Yamapikaryā: Japan’s Cryptid Cat?

Explore the ghosts, supernatural beliefs, and haunting folklore of Singapore and Southeast Asia as Supernatural Japan host Kevin O’Shea welcomes Kyle Ong and Wayne Rée, co-founders of HANTU and hosts of the Dead Air podcast. The creators behind Ghost Maps join Kevin for a lively conversation about their podcast, Southeast Asian ghost stories, horror storytelling, and the enduring fascination with the supernatural. Whether you love Japanese folklore, Asian ghost legends, or paranormal podcasts, join us for a journey beyond Japan into a region rich with eerie traditions. Plus, catch Kevin’s guest appearance on Dead Air’s YouTube channel and audio podcast—both crossover episodes release on November 13 (Friday the 13th)! Hantu - Dead Air Podcast Watch Hantu (Dead Air and more) on YouTube Listen to Dead Air and Ghost Maps on Apple Podcasts —-- Supernatural Japan —-- Website: supernaturaljapan.com  Instagram: @supernaturaljapan BECOME a Ghost by joining us on  @patreon  Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and storyteller Peter Laws joins host Kevin O’Shea for an encore interview on Supernatural Japan. Known for his YouTube channel Into the Fog with Peter Laws and appearances on Uncanny with Danny Robins, Peter is also the author of the Matt Hunter series of novels and the nonfiction book The Frighteners. Revisit a conversation with a writer whose work explores horror, the supernatural, and our fascination with the frightening and unexplained—an episode for fans of ghost stories, paranormal podcasts, and things that go bump in the night. Peter also shares a terrifying story about a group of travelers who stay in what seems to be a haunted rental property in Kyoto, Japan.  Website: supernaturaljapan.com  Instagram: @supernaturaljapan BECOME a Ghost by joining us on  @patreon  Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover the chilling world of jiko bukken—Japan’s infamous “accident properties”—in this episode of Supernatural Japan. From apartments marked by suicide, murder, or unexplained deaths to the lingering stigma that drives prices down, we explore the dark reality behind these haunted listings. Why do these properties carry such fear, and how can buyers uncover their hidden histories? Blending true crime, cultural insight, and eerie urban legends, this episode reveals why some homes in Japan come with more than just a bargain price. Website: supernaturaljapan.com  Instagram: @supernaturaljapan BECOME a Ghost by joining us on  @patreon  Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did people in Japan protect themselves from evil spirits, bad luck, and natural disasters? In this episode of Supernatural Japan, host Kevin O’Shea explores Japanese folklore and protective traditions, from sardine heads hung at doorways and purification with salt to Shōki rooftop guardians, paper figures that carry away misfortune, and earthquake talismans depicting the giant catfish Namazu. Discover the epidemic-fighting origins of Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri and how folk beliefs and religious rituals helped people seek safety in an unpredictable world. Website: supernaturaljapan.com (Sign up for our FREE newsletter) Instagram: @supernaturaljapan BECOME a Ghost by joining us on  @patreon  Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A beautiful stranger. A dark mountain road. A hunger for human flesh. In this episode of Supernatural Japan, host Kevin O’Shea explores Nikusui, the flesh-sucking yōkai of Japan’s Kii Peninsula. Discover the regional folklore recorded by Minakata Kumagusu, the chilling tales of a woman who approaches travelers at night, and an original horror story inspired by her legend. Journey into Japanese folklore, mountain spirits, and supernatural horror—and find out why you should never give her your lantern. Website: supernaturaljapan.com (Sign up for our FREE newsletter) Instagram: @supernaturaljapan BECOME a Ghost by joining us on  @patreon  Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover the dark secrets of Nagoya Castle, one of Japan's most iconic historical landmarks, in this Halloween-themed episode of the Supernatural Japan podcast! Join host Kevin O'Shea as we uncover forgotten Japanese ghost stories, mysterious yokai, vengeful fox spirits, and eerie supernatural legends hidden within the castle's 400-year history. Drawing on the fascinating research of Professor Junko Hayashi of Nanzan University, we explore historical accounts of a mysterious chest that must never be moved, a tengu lurking in a pine tree, and strange tales of kitsune seeking revenge against samurai. We'll also investigate modern rumors of ghostly apparitions wandering the castle grounds. From traditional Japanese folklore to haunted castles and unexplained mysteries, this spooky journey into Nagoya Castle's supernatural past is perfect for fans of Japanese history, paranormal encounters, and chilling Halloween ghost stories. Are the spirits of Nagoya Castle still watching over its ancient walls? Website: supernaturaljapan.com (Sign up for our FREE newsletter) Instagram: @supernaturaljapan BECOME a Ghost by joining us on  @patreon  Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Red paper or blue paper? In this spooky-season episode of Supernatural Japan, host Kevin O’Shea explores Aka Manto, the Red Cloak—a chilling Japanese urban legend about a mysterious spirit haunting school bathrooms and public toilets. Discover the deadly choices at the heart of this ghost story, the unsettling variations in how to escape, and its roots in Japanese schoolyard folklore. Perfect for Halloween listening, this mini-episode explores how a simple question can turn an ordinary bathroom visit into a nightmare. Website: supernaturaljapan.com (Sign up for our FREE newsletter) Instagram: @supernaturaljapan BECOME a Ghost by joining us on  @patreon  Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could a mysterious big cat be hiding in Japan’s subtropical forests? In this Supernatural Japan mini-episode, host Kevin O’Shea explores Yamapikaryā, the mystery cat of Iriomote Island in Okinawa. Discover the real, endangered Iriomote cat and the unconfirmed accounts of a larger, long-tailed feline sharing its jungle home. Explore the island’s geography, local animal names, tourism mascots, and conservation challenges, alongside comparisons with Britain’s Beast of Bodmin Moor, the Beast of Exmoor, and Tasmania’s thylacine. Join Kevin for a journey through Japanese cryptid legends, rare wildlife, and the intriguing boundary between documented animals and unexplained sightings. Website: supernaturaljapan.com (Sign up for our FREE newsletter) Instagram: @supernaturaljapan BECOME a Ghost by joining us on  @patreon  Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover five of Tokyo’s most famously haunted places in this episode of Supernatural Japan (Originally an episode of Japan Ghost Stories for Patreon). From the vanishing taxi passengers of Aoyama Cemetery and the eerie Sendagaya Tunnel to Oiwa Inari Tamiya Shrine, Sunshine City’s dark prison history, and the legendary curse of Taira no Masakado’s head mound, we explore the history and ghost lore behind locations you can legally visit. Join Kevin for a countdown through haunted Tokyo, where Japanese folklore, vengeful spirits, and unsettling urban legends linger beneath the modern city. The perfect guide for anyone celebrating "Spooky Season" and Halloween in the world's biggest city! Website: supernaturaljapan.com (Sign up for our FREE newsletter) Instagram: @supernaturaljapan BECOME a Ghost by joining us on  @patreon  Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Japanese ghost stories, haunted places, and the mysteries of Japanese folklore take centre stage in this episode of Supernatural Japan. Host Kevin O’Shea chats with Osaka-based creator Darren Vickers, the storyteller behind the YouTube channel and podcast Did I Wake You? Stories from 3 a.m. We explore his approach to telling eerie stories from Japan, from the ancestral spirits and rituals of Obon to accounts of ghostly encounters following the devastating March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Darren’s work also explores Osaka’s Sumiyoshi Shrine, tragic events at Japanese train stations, and the haunting stories associated with these locations. Join us for a conversation about Japan’s supernatural traditions, the relationship between memory and ghost stories, and the history behind some of the country’s most unsettling tales. Discover more of Darren’s stories and subscribe to Did I Wake You? Stories from 3 a.m. on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DidIWakeYou3AM Website: supernaturaljapan.com (Sign up for our FREE newsletter) Instagram: @supernaturaljapan BECOME a Ghost by joining us on  @patreon  Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices