Speculative fiction writer, long-term resident of Japan and Bram Stoker Award finalist Thersa Matsuura explores all that is weird from old Japan—strange superstitions, folktales, cultural oddities, and interesting language quirks. These are little treasures she digs up while doing research for her writing.
https://www.uncannyjapan.com/
episode 81: Hitobashira: The Tragic Stories of Human Pillars
How do you build a bridge that stands up to storms and floods? Well, you have to appease the nature gods, of course. But how do you do that? Human sacrifice seemed to have worked in the past. Today I'll talk about hitobashira or human pillars. An ancient tradition of insuring strong river banks, fireproof castles, and tunnels that won't collapse.
Visit the Uncanny Japan website to read the show notes and transcript.
Uncanny Japan is author Thersa Matsuura. Her other shows are Uncanny Robot Podcast and The Soothing Stories Podcast. Check out her books including The Carp-Faced Boy on Amazon. If you'd like to help support the podcast and have a bedtime story read to you monthly, please visit Patreon.
Please join our community forum! https://japanforum.uncanny.productions/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thersamatsuura
Website: https://www.uncannyjapan.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UncannyJapan
Mastodon: https://famichiki.jp/@UncannyJapan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UncannyJapan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncannyjapan/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncannyjapan/
Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution): https://buymeacoffee.com/uncannyjapan
CreditsIntro and outro music by Julyan Ray Matsuura
Sincerely by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5033-sincerely
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Lights by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5309-lights-
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Lost Place Atmospheres 003 by Sascha Ende®
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7675-lost-place-atmospheres-003
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license