The Devil’s Gate (Kimon) (Ep. 11)
You have one. I have one. We all have one: a Devil's Gate. It's the place where oni (Japanese devils) sneak into your home, steal all your good luck and fine health, and scuttle away. It's the place y...
18 Okt 201723min
Gaki: Hungry Ghosts (Ep. 10)
Careful. Living a life of luxury while being selfish and coveting your neighbors goodies just might lead you to another spin on this Wheel of Life. This means after you die you'll be reborn not as a h...
13 Sep 201719min
Obon Part Two: Sending Away Fires (Okuribi) (Ep. 9)
This month's podcast is Obon Part Two, the time when you have to send ol' grandma and grandpa back to the World of the Dead. There are various ways of doing this. I talk about two, the chill, mellow w...
15 Aug 201719min
Obon Part One: On Cucumber Horses They Ride (Ep. 8)
In Japan, Obon is the time of year when all the ancestors' spirits make the long haul back to the world of the living to pay a visit. It's kind of a big deal. Butsudan-altars are decorated to the hilt...
16 Juli 201714min
Senninbari: The Thousand-Stitch Belt (Ep. 7)
The senninbari or one thousand-stitch belt is a magical kind of sash worn by soldiers in World War 2 to ward off enemies bullets and impart super human strength. Please join our community forum! http...
19 Juni 201715min
Japanese Superstitions Part One (Ep. 6)
Why can't you cut your fingernails after dark in Japan? What happens if you whistle at night? And why do spiders bring good luck in the morning but bad luck at night? These aren't just random rules—...
15 Maj 201716min
Kishibojin: Japanese Demon Mother Who Became Child Protector Goddess (Ep. 5)
In this episode, I explore Kishibojin (or Kishimojin)—originally the Hindu deity Hariti—who made her way through the Lotus Sutra into Japanese Buddhism and Shinto practice. You'll hear about the pomeg...
14 Apr 201714min
Monkeys and Monkey Lore! (Ep. 4)
Monkey lore in Japan is vast and confusing—monkeys can be good, monkeys can be bad, depending on what you're looking at. There's a wordplay thing going on with the word "saru" that explains a lot. The...
17 Mars 201715min
