Keeping Evil Out: Japan’s Supernatural Defences

How did people in Japan protect themselves from evil spirits, bad luck, and natural disasters? In this episode of Supernatural Japan, host Kevin O’Shea explores Japanese folklore and protective traditions, from sardine heads hung at doorways and purification with salt to Shōki rooftop guardians, paper figures that carry away misfortune, and earthquake talismans depicting the giant catfish Namazu. Discover the epidemic-fighting origins of Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri and how folk beliefs and religious rituals helped people seek safety in an unpredictable world.

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