Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com! From ancient Greek plays to campfire stories, to modern movies, the ghost story is eternal. Charon ferried the souls of the dead across the River Styx. Confederate soldiers still march through Charleston, South Carolina, and Bill Murray busts ghosts on the big screen. Every culture has its ghost stories. Japanese culture has it that during a few days in August, the ghosts of the dead rise up to haunt the homes they had when they were alive. What do you think happens when the ghosts find their old houses have been razed to be replaced by an office tower or skyscraper? Do you think they’re piqued or infuriated? If so, how do ghosts take their revenge? What would you do if you were trapped in a stairwell at three in the morning during ghost week with your co-workers and you started to hear strange voices and noises? It would be worse if you smelled big piles of pigeon manure. Read this Premium lesson to find out what happened. What’s the scariest thing about ghost stories? The unknown.
Learning Japanese with JapanesePod101.com is the most fun and effective way to learn Japanese! This Premium Japanese lesson is all about a bit of Japanese culture, O-bon. It’s all about the spirits of your ancestors returning to their homes for a few days in August. It’s actually a sort of Buddhist religious holiday to honor one’s ancestors, but as with many religious traditions, the fun of scary ghost stories has crept into the limelight. Read this story, and imagine what you’d do in the same circumstances. Visit us at JapanesePod101.com where you will find many more fantastic Japanese lessons and learning resources! Leave us a message while you are there!
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Having trouble sleeping?
You will after listening to this!
Some lucid dreamers can watch their dreams like television, but if you board the Nightmare Express (悪夢エクスプレス), there’s a chance, you’ll never get off. Lucky for you, it’s the last day of O-Bon and you’ll have nothing to worry about until next year….
Or will you?
They’re baaaaaack!
Kaidan!
It’s day two of O-Bon.
It’s the time when the dead walk again in Japan.
And we’re continuing the Edo Period tradition of telling kaidan (ghost stories) during this haunted season to kill time.
We’re taking a break from studying Japanese grammar, so kick back and enjoy this ancient Japanese Tradition.
Being in an accident is scary.
But an JapanesePod101.com O-Bon Kaidan accident is a nightmare!
Today is the first day of O-Bon and this time we have a very special guest writer:
The legendary Japanese storyteller, Inagawa Junji. This is the second time he’s been gracious enough to let us use one of his stories.
We’re resurrecting the old Edo Period tradition of Hyaku Monogatari Kaidankai, a party where people got together to tell 100 ghost stories to pass the time in the summer heat. We’re only going to tell one story for each day of O-Bon, but we’re sure they’re as scary as 100 others.
You’re in for a treat this time!
Muahahahahaaaaa!
On Inagawa Junji’s website, you can learn about his upcoming performances and CD’s, DVD’s and iTunes downloads. We highly recommend checking him out, he is truly a modern Japanese cultural icon.
Are you ready to enter the shrine? There are many unique customs in Japan, some of the most interesting are the ones are associated with Japanese religion. Today’s lesson takes place under a chōzuya, the place where you purify yourself before entering a Japanese shrine or temple.
We’ll be looking at practical Japanese phrase dō shitara ii no da, which is useful asking someone what to do. You’ll never be at a loss again!
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