Sanshi: The Three Body-Parasite Problem (Ep. 178)

I finally got to go on a walk again after all the oppressive August heat. I live around rice fields, mostly. There are some houses, of course, along the main road, and then every so often, a knee-high stone tower or stele. These are called kōshintō. What I found particularly intriguing was how these connect to some rather unsettling beliefs about spiritual parasites. According to the traditions I discovered, we have three of these sanshi living inside our bodies. Come with me as I explore how entire communities once stayed awake all night just to keep these things trapped inside them. [Please Note: Some of the links are affiliate links (both Amazon and other). This means that at no cost to you, if you use and purchase through them I receive a small compensation. This is paid by the retailer. It also helps support me and my artistic endeavors. Thank you.] Follow Uncanny Japan Patreon Uncanny Japan Website Thersa Matsuura Website Books on Amazon YouTube Facebook Instagram Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution)

You can listen to Sanshi: The Three Body-Parasite Problem (Ep. 178) online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Sanshi: The Three Body-Parasite Problem (Ep. 178) is an episode from Uncanny Japan - Folklore and Culture by SpectreVision Radio.

This episode is 26:10 long.

This episode was published on Sep 16, 2025.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Uncanny Japan - Folklore and Culture when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.