authentic travel experiences, or Japan beyond the tourist crowds, this episode is your invitation to step into the forest, slow down, and walk where the gods once did.

In this episode of Rainy Day Rabbit Holes, Shea and Jody wander straight into the delightfully unhinged heart of Japanese folklore, where the landscapes are beautiful, the temples are ancient, and the raccoon dogs have… opinions. And tricks. And extremely versatile anatomy.

Fresh off Shea's travels through Nagano, the conversation opens with reflections on Japan’s quiet magic — misty mountains, timeless streets, and the spiritual gravity of places like Zenkoji Temple, where centuries of belief hang in the air like incense smoke. From there, things take a turn. A tanuki-shaped turn.

Enter the Tanuki: real animal, legendary menace, folkloric chaos goblin. Known in English as the Japanese raccoon dog, the tanuki occupies a strange and wonderful space where biology collides with myth. Shea and Jody dig into how this very real creature became one of Japan’s most beloved tricksters — a shapeshifter, a prankster, and a master of illusion who delights in confusing humans, impersonating monks, and generally causing low-stakes supernatural nonsense.

And then there’s the scrotum.

Yes, that scrotum. In tanuki folklore, it’s not just anatomy — it’s a multipurpose magical object capable of stretching, transforming, disguising, and occasionally funding a night out. Shea and Jody unpack how this bizarre detail isn’t just crude humor for humor’s sake, but ties back to real historical practices, particularly Kanazawa’s gold-leaf industry, where tanuki legends became symbols of wealth, flexibility, and good fortune. Folklore, it turns out, is nothing if not practical.

Along the way, the episode explores why tanuki statues are everywhere in Japan — outside restaurants, shops, temples, and bars — grinning, wide-eyed, eternally mid-prank. These statues aren’t just cute roadside oddities; they’re cultural shorthand for prosperity, humor, and a reminder not to take life too seriously. Or at least to keep an eye on your wallet when magical animals are nearby.

The discussion weaves together travel stories, religious history, art, pop culture, and the enduring appeal of a creature that refuses to behave. From ancient tales to modern anime, the tanuki continues to evolve, shape-shift, and bounce gleefully through Japanese storytelling, dragging its legends — and its lucky bag — right along with it.

It’s an episode about Japan’s ability to hold beauty and absurdity in the same breath. About sacred spaces and silly stories. About how folklore survives because it entertains as much as it teaches. And about a mischievous raccoon dog whose legacy proves that sometimes, the weirdest stories are the ones that stick the longest.

Visit our website for pictures from Shea's trip to Japan plus links to social media and more! www.rainydayrabbitholes.com

Looking for a gorgeous SEO optimized website? We owe ours to www.easybrzy.com 

Shea is back from her Japan adventure and is bringing you some of Japan's most captivating legends! 

Today, not only does Shea share some insights into driving in Japan, Japanese bathing culture, castles as adult museums, and toilets, she brings the tale of one of Japan's most terrifying Yokai and urban legends, Kuchisake-onna or the Slit-Mouthed Woman.

Visit our website for pictures from Shea's trip and more! www.rainydayrabbitholes.com

Make sure to check out our YouTube, subscribe, like our videos, leave a comment!

You can follow us on instagram for more photos!

All links at our website!

In this special episode swap, listeners are swept into the ghost-laden corridors of the legendary Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado—the real-world inspiration behind The Shining. Through rich storytelling and a flair for the uncanny, Ani Khajadourian of Audibly Haunted resurrects the hotel’s past: the 1911 explosion that shook room 217, the resilient chambermaid Elizabeth Wilson who still tidies up from beyond the grave, the spectral children racing down the fourth-floor halls, and the gentlemanly cowboy ghost who warms room 428 with a phantom’s charm. Each floor, each door, each whisper carries a century of mystery. The living check out, but the hotel’s other guests never do.

Make sure to visit Audibly Haunted on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen, and engage with us on social media to share your thoughts or your own ghost stories.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audibly-haunted/id1705358960

https://www.instagram.com/audiblyhaunted/

A government-built city rose out of the Columbia River Basin with rules no one could explain and a purpose no one fully understood. Families lived in identical houses, signed confidentiality papers they barely read, and trusted that whatever was happening behind the restricted fences was “for the good of the country.”

What really happened out there shaped world history, rewrote entire landscapes in the Pacific Northwest.

In this episode, Shea and Jody explore the haunting history of the Hanford nuclear site in Eastern Washington with Ellicia Elliott, a theater professional and historian. They delve into the origins of the Manhattan Project, the impact of the nuclear industry on local communities, and the ongoing cleanup efforts. The conversation highlights the complexities of pride and legacy associated with the site, as well as the environmental and health consequences faced by the surrounding populations.

Follow Ellicia Elliott

https://www.elliciaelliott.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ellicia_elliott/?hl=en

https://www.threads.com/@elliciaelliott

Summary

The conversation explores the story of a wild man who emerges from the wilderness, highlighting themes of cultural identity and the challenges of communication across different languages and backgrounds. The narrative illustrates the complexities of understanding and interpreting the experiences of those who are marginalized or misunderstood.

This conversation explores the rich and tumultuous history of the Muckleshoot Tribe, from their deep-rooted connection to the land and salmon to the devastating impacts of colonization and treaty betrayals. It highlights their struggle for survival, the significance of the Fish Wars, and the transformative power of the Muckleshoot Casino in revitalizing their community. The discussion also addresses the challenges that come with newfound prosperity and the tribe's ongoing efforts to revive their culture and language.

In case you missed it, we are rereleasing one of our most popular episodes-

🎙 Madame Mustache: The Wild West’s Most Badass Gambler

🎩 High-stakes games, a mustachioed legend, and one hell of a revenge story—this episode has it all! Eleanor Dumont, better known as Madame Mustache, was a sharp-witted gambler, a successful businesswoman, and a woman way ahead of her time. From outplaying men at their own game to tracking down her con artist husband and personally delivering justice, her story is as wild as the Wild West itself.

😲 Why did the world remember her mustache more than her empire?

🎲 How did she run the classiest gambling hall in the lawless West?

🔫 And what was her final, dramatic exit?

🔥 Get ready for gambling, crime, whiskey, and Wild West nonsense!

🎧 Listen now & fall down the rabbit hole!

👉 Get ad-free episodes & bonus content: rainydayrabbitholes.com/support

👉 Visit our website for more unhinged history: rainydayrabbitholes.com

👉 Hear Shea’s story on Live, Laugh, Larceny! Listen here