Every culture has told creepy ghost stories, but Japanese folklore has some of the best. Take, for example, the Noppera-bō, also known as the faceless ghost. This haunting figure is known for its...
Archaeologists in Berlin have made an astonishing discovery while excavating a former cellar in the city’s historic Molkenmarkt area. What was initially thought to be a simple military artifact from...
Divine Warrior: The Life and Legend of Yamato Takeru Yamato Takeru is a name strongly associated with bravery and heroism in Japanese folklore. Renowned for his daring exploits and unstoppable spirit...
The mystery behind one of the infamous ‘Fiji mermaids’ may soon be solved by radiology testing. This bizarre creature seems to be part fish, part monkey, and part reptile, and has baffled scientists...
History is replete with oddities and peculiar rituals that have stood the test of time, and Japan, with its rich tapestry of culture and traditions, is no exception. Enter the "Naki Sumo Baby Crying...
Kendo, the practice of Japanese swordsmanship, is one of the most popular martial arts today. Yet few people fully appreciate this sport’s fascinating origins and what its evolution can tell us about...
A team of researchers from Japan and the United States have just published a study proving conclusively that Japan’s Hirota people were using cranial modification techniques to change the shapes of...
In historical Japan , the luxury of using metal for construction was a costly endeavor out of reach for many carpenters. As a workaround, the ingenious "miyadaiku" carpenters, specialized in temple...
Mitsuru Hamasaki, a seasoned practitioner of the ancient Japanese martial art of kendo, has spent nearly 60 years honing his skills. A former police officer, Mitsuru has a unique perspective on the...
In the shadow of Japan’s Mount Fuji, lies the sprawling Aokigahara Forest, also known as Jukai , or the Sea of Trees, because its rustling branches reportedly resemble the sound of the sea. The...
Medieval Japan may be known for its honor, duty, and bravery, but there was also a darker side to the Samurai clans who ruled the era. Punishments for crimes were brutal and oppressive, with extreme...
Japanese art is full of surprises, including rowdy depictions of phallic contests, intercourse tournaments, and the unforgettable he-gassen fart battles. Bawdy, boisterous and downright delightful,...
Now this is family dedication – a hotel that has been passed down 52 generations of one Japanese family over more than 13 centuries! The hot spring Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan hotel in Japan’s Yamanashi...
The Baku, otherwise known as the dream eater, is a mythological being or spirit in Chinese and Japanese folklore which is said to devour nightmares. The Baku cannot be summoned without caution,...
Over 1,000 years ago, an esoteric sect known as Shingon – which combined elements from Buddhism, Old Shinto, Taoism, and other religions – developed a horrifying practice of self-mummification of the...
The Mongols attempted two major invasions of Japan during the 13th century, in 1274 and 1281 AD, led by Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan . On both occasions however, a massive typhoon (tropical...
The Japanese monarchy is the oldest continuous monarchy in the world, but it faces a clear succession crisis in the 21st century. Imperial descendance and inheritance is only passed through male...
A team of Japanese archaeologists have discovered what they consider to be the remains of is the legendary Tokaden royal pavilion. Until the early 8th century the Japanese court was peripatetic,...
The archipelago nation of Japan has been occupied since the Upper Paleolithic period (36,000 BC), and dual genomic Japanese ancestry has been the dominant theory, up until now. A new study carried...
In many ways, the culinary arts of preparing food are the oldest in the world. Ever since becoming sentient, humans had to experiment with cooking in order to sustain themselves. From the dawn of...
Researchers studying the antique medicine chest of Japanese Edo -era physician , Ogata Koan, discovered enough poison to kill a small army. But why? Koan was a leading a 19th century Japanese medical...
The Aokigahara forest is situated on the north-western side of Japan’s famous Mount Fuji. It was born 1,100 years ago, when Mount Fuji erupted, spewing out lava for miles which later transformed into...
Technology has allowed researchers many more insights into the past in recent years and helped several surprising discoveries to be made. Now, experts in Japan have used infrared camera technology to...
A hurdle in the way of many Western researchers of megalithic Japan is the mystique that surrounds the history of the combined 6,800 islands that piece together the archipelago of Nippon - a place...
