Episode 1 - The Jorogumo

Summary: In our very first episode(!), we talk about the Jorōgumo (aka the 'whore spider' or 'entangling bride'), Japan’s shapeshifting spider-woman Yōkai. Along with our Jorōgumo breakdown and surrounding folklore / tales, We discuss a super cool location in Kyoto, Japan called Yōkai Street; the actual arachnid inspiration for the Jorōgumo, the Jorō Spider; a bit about women and courtesans in Edo period Japan; and some of the many places spider-women have appeared in popular culture.