Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Creepy Customs & Bizarre Beliefs

#48 trending · Books

Episode Notes Join our Patreon for early access and bonus episodes and help support the show! Get exclusive Japanese horror merchandise and join the Discord! Seven creep

Sep 18
49 min

Watery Tales of Doom

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Sep 4
48 min

Mountain Forest Mayhem

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Aug 21
44 min

Terrifying Unconventional Encounters

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Aug 7
45 min

Nightmarish Encounters & Happenings

Episode Notes Join our Patreon for early access and bonus episodes and help support the show! Get exclusive Japanese horror merchandise and join the Discord! These seven

Jul 24
48 min

Traumatising Encounters To Keep You Up At Night

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Jul 10
49 min

Horrifying Haunts

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Jun 27
47 min

Vicious Voices

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Jun 12
48 min

Creepy Crafty Dolls

Episode Notes Join our Patreon for early access and bonus episodes and help support the show! Get exclusive Japanese horror merchandise and join the Discord! These three

May 29
46 min

Ghastly Gruesome Ghosts

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May 15
45 min

Horrifying Encounters That Can’t Be Explained

Episode Notes Join our Patreon for early access and bonus episodes and help support the show! Get exclusive Japanese horror merchandise and join the Discord! The people

May 1
44 min

Bewildering & Bizarre Experiences

Episode Notes Join our Patreon for early access and bonus episodes and help support the show! Get exclusive Japanese horror merchandise and join the Discord! What on ear

Apr 17
46 min

Bizarre & Ghastly Ghosts

Episode Notes Join our Patreon for early access and bonus episodes and help support the show! Get exclusive Japanese horror merchandise and join the Discord! Six tales o

Apr 3
47 min

Spine-tingling Accounts of the Sea

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Mar 20
46 min

Deadly Spiritual Encounters

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Mar 6
44 min

Spectral Frights and Bites

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Feb 20
46 min

Maddening Mountain Frights

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Feb 6
46 min

Hair-raising School Adventures

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Jan 23
49 min

Best of 2025

Episode Notes Join our Patreon for early access and bonus episodes and help support the show! Get exclusive Japanese horror merchandise and join the Discord! As we kick

Jan 9
56 min

Deadly Dreadful Dolls

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Dec 26 2025
46 min

Chart trend

Position in the Books chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#94#187JunJulAugSep

#61

all-time peak

days in the top 100 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 20, 2026).

#97 ▲ 77 Books US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

My son and I listen while we’re driving him to school. He asks for (as he puts it) “the Japanese Ghost Story Show” every time. Thank you for your gathering and translation work, and your excellent delivery!

Starherd · Mar 2025

I'm very fond of this podcast. To be blunt, if you're a westerner and a skeptic the vast majority of these stories will not be scary at all. But! That doesn't stop them from being very entertaining and interesting insights into Japanese culture.

Tea-biscuits · Aug 2023

If you love Japanese culture, and especially Japanese folklore and horror stories, this is a great podcast that you’ll surely enjoy!

1RONM4N · Jun 2023

Tara’s soothing voice is a startling juxtaposition to the chilling stories she expertly tells. My favorite podcast. I look forward to her updates.

kawaiikitty · Feb 2023

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.