Uncanny Japan Podcast--Thersa Matsuura👹👋

Curious! I moved recently into a very old house and the room I sleep in has the best ripped shoji. These open to the outside (not a hall), so when I invariably wake up at 2am, it's everything I can do not to look over and see if there are any mokumokuren hanging out, or worse...a creepy neighbor.

A card from the Yokai Oracle showing a shoji screen with eyes peering through the torn paper. The card text reads "Mokumokuren - Many-Eyed Monsters Awareness, vigilance, perception"

...dangerous itself, they are certainly very spooky and are often believed to indicate that there is a #yokai infestation within the building.
🎨1. Shigeru Mizuki.
2. A card from the Yokai Oracle by Thersa Matsuura (@uncannyjapan.bsky.social) illustrated by Michelle Wang.
2/2

Breathe...

photo of hug coffee, bagel and The art of Living and Meditations on a table.

I can think of no better way to spend a morning. Coffee, cream cheese and basil bagel, some Marcus A. and Epictetus (gifts!), and great conversation for hours.

Decorative, nice sounds, but also functional. They prevent the rain from drilling a hole into the soil. I read some have basins under to collect water and also add more soothing sounds.

I've always wanted one of the fancy cup chains you see on old Japanese homes, temples, & tea houses. They're called kusari-doi (鎖樋) & have a pleasant sound when the wind isn't blowing out my phone mic.

Obaachan's house has them! I never knew. Rather, never paid attention, I guess. ✨🌧️🎵

You're my kind of person. As someone who repeatedly does the thing that everyone else is like, Naw, ain't no way I'm doing that. I'll give it a go!

If you don't hear back, have them donate my body to science to possibly come up with the first ever mold vaccine. Either way, confident I can do it!

Moon above row of headlights. Reflections drawing lines up the front glass.

I missed the eclipse because of rain. But last night, on my way home, she showed up huge, red, and low in the sky. Can't not try and capture the moment at a stoplight on my phone. Turned out better than I thought it would.

My main concern would be mold. Japan is *such* a country of mold. I don't see any...but...If it had been in a glass container I'd feel much better about it. The plastic bag is sort of thinning and disintegrating.

I looked it up, too. At my wedding back in the day I did birdseed instead. But I read that was a myth as well. I always wondered if it was because instant rice? That might swell up?

Thank so much, David 🙏✨ I'm having an awful ick kind of day and trying to knock myself out of this funk. Finding this made me feel much better. 😊

The front cover of Japanese Folklore. A book on the Oni, Yokai and Kami of Japan.

Still going through @uncannyjapan.bsky.social's Japanese Folklore, Yokai by Kami. Wonderful read to dip into when needing that release from, well... this world and personal stuff.

bag of old looking rice.

The conundrum: This bag of rice is over eight years old. But it looks okay, smells, feels okay (was better sealed, the rubber band broke when I lifted it). Now, I ain't eating it. But I also don't want to throw it away because rice is worth its weight in gold. Do birds eat rice?Should it be cooked?

...where do I sign up for futon thieves?

Oh, that would be *chef's kiss*!! level bad guy.

He did have a little book (that the police keep of everyone living everywhere) and showed me that the last time he'd been by was 8 years ago and when their break in was. He had loads of info. I'm like smiley and hey, wanna futon? He laughed.

Aaand for my second visitor: THE POLICE!

He was nice and did confirm there used to be a LOT of break ins in this area about fifteen years ago. Obaachan told me someone had broken in once before--ironically enough, in the room I'm sleeping in.

Makes those nighttime noises a little *more* scary.

pamphlet on keyboard.

My first doorbell ring at the new house! Jehovah's Witnesses. We actually had a nice conversation. They looked at the mountain of futons and boxes & balked.

JW: I see you are dealing with a lot. We'll just leave this and be on our merry way.

Me: Wait! Come back! Want a futon? Blanket? Pillow?

Going Forward: Thoughts and Thoughts? | Uncanny Japan -- Thersa Matsuura Get more from Uncanny Japan -- Thersa Matsuura on Patreon

I put up a free post and a poll about ideas on how to move forward with the podcast. I've got my own thoughts and ideas, but I'd love to hear from you, too 💕🙏. #uncannyjapan

www.patreon.com/posts/going-...

Basically looks like a whole bunch of brightly colored blankets hanging from things and all sorts of wild patterns, nothing matches, by the way.

Tadah! Some semblance of a recording booth has been set up💪. Might need some tweaks. I'll record something this weekend and see how it sounds. I've got *plenty* of futons to reinforce if need be 😆.

The new recording area's theme: Color and pattern coordination.

rectangular ofuda charm with a god inked on it in black ink.

It took two days and a boat load of oxiclean and elbow grease, but I got the toilet clean. Two days because you really can't fight your gag reflex. Gotta take a break. But the walls are now white and everything's scrubbed and today I got to introduce the Toilet God (ofuda) to his new home✨🙏.

I'm reading your mind...🤭

That was my first guess. And where the hell it came from...I have no idea. I didn't buy it. Someone must have given it to me. I have so many questions.

Is it?! It's very old (like over ten years), but it could be Bad Bunny!

Patch looks like Jean Reno.

Things you acquire. I found d this in my stuff. Why? Where from? Who?

I'm getting a Jean Reno vibe.

I was thinking about what it would look like with a little tea in it. But then it would look like the kitten is under water, too 😅

Oh, I LOVE yours!! 💕🙌

Sure, I'm living in piles of boxes and miscellaneous stuff, but look at this little treasure I found.

My new tea cup or rice bowl!

In the latest Fire Horse episode, I also talk about the legend of Yayoiya Oshishi -- the lovestruck girl who tragically ended up being burned at the stake. 😢💔🔥

Episode here: open.spotify.com/episode/2RBx...

#uncannyjapan #spectrevisionradio

😢

Yeah. I feel they're very delicate. I've seen some in better environments that. were all alive and genki. I'm not sure the point of doing this.