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.

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What does Japanese Buddhism suggest happens after death? I found these traditional afterlife concepts fascinating and wanted to share what I've discovered about the 49-day underworld journey, the role of Emma-ō as judge of the dead, and the complex six realms of reincarnation.

This episode explores Japanese Buddhist death beliefs that treat dying as the beginning of an intricate spiritual bureaucracy. I've learned about the karma assessment system, the fearsome judgment ceremonies, and traditional perspectives on navigating to a favorable rebirth.

I talk about these traditions that have influenced Japanese culture for centuries. What aspects of death and afterlife have you encountered in other traditions? I'd love to hear your perspectives.

Episode Chapters:

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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

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night wondering who Japan's first samurai was? And then maybe wondering if severed heads can actually fly? Well, that's exactly what I want to talk to you about today.

Today I'm going to tell you about the fierce, the legendary, the wild Taira no Masakado, who has been dubbed the first samurai. Was he a bad guy? Was he a good guy? And yes, we'll get into airborne heads too, and curses.

You know how Japan loves making lists of three great things? One of them is "Sandai Onyo" - Three Great Vengeful Spirits - and one of those angry spirits is Taira no Masakado. His story is wild: a 10th-century warrior with royal blood who defended peasants, conquered eight provinces, got his head cut off, and then that head refused to decay. For three months it sat in Kyoto's marketplace, glowing and calling out for its body, before flying 200 miles home to what would become Tokyo.

I'll tell you about the cursed head mound that still stands today, the mysterious deaths of anyone who dares disturb it, and why you'll find frog statues there. My mother-in-law gave me a frog charm ages ago. (I lost it.) Come with me as I share this incredible story of Japan's first samurai and his supernatural legacy.

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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

It's very strange, but this ancient Japanese proverb "Saiō ga Uma" has been popping up in my thoughts a lot lately. I kept hearing it mentioned in articles and audiobooks, so I thought I'd read about it more and share what I discovered.

"Saiō ga Uma" (塞翁が馬) means "the old man's horse" - it comes from a 2,000-year-old Chinese parable about a man whose seemingly good and bad fortunes are never what they first appear. His horse runs away, the villagers say "how unlucky." But Saiō says "who's to say what's good and what's bad?" The horse returns with another horse. "How fortunate!" But again, Saiō wonders if this might actually be a disaster.

I share the full story and talk about why this wisdom has been resonating with me, especially after my hospital stay earlier this year. Sometimes what looks like misfortune - even something as mundane as spilling tea in the fridge - might actually be exactly what we need. Come with me as we explore this fascinating piece of Japanese wisdom and how it connects to finding peace with life's uncertainty.

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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

In this second installment of Myth Tales, I explore the wonderfully chaotic journey of Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the Shinto storm god whose emotional outbursts literally shook heaven and earth. Born from his father Izanagi's purification ritual, Susanoo embodies the raw, untamed power of storms and seas.

What makes Susanoo so fascinating is his deeply human emotional volatility. Here's a deity who throws cosmic tantrums that cause his sister Amaterasu (the sun goddess) to hide in a cave, plunging the world into darkness. Yet through exile and genuine challenge, this same tempestuous god transforms into a hero - ultimately slaying the legendary eight-headed, eight-tailed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi and discovering the sacred sword Kusanagi within its body.

I'll take you through Susanoo's complete character arc: from his traumatic birth through water purification, his destructive family conflicts in heaven, his redemptive exile to earth, and his epic battle with one of mythology's most terrifying monsters. Along the way, we'll explore how these ancient stories speak to universal human experiences of emotional struggle, sibling rivalry, and the possibility of positive transformation.

Join me as I share what I find most compelling about this complex deity whose stories reveal profound truths about channeling destructive power into protective heroism.

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

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