Japanese Occult– category –
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Was Prince Shotoku Real? The Mysterious Figure Disappearing from Japanese Textbooks
English Version Prince Shotoku is probably one of the historical figures many people in Japan studied intensively during compulsory education. In recent ye -
Hyakki Yagyo: Japan’s Night Parade of Demons, Yokai, and Deathly Rumors
English Version Hyakki Yagyo, often translated as the “Night Parade of One Hundred Demons,” has appeared as a motif in countless manga, anime, and works of -
Are Kappa Based on Drowned Bodies? The Dark History of Japan’s River Yokai
English Version Kappa are often counted among Japan’s three great yokai, alongside oni and tengu. Compared with many other spirits and monsters, kappa lege -
Japan’s Three Great Yokai: Shuten Doji, Tamamo-no-Mae, and Otakemaru
English Version Yokai, especially the yokai of Japan, were not always enemies of humankind. Sometimes they helped people, and sometimes they played tricks -
Noma Daibo Temple: Minamoto no Yoshitomo’s Final Resting Place and the Blood Pond of Aichi
English Version Noma Daibo is a temple in Noma, Mihama Town, Chita District, Aichi Prefecture. It is said to be the final place of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, f -
Was Matsuo Basho Really Hattori Hanzo? The Urban Legend Hidden in Oku no Hosomichi
English Version When people in Japan think of famous poets, Matsuo Basho is one of the first names that comes to mind. Born in Mie Prefecture, Basho set ou -
The Dark Urban Legend Behind Peko-chan, Fujiya’s Smiling Mascot
English Version Fujiya is a famous Japanese sweets company known for cakes, ice cream, and other Western-style desserts. Its beloved mascot, Peko-chan, is -
Hachishakusama: Japan’s “Eight-Foot-Tall” Woman Who Haunts Men and Children
English Version What Is Hachishakusama? Hachishakusama is a woman from a modern Japanese internet ghost story, said to be over two meters tall and capable -
Richard Sorge in Japan: The Soviet Spy and the Japanese Woman Who Never Let Him Go
English Version In a previous article, we introduced Richard Sorge, the legendary Soviet spy who operated in Japan during World War II. Sorge gathered inte -
Kudan: Japan’s Prophetic Cow-Human Yokai That Foretells Disaster
English Version Air raids, epidemics, bumper harvests, typhoons, blessed rain, the Great Kanto Earthquake, peaceful reigns, the Russo-Japanese War, World W
