Learn Japanese at JapanesePod101.com! Next week, basic and premium members will be able to enjoy a taste of an Edo Era O-Bon tradition of telling kaidan (ghost stories). For the 3 days of O-Bon, 13th-15th, we’ll be offering 3 additional audio file of some very scary stuff! As if that wasn’t enough, we were lucky enough to be given permission to some stories by Inagawa Junji, one of Japan’s most famous horror story writers! This is the real deal, folks! You’re not gonna want to miss out on this! After listening, stop by JapanesePod101.com and be sure to leave us a post!
This entry was posted on Friday, August 10th, 2007 at 6:30 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
27 Responses to “News #47 - Next Week’s Premium O-Bon Lessons!”
JapanesePod101.com says:
August 9th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Mina-san, this is a way to say thank you to all our Basic and Premium members!
Not only are these stories scary, they are a great way to bring your Japanese to the next level! Each CD quality audio file will consist of the Japanese conversation followed by the Japanese with a line by line English translation. Accompanying Lesson PDF will feature the Japanese text, hiragana, translation, vocabulary and of course, the Kanji Close Up. There will also be Line By Line audio available in the Learning Center.
We were really lucky to be able to use some of Inagawa-san’s stories.
Here is his website (Japanese only): http://www.j-inagawa.com/
And here is the Wikipedia page about him (Japanese only): http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%A8%B2%E5%B7%9D%E6%B7%B3%E4%BA%8C
It’s difficult to find info about him in English, so we gathered some important info about him from his Japanese biography.
Screen Name： Junji Inagawa
Job: entertainer, industrial designer
Office he belongs to: Yuni J Office
Birth Date: August 21, 1947 (Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
He has two different titles as an on-screen entertainer and an industrial designer. He had a carreer working for Kuwazawa Design Office. He has appeared on many TV shows such as “Look Look” on Nippon Television Network, NHK’s period dramas (大河ドラマ), and so on.
In 1996, he won the Ministry of International Trade and Industry’s prestigious “Good Design Award” for his design of car locks. He also has done national tours to perform his “kaidan” story telling for over 15 years!
“Kaidan”
He is well known as a kaidan story teller whose tone is very unique. Many of his kaidan have been released on CD, video cassette, DVD and books. In addition, he started a live show called “Mystery Night Tour” around 1993 and keeps playing it around Japan from the summer through the end of year every year. In 2001 he played it during the New Year’s Holidays.
His most famous story is the infamous 生人形 “Iki Ningyō” (a living doll). It is so scary that even Mr. Inagawa doesn’t want to talk it. There is a rumor that a curse befalls those who repeat it. He ranked this story as the number 1 of his favorite scary stories.
“Personality”
His story telling style is considered very artistic and he is considered by many to be one of Japan’s preeminent story tellers of any genre. His unique and characteristic tone is very effective to incite terror of those who are listening.
He sometimes worries that the name “Inagawa Junji” is associated with the macabre, and he recently appeared on many TV shows as an industrial designer to downplay that image.
Since information in English is scarce, if anyone knows of any tasty links, be sure to share them with us!
sindy says:
August 10th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
I don´t quite get it. I am not going to be renewing my subscription so does this mean I will not be able to hear these stories with a translation?
Anyhoo, no worries, there are so many short stories in the net. I think reading/listening to longer episodes is great practice.
What are some of your fav. stories? I enjoy O´Henry short stories translated into simple Japanese 
*Simple* being the key for me!!!!!
Liz-san,
Should you read this, thanks for the thumbs up in your previous comment. I think I know you from way back when *in the old days* !!! Skype, ne? 
sindy says:
August 10th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Also, why is it when I rate something from the store e.g. Miki´s blog with 2 stars, it appears as 5 stars instead? I double checked before I clicked.
Are you just sticking to the highest rating? You should change that to the average rating surely?
Things have changed so much here, I realize this is a business and you want to make a killing. Oh well, maybe time for a change, for me.
Gambatte, mina-san!
Yuki says:
August 10th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Attention!!
We are gonna give you some chicken bumps. 
Next week I’m pretty much sure that everybody who listens to the Ghost Stories will love and freak out with those stuffs!! 
We are gonna publish one horror story in each day for three days, from 13th to 15th.
Please please don’t miss those!
doraemon says:
August 10th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
sindy-san,
I agree. A break can be a good thing. I am doing the same and stop by less and less. There is a ton of other stuff you can go to, read or study - most of it is free on the web or a library, don´t get disheartened. I was bored also, being an oldie here 
Check the forum also for useful links.
Maybe we should form an Oldie band
Liz-san,
Nice to see you around again 
Yuki-san,
I think you mean goose bumps
And lastly,
Regarding the store reviews. I have to agree to the above comment. I wrote a review with a lower rating and it did not show up. PR and business is all good BUT customers should get honest opinions, ne…
Happy weekend everyone!
gillian says:
August 10th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
doraemon-san
In the UK we actually use the expression “goose pimples’. I think this is more appropriate as the spots/bumps are pin head size. Of course I am not thinking about enormous embarassing zits!!! Anyway I like the idea of rudimentary air-conditioning.
Liz21 says:
August 10th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
sindy-san,
Hi! If you’d like to–go to the Forum/Memberlists and drop me a PM so we can get reacquainted. My name is right there on the first page! 
Javizy says:
August 10th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
Will these be in addition to the regular lessons, or will they replace them?
Reading is all good, but I have enough trouble with ‘Boku wa Ou-sama’, a little children’s book with characters the size of your head, so I doubt I’ll be reading any of the Junji’s books any time soon
By the way, I think Naomi should stop being a chicken and get the book
TempleUniJP says:
August 11th, 2007 at 12:28 am
Tori Hifu！
Its really intresting to watch what you guys will come out with next. It makes my weeks of labor as a construction worker more intresting!
Speaking of construction, maybe you could do a lesson about Diaku and Rodosha! I still remember the word for hammer from one of your lessons. Kanazuchi right? something like that.
Sindy San: why not just renew the membership for a month? Not only will it be good for you but it will support Japanesepod in making more great lessons for us all!
JockZon (JZ) says:
August 11th, 2007 at 1:45 am
I also have to have my membership renewed, haven’t been able to read the PDFs for a while now 
Sindy says:
August 11th, 2007 at 10:08 am
JP101 crew/listeners!
ahhhhh This sindy-san is really getting on my nervers! 
First of all your not the only sindy, I’m the true SINDY OK! 
Second I’m the one that rated Miki’s ebook with five starts and with the best comments it deserves because I like her and not because you don’t ok!
Third we don’t need your opinion about JP101 ghost stories they are NOT going to stop just because you say so and because you don’t have your membership renew!
Four Eran-san would take care of you if you keep posting dumb comments! 
Fifth I would also form a newbie group and will see who wins! S_R_C
Sindy says:
August 11th, 2007 at 10:25 am
JP101 crew/listeners!
Apologize for this inconvenience, I’m already calm down!
JP101 ghost stories would be great! Thank you Peter-san and crew for this ghost stories edition. I’m a premium member and I would enjoy it very much. 
Thank you Yuki-san , can’t wait!
Javizy-san!
I agree with you my friend! Naomi buy the book booooooo!
JockZon (JZ)-san!
Great that you have your membership back!
Finally Mina-san!
When the true people don’t want to be a sheep the others will try to stop him/her that’s why I recommend you listen to Silent Hill Soundtracks, Dream Theater, Ulver, Pink Flyod, etc.
This bands and music know the truth and they want to stop you and them for giving out the message to the world but we know how to handle sheeps. Black sheep? NO wolves prey amoung sheeps! S_R_C
JockZon (JZ) says:
August 11th, 2007 at 11:08 am
えっと。。。Sindyさん, I will have it back but I haven’t yet 
Sindy says:
August 11th, 2007 at 11:24 am
JockZon (JZ)
Don’t worry you’ll have it back, I make sure of that my friend!
Now I want to show you and all mina-san a Swedish short movie with music composed by Ulver call Lyckantropen.
Here are the the 3 parts of the movie:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FNvlQ4LRtqY
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Oj3rYG4aGsw
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fyELd1WAwvU
Please mina-san watch and you will see a truth there!
The Ying Yang is also a great symbol and example of these.
Think about it and you will see it’s in the symbols we see everywhere too. S_R_C
Sindy says:
August 11th, 2007 at 11:35 am
JockZon (JZ)
Don’t worry you’ll have it back my friend!
Now I want to show you and all mina-san a Swedish short movie with music composed by Ulver call Lyckantropen.
Here are the the 3 parts of the movie:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FNvlQ4LRtqY
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Oj3rYG4aGsw
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fyELd1WAwvU
Please mina-san watch and you will see a truth there! S_R_C
シンディー says:
August 11th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
Mina-san!
I was looking at the members list and I am on page 59 # 2932 joined July 20 2006 351 posts so I’m here since last year and young!
Feel free to PM or request me a mixi invitation my friends ok. S_R_C
Joey says:
August 11th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
I hope these stories give me a good scare !
tanoshiku matte imasu!
JockZon (JZ) says:
August 11th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Sindy, yeah it’s swedish although “lyckantropen” is a word I’ve never heard 
And most of the names in the crew are norwegian so I guess it’s some kind of co-operation.
Javizy says:
August 12th, 2007 at 12:27 am
There’s a second Sindy? I thought the comments lately were a bit harsh for the original Sindy. I’m sorry for doubting you
I think this should be like a message board where members login and post under their username, and everyone else posts as a guest and selects a name like we’re doing now.
Liz21 says:
August 12th, 2007 at 1:53 am
Javizy-san,
Yes, there is a second Sindy. Her name is “sindy” and English is her native language. I think Sindy should be nicer to sindy. Let’s all be friends!
Sindy シンディー says:
August 12th, 2007 at 3:47 am
Mina-san!
Thank you for your support, I really appreciated very much!
Liz-san!
Thanks, love and peace everyone! S_R_C
markystar says:
August 12th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
wow… haven’t checked the board since friday afternoon. hehehe
looks like i missed some action 
well, hopefully everybody’s cool with everybody again.
i’ll give you a sneak peak into tomorrow’s kaidan.
i learned a new word when working on this translation, and i’ll share it with you.
the first one takes place in 廃校・はいこう・haikou
they use this to mean “the closing of a school.” i think the best english translation is “abandoned school house.”
another heads up.
if you a high level learner, except for some new vocab, these should be good reinforcement for intermediate and advanced students.
if you’re below intermediate, i think these will be good practice for building vocab and seeing the grammar in action. make sure you have rikai-chan installed too.
the format is native japanese story at natural speaking speed followed by japanese and english translation. due to popular demand, there’s no romaji.
marky
Alextoss says:
August 30th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Hey All ! ! !
Want to spend your vacation to be remembered for long?
Tourism …
help you carry out your wishes !
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Category: News |
Topic: ghost stories, Inagawa Junji, o bon
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