Uncanny Japan - Myths, Folktales, Superstitions, History and Language
Summary: Speculative fiction writer, long-term resident of Japan and Bram Stoker Award finalist Thersa Matsuura explores all that is weird from old Japan—strange superstitions, folktales, cultural oddities, and interesting language quirks. These are little treasures she digs up while doing research for her writing.
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- Artist: Thersa Matsuura
- Copyright: © 2017-2020 Thersa Matsuura
Podcasts:
Obon Part One-On Cucumber Horses They Ride (Ep. 8)
The Thousand-Stitch Belt (Senninbari) (Ep. 7)
Japanese Superstitions 1 (Ep. 6)
Kishibojin-The Mother of All Devils ー 鬼子母神 (Ep. 5)
Monkeys and Monkey Lore! (Ep. 4)
Koshin Shinko is the belief that you are born with three worms (called sanshi) inside your body, and that these creatures' only purpose is to shorten your life so they can be free again.
Hatsu-yume is the first dream you have in the New Year. In Japan there is a saying: ichi fuji, ni taka, san nasubi, which means the luckiest dream you can have is of Mt. Fuji, the second luckiest thing to see in a dream is a hawk, and the third is an eggplant.
Musha-burui is that trembling with excitement, anticipation, and fear one has before engaging in a formidable task. It comes from the idea of a samurai going headlong into battle.
