The Mysterious Japan

This is Part 2 of the ghost story Oiwa, one of the three great ghost stories of Japan. In this fright filled conclusion, hear the fate of Oiwa and how her ghost takes revenge on each of the plotters.

The Yotsuya Kaidan is one of the three great ghost stories of Japan. The story is often truncated in English without the full horror of Oiwa's story and and betrayal that turned her into a vengeful ghost. Listen to her sad and terrifying tale three hundred years in the making.

Listen to this retelling of Otsuya and the Peony Lantern, considered to be one of the three greatest ghost stories in Japan. They say that death cannot stop love, but in Japan, ghosts can kill for love.

August is the time of ghosts and the dead rising in Japan. Today we explore the tradition of the night of 100 ghost stories in Japan and hear four horror tales based on this tradition from various geographies in Japan.

Japan has a history of lake monsters inhabiting its lakes. Like the Lock Ness Monster, some appear to be surviving plesiosaurs, while others may be something entirely different. In this episode, we take a look at the stories behind Issie, Mossie, Hama-chan, and other lake cryptids of Japan.

The shocking and terrifying conclusion to one of the infamous haunted doll stories in Japan, responsible for more deaths, injuries and terror than the Annabelle doll in America.

This episode tells the story of the Ikiningyo, or Living Doll. Generally considered the most horrific of documented doll possessions in modern Japanese history, this tale is part one of the experience of comedian Inagawa, whose horrific experiences with this doll span over two decades. Though perhaps the most well known haunted doll story in Japan, Inagawa's story has never been fully brought to an English speaking audience until now. Taken from his writings and interviews, and from the studio and audience witnesses, this tale rivals anything spawned by the most demented Hollywood scriptwriters.

Every nation has tales of haunted or cursed dolls. Japan is no exception. This episode explores stories of an urban legend of Licca-chan dolls, Okiku the haunted doll, and Wara-Ningyo, the straw dolls used for curses.

Three urban legends in Japan strike fear into the hearts of middle and high schoolers. Hear these legends and their mysterious origins: Teke Teke, The Slit-Faced woman, and Kashima-san.

This episode examines stories of the Hibagon, the Japanese Bigfoot believed to reside in the mountains north of Hiroshima.

Even Japan has legends of a hairy bipedal monster. This episode examines several tales and legends regarding the "Japanese Bigfoot."

Ghost stories abount in Toyama Park, from spirit orbs to the ghost of a man in the restroom. Tombs of the ancient dead have been found, and the samurai known as the God of War is enshrined in the Shinto Shrine here. Listen to these tales and decide for yourself if Toyama Park is the most haunted place in Japan.

Dr. Ishii plots to destroy America even as his Unit 731 operations kill tens of thousands of Chinese. But perhaps his fall from grace and his last human experiment form the most interesting part of his tale.

Unit 731 rises in Pingfang in World War II to covertly perform human experimentation, resulting in the death of hundreds of thousands. The barbarity of their experiments defy human comprehension. Hear the tale of the Japanese doctor who used Chinese prisoners to study frostbite, and his fall from grace decades later. 

Dr. Shiro Ishii became known as Dr. Death for leading thousands to their death in human experimentation during World War II. This episode describes the rise of Dr. Ishii, the formation of what would become the infamous Unit 731 in Manchuria at a place called "The Fortress," and a daring escape by Chinese prisoners that led to the fall of the Fortress.

Bones discovered in Toyama Park in 1989 ignite controversy that hundreds of victims of human experimentation had their remains unceremoniously buried in mass graves under the park, and spark discussion about secret tunnels under the park used for human experimentation.

Why is a park in Tokyo considered the most haunted place in Japan? Listen to the story of the ghosts, the test of courage, the 17th Century ghost story, and the unnameable monster residing within.

This episode presents the karmic fate that befell the evil owner of Hotel New Japan and the many ghost stories that came after the deadly fire.

Episode 18 recounts the harrowing true tales of firefighters as they attempt to put out the deadliest hotel fire in Japanese history at the cursed site of Hotel New Japan.

Hear stories full of daring escapes, bumbling employees untrained on procedures, and a fire jumping from room to room as it develops into the second most deadly fire in the history of Japan, resulting in 9 long hours of hell on earth for the 103 guests on the 9th and 10th Floors but incredible and unbelievable true stories.

Legends of a strange creature, ghosts, plots, murder, and a demon portal are explored at the sight where a deadly hotel fire would occur. Have these centuries of evil opened the gate at the spot where Shinto adherents believe there is a portal to hell?

This episode explores bizarre marriage and adoption practices and Japan's medieval obsession with flatulence. The cultural practice of marrying sisters and adopting mistresses is mystifying to the Western audience. And the medieval period showed bizarre practices concerning farts, from such shame that a public fart could mean ritual suicide to satirical fart battle scrolls, and the birth of the world's first professional flatulist.

With centuries of tragedy and evil befalling its shores, many claim the island of Oshima and its volcano Mihara are cursed places of tatari. Authorities try desperately to stop people from throwing themselves in the volcano; hear some harrowing tales, and the story of a hero who saved thousands of lives. But also listen to the bizarre events that lend credence to the idea of a curse.

In 1933 Japan, lesbian relationships were taboo, and two young lovers fell victim to intolerance. After one throws herself into the lava filled crater of the Mihara volcano, others suffering discrimination, rejection, and forbidden love follow suit, but as the suicide count increases to four per day, over 1500 visitors each day visit in morbid curiosity, and businessmen exploit the plague of suicides at the so-called "Suicide Volcano."

Once a penal colony, the remote island of Izu Oshima harbors legends of being a supernatural and cursed place. This episode examines three dark stories from the island's history and their development into ghastly legends of ghosts and monsters.

To the Japanese, Iwo Jima is hallowed ground where the remains of thousands of restless spirits dwell. This episode explores the ghost stories of Iwo Jima.

The true and amazing story of two holdouts who survived the attack on Iwo Jima but did not know the war had ended. This is the first time their story has been told in English.

Jukai has become the source of urban legends, dark folklore, and scary stories. This episode explores these dark tales, claimed by some to be true, but only you can be the judge of that.

This episode recounts tales of encounters with ghosts in Jukai. Though the witnesses claim these stories are true, listen and judge for yourself. 

The heist of the century in Japan is retold. Over 300 million yen was stolen and never accounted for. An award winning author commits an act of unimaginable violence to pursue his extreme political ideals. These two stories may relate back to Jukai, and the millions may be hidden somewhere within.

This episode examines stories around the six most popular legends of Jukai: a Lake of Blood in Jukai, spirit monks, a hidden village of castouts, a cursed altar that will not let people leave, sounds and phantoms in the forest, and the story of the woman in the red dress. Some of these legends surprisingly have been proven true.

Stories of the types of people who go into the Suicide Forest searching for corpses, including the socially shunned "Corpse Maniacs," and the frightening tale of two men who go in looking for corpses but find something supernatural.

Rumors of curses and murder abound in the suicide forest. It is a perfect place for a perfect crime, and many of these rumors have been proven true. A journalist finds his life hanging by a thread at the hands of a murderer.

This episode examines stories showing the origins of Jukai becoming known as the "Suicide Forest," including tales of heroes seeking to intervene to prevent the suicides. As the sensitive topic of suicide is discussed, listener discretion is advised.

Buddhist ascetic monks mummified themselves alive to expel the evil from Jukai in a gruesome process, and a journalist seeks a hidden cult in the forest and finds more than he bargained for.

Stories examining the origins of Jukai (the "Suicide Forest")-- from a volcanic eruption burying 30,000 to tales of ghosts, mysterious screams, the Tengu yokai creature in the trees, and superstitions surrounding the forest. 

Introduction to the Mysterious Japan Podcast: Exploring the compelling dark histories and strange mysteries of Japan in campfire tale format, prepared by an expert in Japan history and folklore.