The Mysterious Japan

Episode 15: Bizarre and Funny Japan

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.

Episode 14: The Curse of Mihara

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.

Episode 13: Mount Mihara's Siren Call for Self Immolation

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."

Episode 12: The Dark Legends of Izu Oshima

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.

Episode 11: The Ghosts of Iwo Jima

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.

Episode 10: The Holdouts 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.

Episode 9: Urban Legends and Dark Folklore from Jukai

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.

Episode 8: Ghost Stories from Jukai

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

Episode 7: A Stash of Cash in Jukai

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.

Episode 6: The Mysteries of Jukai

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.