Uncanny Japan is a podcast about all the more obscure corners of old Japan, from strange superstitions, cultural curiosities, to creepy creatures. Here you can discover all the lesser known gems that author Thersa Matsuura digs up while doing research for her writing. Uncanny Japan is a uniquely soothing podcast brought to life by immersive sound design or relaxing binaural soundscapes (ocean waves, autumn crickets, rice field frogs) all recorded right here in Japan. 

Thersa Matsuura is a writer, folklorist, and graduate of the Clarion West workshop. Drawing on her over thirty years of living in Japan, she is the author of The Book of Japanese Folklore and the creator of the Uncanny Japan Podcast.  Her horror short story collection The Carp-Faced Boy and Other Tales was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. Her forthcoming works include the Yokai Oracle Deck (Fall, 2025) and Legends of Japanese Mythology (Eyes Wide Editions, 2026). 

Websites

Uncanny Japan Podcast - https://uncannyjapan.com/

Thersa Matsuura - https://thersamatsuura.com/

Books

(These links are affiliate, which means I’ll receive a small commission at no cost to you.)

The Japanese Book of Folklore - https://amzn.to/4mhPeDq

The Carp-Faced Boy and Other Tales (audio book read by Thersa) - https://amzn.to/411758Z

A Robe of Feathers and Other Stories - https://amzn.to/4ouci32

Yōkai Oracle Deck (pre order) -  https://amzn.to/3HrZ0n1

Youtube

Uncanny Japan - https://www.youtube.com/@UncannyJapan

Thersa Matsuura - https://www.youtube.com/@ThersaMatsuura

Social Media

Discord - ⁠https://discord.com/invite/XdMZTzmyUb⁠

Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/uncannyjapan.bsky.social

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/uncannyjapan/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/

Merch

Dashery - https://uncannyjapanmerch.dashery.com/

Threadless - https://uncannyjapan.threadless.com/

Support Us

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/c/thersamatsuura

Buy me a Coffee - https://buymeacoffee.com/uncannyjapan

Credits

Music by Julyan Ray - https://instagram.com/julyan_ray

Uncanny Japan Mascot Modeled by Futemimi - https://vervain-shop.booth.pm/

Uncanny Japan Logo by Travis Carter -  ⁠https://www.travispixels.com/⁠

About SpectreVision Radio

SpectreVision Radio is a bespoke podcast network at the intersection between the arts and the uncanny, featuring a tapestry of shows exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown. We're a community for creators and fans vibrating around common curiosities, shared interests and persistent passions.

spectrevisionradio.com
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So you've died in Japan—now what? Join Thersa Matsuura for a guide to Japanese Buddhist afterlife concepts, from navigating the 49-day underworld journey to avoiding the nastiest hells.

Discover the world of Japanese death beliefs, where dying is just the beginning of an intense spiritual bureaucracy. Learn about Emma-ō, the fearsome judge of the dead, the complex karma assessment system, and the six realms of reincarnation that await every soul.

Explore authentic Buddhist traditions that have shaped Japanese death culture for centuries, from the elaborate underworld navigation system to practical strategies for ensuring a favorable reincarnation. This isn't just folklore—it's a living spiritual system that continues to influence modern Japanese society.

Episode Chapters:

Experience the dark humor and profound wisdom of Japanese Buddhist death concepts. Part of SpectreVision Radio—exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown.

Follow Uncanny Japan

Credits

Music by Julyan Ray Matsuura

About SpectreVision Radio

SpectreVision Radio is a bespoke podcast network at the intersection between the arts and the uncanny, featuring a tapestry of shows exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown. We're a community for creators and fans vibrating around common curiosities, shared interests and persistent passions.

spectrevisionradio.com
linktr.ee/spectrevisionsocial

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wondered who Japan's first samurai was? Or whether severed heads can actually fly? Meet Taira no Masakado—a legendary 10th-century warrior whose incredible story answers both questions in the most supernatural way possible.

Join Thersa Matsuura as we explore the true story of Japan's first samurai, one of the Three Great Vengeful Spirits who still haunts modern Tokyo. From his royal bloodline as Emperor Kanmu's descendant to his heroic battles defending peasants against corrupt nobles, discover why this rebel warrior became a legend—and why his severed head refused to stay buried.

Learn how Masakado's head survived three months on display in Kyoto's marketplace, glowing and calling out for its body before flying 200 miles home to what would become Tokyo. Explore the cursed head mound (kubizuka) that still stands today, the mysterious deaths of anyone who disturbs it, and the surprising connection between flying heads and frog symbolism in Japanese culture.

Experience Japanese cultural mysteries that bridge ancient legends with modern Tokyo. Part of SpectreVision Radio—exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown.

Follow Uncanny Japan

Credits

Music by Julyan Ray Matsuura

About SpectreVision Radio

SpectreVision Radio is a bespoke podcast network at the intersection between the arts and the uncanny, featuring a tapestry of shows exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown. We're a community for creators and fans vibrating around common curiosities, shared interests and persistent passions.

spectrevisionradio.com
linktr.ee/spectrevisionsocial

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the profound Japanese proverb "Saiō ga Uma" (塞翁が馬) - "The Old Man's Horse" - and discover why this 2,000-year-old wisdom remains essential for navigating modern uncertainty. This ancient Chinese parable, which arrived in Japan during the Nara and Heian periods (700s-800s AD), teaches us that immediate judgment of events as "good" or "bad" is often shortsighted.

From a runaway horse that returns with a companion, to a son's broken leg that saves his life during wartime, this tale reveals how apparent misfortune can transform into blessing, and vice versa. Learn the full phrase "Ningen Banji Saiō ga Uma" (人間万事塞翁が馬) - "Everything in life is like Sai's horse" - and how to use it in conversation.

Join cultural expert Thersa Matsuura as we explore the connection to Buddhist concepts of impermanence and non-attachment, practical Japanese phrases for daily conversation, and personal applications for facing life's unexpected turns. Perfect for anyone seeking ancient wisdom for modern stress and uncertainty.

Follow Uncanny Japan

Credits

Music by Julyan Ray Matsuura

About SpectreVision Radio

SpectreVision Radio is a bespoke podcast network at the intersection between the arts and the uncanny, featuring a tapestry of shows exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown. We're a community for creators and fans vibrating around common curiosities, shared interests and persistent passions.

spectrevisionradio.com
linktr.ee/spectrevisionsocial

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

[This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.]

Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Check out her books including The Book of Japanese Folklore by clicking on the Amazon link.  If you'd like to help support the podcast and have a bedtime story read to you monthly, please visit Patreon.

Discord: https://discord.gg/XdMZTzmyUb Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thersamatsuura Website: https://www.uncannyjapan.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UncannyJapan Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/uncannyjapan.bsky.social Mastodon: https://famichiki.jp/@UncannyJapan Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncannyjapan/ Books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Thersa-Matsuura/e/B002CWZ73Y/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1500180689&sr=8-1

Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution): https://buymeacoffee.com/uncannyjapan

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Don't let anyone tell you Japan has four distinct seasons. You'll hear that a lot. But it's not true. Japan actually has five seasons. Everyone forgets... [This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.]

Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Check out her books including The Book of Japanese Folklore by clicking on the Amazon link.  If you'd like to help support the podcast and have a bedtime story read to you monthly, please visit Patreon.

Discord: https://discord.gg/XdMZTzmyUb Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thersamatsuura Website: https://www.uncannyjapan.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UncannyJapan Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/uncannyjapan.bsky.social Mastodon: https://famichiki.jp/@UncannyJapan Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncannyjapan/ Books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Thersa-Matsuura/e/B002CWZ73Y/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1500180689&sr=8-1

Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution): https://buymeacoffee.com/uncannyjapan

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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". 

[This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.]

Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Check out her books including The Book of Japanese Folklore by clicking on the Amazon link.  If you'd like to help support the podcast and have a bedtime story read to you monthly, please visit Patreon.

Discord: https://discord.gg/XdMZTzmyUb Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thersamatsuura Website: https://www.uncannyjapan.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UncannyJapan Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/uncannyjapan.bsky.social Mastodon: https://famichiki.jp/@UncannyJapan Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncannyjapan/ Books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Thersa-Matsuura/e/B002CWZ73Y/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1500180689&sr=8-1

Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution): https://buymeacoffee.com/uncannyjapan

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Terrie reads Lafcadio Hearn's metaphysical story "Readings from a Dream-book," a collection of ethereal fragments that explore the nature of consciousness, mortality, and cosmic existence.

[This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.]

Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Check out her books including The Book of Japanese Folklore by clicking on the Amazon link.  If you'd like to help support the podcast and have a bedtime story read to you monthly, please visit Patreon.

Discord: https://discord.gg/XdMZTzmyUb Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thersamatsuura Website: https://www.uncannyjapan.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UncannyJapan Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/uncannyjapan.bsky.social Mastodon: https://famichiki.jp/@UncannyJapan Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncannyjapan/ Books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Thersa-Matsuura/e/B002CWZ73Y/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1500180689&sr=8-1

Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution): https://buymeacoffee.com/uncannyjapan

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Thersa on a journey aboard a magical sea turtle down to the underwater palace of Ryūjin, the Japanese Dragon God. Explore the the Ryūgūjō Castle, meet its mythical inhabitants, and delve into the powerful lore surrounding this deity. Discover Ryūjin's abilities to control tides, grant wishes, and ward off evil, and learn practical ways you might connect with the spirit of the Dragon God, from ancient prayers to modern talismans.

Click here for Adventure Travel inspiration from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don’t Just Travel, Explore.

[This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.]

Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Check out her books including The Book of Japanese Folklore by clicking on the Amazon link.  If you'd like to help support the podcast and have a bedtime story read to you monthly, please visit Patreon.

Discord: https://discord.gg/XdMZTzmyUb Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thersamatsuura Website: https://www.uncannyjapan.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UncannyJapan Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/uncannyjapan.bsky.social Mastodon: https://famichiki.jp/@UncannyJapan Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncannyjapan/ Books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Thersa-Matsuura/e/B002CWZ73Y/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1500180689&sr=8-1

Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution): https://buymeacoffee.com/uncannyjapan

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the fascinating legends surrounding Japan's most iconic mountain. Discover the extraordinary myth of Konohana Sakuya Hime, the stunningly beautiful goddess of Mt. Fuji who gave birth amid flames, and the bizarre tale of En no Gyōja, a mountain ascetic with supernatural powers who could hop between mountain peaks and lick swords. Beyond the folklore, learn practical information about climbing Fuji-san, why Hakone offers some of the best views, and cultural insights about Japan's most sacred peak.

[This description contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.]

Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Check out her books including The Book of Japanese Folklore by clicking on the Amazon link.  If you'd like to help support the podcast and have a bedtime story read to you monthly, please visit Patreon.

Discord: https://discord.gg/XdMZTzmyUb Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thersamatsuura Website: https://www.uncannyjapan.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UncannyJapan Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/uncannyjapan.bsky.social Mastodon: https://famichiki.jp/@UncannyJapan Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncannyjapan/ Books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Thersa-Matsuura/e/B002CWZ73Y/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1500180689&sr=8-1

Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution): https://buymeacoffee.com/uncannyjapan

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices