#42 Kamikakushi: A Complete Guide to Understanding Japan's Mysterious "Spirited Away"

Are you scared of toilets? I was as a kid, and still am, honestly. While it is because of my personal problem, it could also be because we have so many horror stories and urban legends about toilets in Japan. Today’s episode is about one of them, Aka Manto (赤マント). In this episode, we will deep-dive into Aka Manto, including what this being is, a typical urban legend, and what could be the origins behind it. Lastly, I will share one Kaidan scary story from Junji Inagawa, the Kaidan legend, which could possibly be related to Aka Manto. --- Official Website: https://japan-makes-me-scared.com/aka-manto/ Discord: https://discord.gg/MuPBxfQDR7 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/japan_makes_me_scared/ Japon, fais-moi peur (My wife's French podcast): https://open.spotify.com/show/7kJV1YW5AAiptB1J4jwq8t

Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) It is not only the most commercially successful film in Japan, but also the lifetime favourite of so many, including myself. But are there not some parts in the film that make you feel uneasy? That's totally normal because there are some horror elements in it. In this bonus episode, I’m talking about Ghibli's masterpiece, Spirited Away, and how you can watch it as a horror film with some deep analysis of hidden meanings, mythology, and folklore. --- ↓To learn more about Kamikakushi, check out this episode! https://open.spotify.com/episode/4elW7SbaSLgZmfZabReno4?si=5803833cd4ff4354 --- Official Website: https://japan-makes-me-scared.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/MuPBxfQDR7 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/japan_makes_me_scared/ Japon, fais-moi peur (My wife's French podcast): https://open.spotify.com/show/7kJV1YW5AAiptB1J4jwq8t ---

When somebody is missing, what do you think would be the cause? I guess most people would think it is about personal problems like relationships and money, or it could be external factors like kidnapping or murder at worst. But Japanese people have one more option: Kamikakushi (神隠し). That's the topic of the day. So, today's episode is like a complete guide to understanding Kamikakushi through some deep-dive analysis. We will explore the meanings, story, and elements behind Kamikakushi and uncover its mysteries. --- Official Website: ⁠https://japan-makes-me-scared.com/⁠ Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/MuPBxfQDR7⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/japan_makes_me_scared/⁠ Japon, fais-moi peur (My wife's French podcast): ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7kJV1YW5AAiptB1J4jwq8t⁠ ---

Ryomen Sukuna. Have you heard this name? Maybe some of you already have from the hit JP Anime, Jujutsu Kaisen. But This name has not just come out of it recently. Actually, it has echoed through centuries of Japanese folklore In today’s episode, we’ll dive into the origins of Ryomen Sukuna, and even explore a real-life urban legend that’s posted on 2chan and possibly inspired how he’s transformed in Japanese pop culture nowadays. --- Official Website: https://japan-makes-me-scared.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/MuPBxfQDR7 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/japan_makes_me_scared/ Japon, fais-moi peur (My wife's French podcast): https://open.spotify.com/show/7kJV1YW5AAiptB1J4jwq8t ---

"Ten...Sou...Metsu" What is that voice? Then something white is coming towards us... Today, I would like to share one of the scariest stories from Japanese urban legends, Yamanoke. --- Official Website: https://japan-makes-me-scared.com/yamanoke/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/MuPBxfQDR7⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/japan_makes_me_scared/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Japon, fais-moi peur (My wife's French podcast): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7kJV1YW5AAiptB1J4jwq8t-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- 

"There was something like a giant iron hoop hanging down vertically." Where has he gone? But there is no other choice for me but to go as well anyway. Then I wake up to... what's going on actually? Today's story is about a classic mystery Kaidan masterpiece posted on 2chan, the Japanese message board website. --- Official Website: ⁠https://japan-makes-me-scared.com/⁠ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/MuPBxfQDR7⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/japan_makes_me_scared/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Japon, fais-moi peur (My wife's French podcast): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7kJV1YW5AAiptB1J4jwq8t-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --  *Kaidan is a type of scary story that has been popular entertainment in Japan for centuries. You might imagine some kind of traditional ghost stories, Yokai/monster folklore, or maybe any temple/shrine-related thing. But Kaidan also consists of some supernatural tales, urban legends/creepypasta, true crime, and even modern human-based horrors as well, which means you will never get bored, hopefully!

"There was a slide, and one woman was standing behind it." But wait. Does she look familiar to somebody? Somebody from... one of the Japanese urban legends? Today's story is about a mysterious Kaidan story that connects an urban legend and reality, originally told by Yurian Retriever. --- Official Website: https://japan-makes-me-scared.com/woman-behind-the-slide/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/MuPBxfQDR7⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/japan_makes_me_scared/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Japon, fais-moi peur (My wife's French podcast): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7kJV1YW5AAiptB1J4jwq8t-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --  *Kaidan is a type of scary story that has been popular entertainment in Japan for centuries. You might imagine some kind of traditional ghost stories, Yokai/monster folklore, or maybe any temple/shrine-related thing. But Kaidan also consists of some supernatural tales, urban legends/creepypasta, true crime, and even modern human-based horrors as well, which means you will never get bored, hopefully!

He probably wanted to see her dance...But wait, did he really mean that? Today's story is about a frightening and strange experience encountered by a girl who tried some psychic test, originally from Nobuhiko Otani. --- Official Website: ⁠https://japan-makes-me-scared.com/psychic-test/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/MuPBxfQDR7⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/japan_makes_me_scared/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Japon, fais-moi peur (My wife's French podcast): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7kJV1YW5AAiptB1J4jwq8t-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --  *Kaidan is a type of scary story that has been popular entertainment in Japan for centuries. You might imagine some kind of traditional ghost stories, Yokai/monster folklore, or maybe any temple/shrine-related thing. But Kaidan also consists of some supernatural tales, urban legends/creepypasta, true crime, and even modern human-based horrors as well, which means you will never get bored, hopefully!

An eerie entrance in the mountains leads to a haunted village where evil spirits lurk. If you wander into there, there is no guarantee that you will return safely… Today, I will introduce Sugisawa Village, an abandoned village that’s not on the map but possibly exits deep inside the mountains in Japan. --- Official Website: ⁠https://japan-makes-me-scared.com/sugisawa-village/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/MuPBxfQDR7⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/japan_makes_me_scared/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Japon, fais-moi peur (My wife's French podcast): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7kJV1YW5AAiptB1J4jwq8t-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --  *Kaidan is a type of scary story that has been popular entertainment in Japan for centuries. You might imagine some kind of traditional ghost stories, Yokai/monster folklore, or maybe any temple/shrine-related thing. But Kaidan also consists of some supernatural tales, urban legends/creepypasta, true crime, and even modern human-based horrors as well, which means you will never get bored, hopefully!

"And her laughter was exactly the same as..." Who was the woman coming to save me that day? Today's story is about a deeply sad but mysterious event experienced by a woman, originally told by Ryokichi Iyama. --- Official Website: https://japan-makes-me-scared.com/loop/ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/MuPBxfQDR7⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/japan_makes_me_scared/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Japon, fais-moi peur (My wife's French podcast): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7kJV1YW5AAiptB1J4jwq8t-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --  *Kaidan is a type of scary story that has been popular entertainment in Japan for centuries. You might imagine some kind of traditional ghost stories, Yokai/monster folklore, or maybe any temple/shrine-related thing. But Kaidan also consists of some supernatural tales, urban legends/creepypasta, true crime, and even modern human-based horrors as well, which means you will never get bored, hopefully!