Ever wonder who Japan's first samurai was? Or whether severed heads can actually fly? This episode has both answers in the incredible story of Taira no Masakado - a legendary 10th-century warrior who became one of Japan's Three Great Vengeful Spirits.

Discover the supernatural tale of his severed head that refused to decay, the three months it spent on display in Kyoto's marketplace, and its legendary flight back to what would become Tokyo. Learn about the cursed head mound that still stands today, the mysterious deaths that plagued anyone who dared disturb it, and why frogs have become sacred symbols at his shrine.

[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
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Website: https://www.uncannyjapan.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UncannyJapan
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This episode delves into the ancient Japanese proverb, "Ningen Banji Saio ga Uma" (Everything in life is like Sai's horse). It introduces the 2,000-year-old Chinese parable of an old man whose seemingly good and bad fortunes are never what they first appear. From a runaway horse to a son's injury, the story reveals the shortsightedness of our immediate judgments. Let's explore the multiple layers of this timeless tale, discuss how it teaches humility, the acceptance of uncertainty, and the wisdom of seeing beyond initial misfortune or luck. Thersa shares personal anecdotes, including a recent hospital stay, to illustrate how this profound philosophy can help us navigate life's unpredictable ups and downs with a calmer, more centered perspective.

[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

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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

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

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

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

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

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