AltJapan

Catch and Release

Good news, people! I am very proud to report that I met the stringent requirements (*) for obtaining a coveted Kappa Catcher's License, issued by the Tono City Tourist Association. Troubled by strange noises in the middle of the night? Feelings of dread at pool or lakeside? Then pick up the phone and call a professional. I'm ready to believe you.

*  Paying 200 yen at a souvenir stand.

Yokai & Yurei & You

Thanks to whoever went to the trouble of posting the Yokai/Yurei episode of Tokyo Eye on YouTube! The end of summer is spook season in Japan, and what better way to celebrate than by following first-timer Hami and I as we tour some of Tokyo's scariest spots unraveling the differences between yurei (ghosts) and yokai (er, yokai). 

In a nutshell, yokai generally represent a "something," while yurei represent a "someone." But tune in to see some examples for yourself. We hit the Oiwa Inari Shrine (where we underwent a Shinto purification ritual to protect us from harmful spirits), Zenshoan Temple, Masakado's Tomb, Kappa Temple, out to Chiba to examine the Hyakki Yagyo scrolls, and finally unwind with a spin through Korakuen's haunted house. 

For some reason the video's been split into parts -- here are two and three.

Beware the Yokai

An article I wrote about yokai is in the latest issue (#10, June/July) of the Discovery Channel Magazine, an English-language magazine that is (to my knowledge) only available in Asia. Check it out if you have a chance!

Don't Fear the Reaper

It's warming up here in Japan, and you know what that means? It's almost yokai season. Yokai are pretty much a summer phenomenon in Japan (as one story goes, in an era before air conditioning swapping scary tales for a shiver was a fun way to cool down.) But there's one notable exception to the summer horde: the ferocious, alpine demon known as the Namahage.

Essentially standard oni recast in the image of a farmer with a straw raincoat, bucket, and machete, a small army of Namahage emerge from the mountains every New Years in Akita Prefecture, trudging through the deep snow to pound on villagers' doors and demand to punish any wayward children. If this all sounds like a convenient excuse for parents to get kids to behave -- sort of like a reverse Santa Claus -- that's because it is! 

When we were researching the Namahage for Yokai Attack: The Japanese Monster Survival Guide, Hiroko headed to the far-flung Oga Peninsula for a taste of the Sedo Matsuri, a Namahage festival held by locals every February. (The shot above was taken during one of the ceremonies.) You can read all about Namahage in Yokai Attack, but it turns out that "Samurai Dave," who Hiroko ran into at the festival, has posted a really great photo essay and video digest of Sedo Matsuri highlights on YouTube. That distinctive moan of the Namahage gets me every time!

Yokai/Damage

I can't believe I forgot to mention this awesome interview that Schultz of Hello Damage conducted with us about Yokai Attack! Check it out when you get a chance.

Real Panic Movie

BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT.... The thrilling conclusion to Project Kappa is live on BoingBoing TV right this very dang second. What will happen to the Yokai Squad in the rickshaw-infested back-alleys of Asakusa? Does hiring Kappa instead of normal contractors violate any municipal building codes? Will wishing upon the Kappa's Paw bring Sean Bonner back? And more importantly, didn't anyone ever tell you not to chew with your mouth open, young man?

For those who have been under a rock for the last twenty four hours, or maybe just have a life, part one is here.

Yokai Post

I never expected to ever see the word "yokai" on the front page of the same paper that broke the Watergate scandal, let alone a photo of Hiroko and I. But there they are, in full color no less. Click here for an un-cropped image of the page, and click here for a link to the actual article.

Kappafield

Now LIVE on BoingBoing TV!

"Sean made it to Tokyo, and shot evidence of the Kappa on Japan's urban streets (signs, blow-up Kappa dolls, stickers). But then, suddenly, the raw footage he was FTPing to us nightly just STOPPED. Bam. Just like that. And with it, all evidence we had of Sean's whereabouts and well-being..."

Hiroko, Sean Bonner, and I brave the wilds of Tokyo's fabled kitchenware district, Kappabashi-Dori, in search of a hidden temple -- said to be home to the mummified hand of a supernatural creature. Beset by inflatable monsters and a nagging case of shaky-cam, three of us enter... but only two escape. What happens to Internet's Sean Bonner? You'll have to tune in to episode two tomorrow to find out. 

They Live

"Perfect gifts for foreigners!" proclaims this sign at a Narita Airport gift shop. I couldn't agree more. Who needs the Chrysanthemum and the Sword when you've got Yokai Attack and the infamous Tabloid Tokyo series?

But forget all that: I've got news. Big news. YokaiAttack.com is live! Designed by Andrew Lee, who also laid out the book, it probably the only website with quotes from Steve "30 Days of Night" Niles, Don "Phantasm"  Coscarelli, and Albert "that whole theory of relativity thing" Einstein. So it isn't only the official website for Yokai Attack. It's also fun for the whole damned family. Check it out when you get a chance.

Yoda (& Alt) Attack

The fine folks at SciFi Japan have posted an interview with us about Yokai Attack! Check it out when you get a chance.