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Do you wish to collaborate with Asia Paranormal through link or content exchange?
Do you have any enquiries or feedback?
Email us at AsiaParanormal@gmail.com
We look forward to hearing from you!
Follow us on
Vote for us!
Best regards, on behalf of team AsiaParanormal
Master Orthodox Occultist Oregon Chang, The 17th generation Disciple
of Seven Stars Sword Master Hebei China
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Friday, December 14, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Five of the creepiest places in Asia to spend your Halloween
Here are the five spookiest places in Asia to visit this Halloween that will put your local haunted house to shame.
Read more >>
(Disclaimer: these are not for the faint of heart.)
1. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Cambodia
[Click here to read full article]
1. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Cambodia
2. Bhangarh Fort, India
3. Lipe Island, Thailand
4. Himuro Mansion, Japan
5. Liu Mansion of Minsyong, Taiwan
[Click here to read full article]
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
WereFox of the Oriental
Werefox or Kitsune
Kitsune were known for many abilities. The list of things kitsune were capable of seemed to change from story to story, but for the most part, many things were common enough to warrant being listed as 'kitsune powers'. These powers are called 'fox magic'.
[Click here to read full article]
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Weretigers or Werecats in Asian Mythlogy
In the cultures of the West, Werewolves and Vampires are very much popular.
However in the East, where Asians lived in, it is instead more about Weretigers.
While werewolves were thought to be the predators of vampire by nature but however, most of the time these predators are in the control of their prey, the Vampires in most stories.
So , Werewolves are by nature predators of Vampires and in turn the are the prey to their predators , the Weretigers whom are mostly Asian, their distant cousin!
We have all heard of the werewolf. The werewolf has a distant cousin, so to speak. Not as well known outside of Asia, is a mythical creature called a weretiger, also more recently known as a werecat. Before the late 19th century they were all known as weretigers. They are not to be mistaken for the spirit tiger which is a familiar under the control of a supernatural being or a “nat”. The familiar is used to do the bidding of the nat.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
However in the East, where Asians lived in, it is instead more about Weretigers.
While werewolves were thought to be the predators of vampire by nature but however, most of the time these predators are in the control of their prey, the Vampires in most stories.
So , Werewolves are by nature predators of Vampires and in turn the are the prey to their predators , the Weretigers whom are mostly Asian, their distant cousin!
We have all heard of the werewolf. The werewolf has a distant cousin, so to speak. Not as well known outside of Asia, is a mythical creature called a weretiger, also more recently known as a werecat. Before the late 19th century they were all known as weretigers. They are not to be mistaken for the spirit tiger which is a familiar under the control of a supernatural being or a “nat”. The familiar is used to do the bidding of the nat.
[Click here to read full article]
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Chūgen (中元), also Ochūgen (お中元) , The Chinese Version of Ghost Month
Chūgen (中元), also Ochūgen (お中元), is an annual event in Japan on July 15, when people give gifts to their superiors and acquaintances.
One of the three days that form the sangen (三元?) of Daoism, it is sometimes considered a Zassetsu in the Japanese calendar.
Originally it was an annual event for giving gifts to the ancestral spirits. Obon (お盆?) or just Bon (盆?) is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors.
This Buddhist-Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars.
It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
One of the three days that form the sangen (三元?) of Daoism, it is sometimes considered a Zassetsu in the Japanese calendar.
Originally it was an annual event for giving gifts to the ancestral spirits. Obon (お盆?) or just Bon (盆?) is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors.
This Buddhist-Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars.
It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori.
[Click here to read full article]
Monday, July 2, 2012
Romans in Japan?!
Beach has long since pioneered the wrong place, wrong time tags that set out examples of artifacts, languages, ideas and even DNA turning up in unexpected places or unexpected time periods. These have included such wonders as the last Latin speakers of Africa, Japanese torpedo boats in the Baltic and Turkish in medieval Cambodia. Today he wanted to push the boat out a little further with a recent report on Roman finds from Japan.
Tests have revealed three glass beads discovered in the fifth-century ‘Utsukushi’ burial mound in Nagaoka, near Kyoto, were probably made some time between the first and the fourth century, the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties said.
The glass beads in question – reports differ but there seem to be three – do look Roman – note the tell-tale gilt, but they are only 5mm in length. And, as Beach has learnt to his peril, in archaeology as in linguistics, small things are more easily mistaken than bigger things. The Japanese scientists have claimed – in press releases, no academic publications have yet emerged – that their evidence is also chemical.
Japan was badly burnt in 2000 by the archaeological forgeries associated with Shinichi Fujimura. It is unlikely, after that fiasco, that as august a body as the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties would have lightly announced such a discovery. Then again as always with these ‘far-out’ stories, if the glass turns out to have been made by, say, some talented craftsmen in Korea there will be no correction in the international press… So if you are reading this in 2013 go out and hunt down the academic work and see what the real deal is.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
Tests have revealed three glass beads discovered in the fifth-century ‘Utsukushi’ burial mound in Nagaoka, near Kyoto, were probably made some time between the first and the fourth century, the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties said.
The glass beads in question – reports differ but there seem to be three – do look Roman – note the tell-tale gilt, but they are only 5mm in length. And, as Beach has learnt to his peril, in archaeology as in linguistics, small things are more easily mistaken than bigger things. The Japanese scientists have claimed – in press releases, no academic publications have yet emerged – that their evidence is also chemical.
Japan was badly burnt in 2000 by the archaeological forgeries associated with Shinichi Fujimura. It is unlikely, after that fiasco, that as august a body as the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties would have lightly announced such a discovery. Then again as always with these ‘far-out’ stories, if the glass turns out to have been made by, say, some talented craftsmen in Korea there will be no correction in the international press… So if you are reading this in 2013 go out and hunt down the academic work and see what the real deal is.
[Click here to read full article]
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
In tree rings, Japanese scientists find 8th-century mystery
In the late eighth century, Earth was hit by a mystery blast of cosmic rays, according to a Japanese study that found a relic of the powerful event in cedar trees.
Analysis of two ancient trees found a surge in carbon-14 -- a carbon isotope that derives from cosmic radiation -- which occurred just in AD 774 and AD 775, the team report in the journal Nature on Sunday.
Earth is battered by protons and other sub-atomic particles which are blasted across space by high-energy sources.
The particles collide with the stratosphere and react with nitrogen to create carbon-14, which is then absorbed into the biosphere.
A team led by Fusa Miyake of Nagoya University found that levels of carbon-14 in the two cedars were about 1.2 percent higher in 774 and 775 compared to other years.
This may not sound much, but in relation to background concentrations of carbon-14, the difference is huge.
One source of cosmic rays is the Sun, whose activity varies in phases called Schwabe cycles. Our star also throws the occasional tantrum, spouting bursts of energy called solar flares.
But Miyake's team say that the cosmic whack of 774-775 cannot be attributed to the Schwabe cycle of the time -- and it is far bigger than any known flare from the Sun.
The other possibility is a supernova, or a star that explodes at the end of its life in a welter of gamma radiation.
It burns brightly for a few years before cooling into a remnant that can glow sullenly for centuries.
But there is no documented record in the northern hemisphere of a supernova at around 775.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
Analysis of two ancient trees found a surge in carbon-14 -- a carbon isotope that derives from cosmic radiation -- which occurred just in AD 774 and AD 775, the team report in the journal Nature on Sunday.
Earth is battered by protons and other sub-atomic particles which are blasted across space by high-energy sources.
The particles collide with the stratosphere and react with nitrogen to create carbon-14, which is then absorbed into the biosphere.
A team led by Fusa Miyake of Nagoya University found that levels of carbon-14 in the two cedars were about 1.2 percent higher in 774 and 775 compared to other years.
This may not sound much, but in relation to background concentrations of carbon-14, the difference is huge.
One source of cosmic rays is the Sun, whose activity varies in phases called Schwabe cycles. Our star also throws the occasional tantrum, spouting bursts of energy called solar flares.
But Miyake's team say that the cosmic whack of 774-775 cannot be attributed to the Schwabe cycle of the time -- and it is far bigger than any known flare from the Sun.
The other possibility is a supernova, or a star that explodes at the end of its life in a welter of gamma radiation.
It burns brightly for a few years before cooling into a remnant that can glow sullenly for centuries.
But there is no documented record in the northern hemisphere of a supernova at around 775.
[Click here to read full article]
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Kuchisake Onna
Source: Scaryforkids
Kuchisake Onna, also known as The Slit-Mouth Woman, is a scary Japanese urban legend about a disfigured Japanese woman who brandishes a large scissors and preys on children. She has an enormous slit mouth, which extends from ear to ear in a horrible, permanent smile.
The Slit Mouth Woman walks the streets of Japan, wearing a surgical mask and hunting for children. If you cross her path, she will stop you and ask you a question. If you give her the wrong answer, there will be horrible consequences.
Picture the scene. You are walking home from school and your path takes you down a deserted city street. Suddenly, you hear a faint noise coming from the shadows. You glance over and see a beautiful woman standing there. She has long black hair and is wearing a beige trenchcoat. A surgical mask covers the lower half of her face. In Japan, wearing a surgical mask is not uncommon during flu season, to prevent spreading germs.
She steps out of the shadows and blocks your path.
“Am I beautiful?” she asks.
Before you can answer, she tears off her mask, revealing a hideously deformed face. Her huge mouth is sliced from ear to ear and gapes open revealing rows of sharp teeth and a big red disgusting tongue twisting and twirling inside.
“Am I beautiful NOW?” she screams.
Terrified, you struggle to answer her. If you say “No”, she pulls out a huge pair of scissors and kills you immediately, chopping off your head. If you say “Yes”, she takes her scissors and slices your mouth from ear to ear, making you look just like her. If you try to run away, she will hunt you down and kill you, by slicing you in two.
The only way to escape from Kuchisake Onna is to give a non-committal answer. If you say “You look average” or you look normal, she will be confused, giving you just enough time to run away.
There are many rumors about how Kuchisake Onna got her horribly disfigured mouth. Some say that her slit mouth is the result of plastic surgery that went horribly wrong. Others say that she was injured in a terrible car crash. Some even believe she is an escaped mental patient who was so demented that she cut her own mouth apart.
According to one legend, years ago, in Japan, there lived a very beautiful woman who was extremely vain and self-absorbed. Her husband was a very jealous and brutal man and he became convinced that she was cheating on him. In a fit of rage, he took a sword and slit her mouth from ear to ear, screaming “Who will think you’re beautiful now?” She became a vengeful spirit, and began wandering the streets of Japan, wearing a surgical mask to hide her terrible scars.
The Slit Mouth Woman’s reign of terror began in the spring and summer of 1979, when rumors began to spread throughout Japan about sightings of the Kuchisake-onna hunting down children. The story spread like wildfire and actually created scares in many towns. Police increased their patrols and schools sent teachers to walk students home in groups.
In 2004, South Korea was plagued by reports of a red-masked woman who was chasing children.
In 2007, a coroner found some old records from the late 1970s about a woman who was chasing little children, but was hit by a car, and died shortly after. Her mouth was ripped from ear to ear.
The USA has its own version of Kuchisake Onna. There were rumors about a clown who appeared in public bathrooms and accosted children, asking “Do you want death or happy smile?” if they chose “happy smile”, he took out a knife and slit their mouths from ear to ear.
Read more >>
Kuchisake Onna, also known as The Slit-Mouth Woman, is a scary Japanese urban legend about a disfigured Japanese woman who brandishes a large scissors and preys on children. She has an enormous slit mouth, which extends from ear to ear in a horrible, permanent smile.
The Slit Mouth Woman walks the streets of Japan, wearing a surgical mask and hunting for children. If you cross her path, she will stop you and ask you a question. If you give her the wrong answer, there will be horrible consequences.
Picture the scene. You are walking home from school and your path takes you down a deserted city street. Suddenly, you hear a faint noise coming from the shadows. You glance over and see a beautiful woman standing there. She has long black hair and is wearing a beige trenchcoat. A surgical mask covers the lower half of her face. In Japan, wearing a surgical mask is not uncommon during flu season, to prevent spreading germs.
She steps out of the shadows and blocks your path.
“Am I beautiful?” she asks.
Before you can answer, she tears off her mask, revealing a hideously deformed face. Her huge mouth is sliced from ear to ear and gapes open revealing rows of sharp teeth and a big red disgusting tongue twisting and twirling inside.
“Am I beautiful NOW?” she screams.
Terrified, you struggle to answer her. If you say “No”, she pulls out a huge pair of scissors and kills you immediately, chopping off your head. If you say “Yes”, she takes her scissors and slices your mouth from ear to ear, making you look just like her. If you try to run away, she will hunt you down and kill you, by slicing you in two.
The only way to escape from Kuchisake Onna is to give a non-committal answer. If you say “You look average” or you look normal, she will be confused, giving you just enough time to run away.
There are many rumors about how Kuchisake Onna got her horribly disfigured mouth. Some say that her slit mouth is the result of plastic surgery that went horribly wrong. Others say that she was injured in a terrible car crash. Some even believe she is an escaped mental patient who was so demented that she cut her own mouth apart.
According to one legend, years ago, in Japan, there lived a very beautiful woman who was extremely vain and self-absorbed. Her husband was a very jealous and brutal man and he became convinced that she was cheating on him. In a fit of rage, he took a sword and slit her mouth from ear to ear, screaming “Who will think you’re beautiful now?” She became a vengeful spirit, and began wandering the streets of Japan, wearing a surgical mask to hide her terrible scars.
The Slit Mouth Woman’s reign of terror began in the spring and summer of 1979, when rumors began to spread throughout Japan about sightings of the Kuchisake-onna hunting down children. The story spread like wildfire and actually created scares in many towns. Police increased their patrols and schools sent teachers to walk students home in groups.
In 2004, South Korea was plagued by reports of a red-masked woman who was chasing children.
In 2007, a coroner found some old records from the late 1970s about a woman who was chasing little children, but was hit by a car, and died shortly after. Her mouth was ripped from ear to ear.
The USA has its own version of Kuchisake Onna. There were rumors about a clown who appeared in public bathrooms and accosted children, asking “Do you want death or happy smile?” if they chose “happy smile”, he took out a knife and slit their mouths from ear to ear.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Japan's tsunami city Ishinomaki is still haunted after 1 Year
A year after whole neighbourhoods full of people were killed by the Japanese tsunami, rumours of ghosts swirl in Ishinomaki as the city struggles to come to terms with the awful tragedy.
One reconstruction project appears stalled because of fears the undead spirits of those who perished last March will bring bad luck.
"I heard people working to repair the store became sick because of ghosts," Satoshi Abe, 64, said, gesturing to a half-repaired supermarket. "People died everywhere, here and there. The city is full of such stories," he said.
[Click here to read full article]
Monday, March 19, 2012
The Pokémon Panic of 1997
by Ben Radford
In 1997, an episode of the cartoon Pokémon allegedly induced seizures and other ailments in thousands of Japanese children. Though popularly attributed to photosensitive epilepsy, the episode has many of the hallmarks of mass hysteria.
On Tuesday night, December 16, 1997, Pokémon episode number 38, Dennou Senshi Porigon (Computer Warrior Polygon) aired in Japan at 6:30. The program, broadcast over thirty-seven TV stations, was already very popular in Japan, and held the highest ratings for its time slot.
In the episode, Pikachu and its human friends Satoshi, Kasumi, and Takeshi, have an adventure that leads inside a computer. About twenty minutes into the program, the gang encounters a fighter named Polygon. A battle ensues, during which Pikachu uses his electricity powers to stop a “virus bomb.” The animators depict Pikachu’s electric attack with a quick series of flashing lights.
In all, millions watched the program. In one section of Japan, Aichi Prefecture, an estimated 70 percent of the 24,000 elementary school students and 35 percent of the 13,000 junior high school students watched the program, for a total of more than 21,000 in Aichi alone (Japan Times 1997). In Tokyo, the local board of education investigated all public kindergartens, primary and middle schools in the area and found that 50,714 students, or 55 percent of the whole, watched the episode (Yomiuri Shimbun 1997c).
At about 6:51, the flashing lights filled the screens. By 7:30, according to the Fire-Defense agency, 618 children had been taken to hospitals complaining of various symptoms.
News of the attacks shot through Japan, and it was the subject of media reports later that evening. During the coverage, several stations replayed the flashing sequence, whereupon even more children fell ill and sought medical attention. The number affected by this “second wave” is unknown.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
In 1997, an episode of the cartoon Pokémon allegedly induced seizures and other ailments in thousands of Japanese children. Though popularly attributed to photosensitive epilepsy, the episode has many of the hallmarks of mass hysteria.
On Tuesday night, December 16, 1997, Pokémon episode number 38, Dennou Senshi Porigon (Computer Warrior Polygon) aired in Japan at 6:30. The program, broadcast over thirty-seven TV stations, was already very popular in Japan, and held the highest ratings for its time slot.
In the episode, Pikachu and its human friends Satoshi, Kasumi, and Takeshi, have an adventure that leads inside a computer. About twenty minutes into the program, the gang encounters a fighter named Polygon. A battle ensues, during which Pikachu uses his electricity powers to stop a “virus bomb.” The animators depict Pikachu’s electric attack with a quick series of flashing lights.
In all, millions watched the program. In one section of Japan, Aichi Prefecture, an estimated 70 percent of the 24,000 elementary school students and 35 percent of the 13,000 junior high school students watched the program, for a total of more than 21,000 in Aichi alone (Japan Times 1997). In Tokyo, the local board of education investigated all public kindergartens, primary and middle schools in the area and found that 50,714 students, or 55 percent of the whole, watched the episode (Yomiuri Shimbun 1997c).
At about 6:51, the flashing lights filled the screens. By 7:30, according to the Fire-Defense agency, 618 children had been taken to hospitals complaining of various symptoms.
News of the attacks shot through Japan, and it was the subject of media reports later that evening. During the coverage, several stations replayed the flashing sequence, whereupon even more children fell ill and sought medical attention. The number affected by this “second wave” is unknown.
[Click here to read full article]
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Japanese Torpedo Boats in the Baltic
In 1904 the Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, ordered his Baltic navy to travel around the world to take on the Japanese (who had already destroyed Nicholas’ Pacific fleet). It proved an extraordinary ‘voyage of the damned’ as almost forty Russian ships, including five capital ships sailed towards their doom at the hands of the able Japanese Admiral, Togo. But Beachcombing is not interested in their undoing (at least not today). Rather his curiosity is aroused by a curious episode that took place at the very beginning of the voyage when the Russian fleet believed that it was attacked by Japanese torpedo boats at Dogger Bank, between the Baltic and Britain, and managed, in the confusion, to kill four British fishermen.
Now to a casual reader the very idea of Japanese torpedo boats in the North Sea might seem strange; as, in fact, it is and was. The only way that Japanese torpedo boats would have found their way to the North Sea would be if they had had a nearby friendly port. Yet the Dutch and the Danes were not in the habit of opening their quays to hostile oriental powers wanting to take a swipe at the Russian Bear. Britain, it was true, was in alliance with Japan but it would be an act of diplomatic suicide – it would mean that Britain wanted war – to allow armed Japanese vessels from Dover to steam out towards a European neighbour.
But the Russian fleet and diplomatic service were convinced that Japanese torpedo boats were waiting for them in some God-forsaken islet. Sound absurd? Paranoia had been fed by reports of oriental gentlemen in Baltic ports and mysterious boats glimpsed at twilight: the useless rumours and banter modern intelligence services call ‘chatter’ was picking up. And, what is truly incredible is that the Russians acted upon this chatter.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
Now to a casual reader the very idea of Japanese torpedo boats in the North Sea might seem strange; as, in fact, it is and was. The only way that Japanese torpedo boats would have found their way to the North Sea would be if they had had a nearby friendly port. Yet the Dutch and the Danes were not in the habit of opening their quays to hostile oriental powers wanting to take a swipe at the Russian Bear. Britain, it was true, was in alliance with Japan but it would be an act of diplomatic suicide – it would mean that Britain wanted war – to allow armed Japanese vessels from Dover to steam out towards a European neighbour.
But the Russian fleet and diplomatic service were convinced that Japanese torpedo boats were waiting for them in some God-forsaken islet. Sound absurd? Paranoia had been fed by reports of oriental gentlemen in Baltic ports and mysterious boats glimpsed at twilight: the useless rumours and banter modern intelligence services call ‘chatter’ was picking up. And, what is truly incredible is that the Russians acted upon this chatter.
[Click here to read full article]
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Japan Tsunami Fast Swimmer
This video was bought to our attention by one of our readers. In this video taken during the Japan tsunami disaster last year, an unidentified animal was spotted swimming at an incredibly fast rate.
Our reader feels like it could be the legendary Kappa, a mythical creature from Japan folklore.
What do you think?
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Are UFOs Chinese Dragons?
Above is a UFO video taken in Japan. It looks like perhaps a balloon is slowly falling. Yet it descends in a strange undulating serpentine manner. Instead of a UFO, could this be a video of a Chinese/Japanese dragon? In folklore the Chinese dragon flew thru the skies and was considered to rule over the weather. Perhaps unexplained lights in the sky are not extraterrestrial craft, but dragons! Watching this video, imagine it as a celestial Japanese dragon. I can understand why people living hundreds of years ago may have believed that strange lights in the sky were indeed dragons.
As for real life dragons, they once filled the earth as flying dinosaurs. Some believe these flying monsters still existed until just recently and were responsible for the American Indian legend concerning thunderbirds. Chinese dragons, thunderbird or UFOs, people saw strange flying shapes in the sky. How we interpret flying anomalies depends on the current culture.
Read more >>
As for real life dragons, they once filled the earth as flying dinosaurs. Some believe these flying monsters still existed until just recently and were responsible for the American Indian legend concerning thunderbirds. Chinese dragons, thunderbird or UFOs, people saw strange flying shapes in the sky. How we interpret flying anomalies depends on the current culture.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Japan Earthquake Victims Haunted By Ghosts, Religious Groups Work Together To Provide Support
More and more victims of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake are reporting that they are suffering from visions of ghosts and other supernatural sensations.
The disaster brought many people face-to-face with death and many believe the apparitions may be a manifestation of their emotional wounds.
As Japan has no governmental office that deals with this kind of issue and many people feel uncomfortable consulting family members, leaders from several different religious organizations in Japan have come together to provide emotional and mental support for the victims.
An elderly couple living in temporary housing in Sendai, the largest city in Tohoku to be impacted by the disaster, went to visit to a local Jōdo Buddhist temple earlier this month. After exchanging greetings with head priest Mizuki Nakamura, the couple confessed they were troubled by something they felt was supernatural and they didn’t know who to turn to for help.
“There’s someone at the temporary housing grounds. We think that something may have happened there,” said the husband.
Mr. Nakamura offered to hold a mass for the dead at the grounds and after completing the ritual the couple thanked him with an expression of relief.
Many victims report seeing more vivid images, such as eyeballs appearing in puddles of water or people walking on the surface of the ocean.
Others say that they’ve been visited by the ghosts of missing family members, begging to find their bodies and give them a proper burial.
However, like the elderly couple in Sendai, many of these people don’t know how to cope with such problems.
The Sendai branch of the United Christ Church (UCC) in Japan currently provides emotional support services regardless of religious affiliation. “The government can’t do anything about it and it’s difficult to discuss the issue with family or other people in the neighborhood,” says Reverend Naoya Kawakami.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
The disaster brought many people face-to-face with death and many believe the apparitions may be a manifestation of their emotional wounds.
As Japan has no governmental office that deals with this kind of issue and many people feel uncomfortable consulting family members, leaders from several different religious organizations in Japan have come together to provide emotional and mental support for the victims.
An elderly couple living in temporary housing in Sendai, the largest city in Tohoku to be impacted by the disaster, went to visit to a local Jōdo Buddhist temple earlier this month. After exchanging greetings with head priest Mizuki Nakamura, the couple confessed they were troubled by something they felt was supernatural and they didn’t know who to turn to for help.
“There’s someone at the temporary housing grounds. We think that something may have happened there,” said the husband.
Mr. Nakamura offered to hold a mass for the dead at the grounds and after completing the ritual the couple thanked him with an expression of relief.
Many victims report seeing more vivid images, such as eyeballs appearing in puddles of water or people walking on the surface of the ocean.
Others say that they’ve been visited by the ghosts of missing family members, begging to find their bodies and give them a proper burial.
However, like the elderly couple in Sendai, many of these people don’t know how to cope with such problems.
The Sendai branch of the United Christ Church (UCC) in Japan currently provides emotional support services regardless of religious affiliation. “The government can’t do anything about it and it’s difficult to discuss the issue with family or other people in the neighborhood,” says Reverend Naoya Kawakami.
[Click here to read full article]
Thursday, January 26, 2012
An impossible visitor arrives in Tokyo
Source: http://beforeitsnews.com
A curious incident took place in Tokyo, Japan during the early 1990s: a man arrived on a flight with a passport from a non-existent country.
The man expressed anger and shock when Japanese customs officials detained him. Although the officials checked their records carefully, the passport had been issued by a country that did not exist. No record showed the country had ever existed.
Although passports exist issued by non-existent countries (known as camouflage passports), this passport was real and had custom officials' stamps on various pages including stamps by Japanese customs officials from previous visits.
The man was well-traveled, caucasian, said the country was in Europe and had existed for almost 1,000 years. He carried legal currency from several European countries, an international drivers license and spoke several languages.
Finally, indignant, he demanded a meeting with higher government authorities. He was convinced some massive practical joke was being played on him.
After being detained for almost 14 hours in a small security room at the airport terminal, some government officials took pity on him and transported him to a hotel. They ordered the mystery visitor to wait there until they decided what to do about the matter. From the reports, the Japanese were just as confused and flustered as the mysterious man without a country.
Although two immigration officials were posted with instructions not to permit the man to leave his room, the next morning the guards discovered he was gone. The only exit was the door they watched and the only window had no outside ledge and was 15 stories above a busy downtown street.
The authorities launched an intensive manhunt throughout Tokyo for the mysterious traveler, but finally gave up the hunt.
The man was never seen again.
Read more >>
A curious incident took place in Tokyo, Japan during the early 1990s: a man arrived on a flight with a passport from a non-existent country.
The man expressed anger and shock when Japanese customs officials detained him. Although the officials checked their records carefully, the passport had been issued by a country that did not exist. No record showed the country had ever existed.
Although passports exist issued by non-existent countries (known as camouflage passports), this passport was real and had custom officials' stamps on various pages including stamps by Japanese customs officials from previous visits.
The man was well-traveled, caucasian, said the country was in Europe and had existed for almost 1,000 years. He carried legal currency from several European countries, an international drivers license and spoke several languages.
Finally, indignant, he demanded a meeting with higher government authorities. He was convinced some massive practical joke was being played on him.
After being detained for almost 14 hours in a small security room at the airport terminal, some government officials took pity on him and transported him to a hotel. They ordered the mystery visitor to wait there until they decided what to do about the matter. From the reports, the Japanese were just as confused and flustered as the mysterious man without a country.
Although two immigration officials were posted with instructions not to permit the man to leave his room, the next morning the guards discovered he was gone. The only exit was the door they watched and the only window had no outside ledge and was 15 stories above a busy downtown street.
The authorities launched an intensive manhunt throughout Tokyo for the mysterious traveler, but finally gave up the hunt.
The man was never seen again.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
'Intelligent' slime able to navigate its way out of maze
By Danielle Demetriou
Toshiyuki Nakagaki, a professor at Future University Hakodate, northern Japan, cultivates the slime in petri dishes and has discovered how the brainless organism is capable of finding its way out of a maze.
The brainless organism is able to “organise” its cells to create the most direct route through a maze in order to reach a source of food, according to his studies.
The findings highlight how slime mould possesses information processing abilities shared by humans which are more sophisticated than the most advanced computers, according to Professor Nakagaki.
"Humans are not the only living things with information-processing abilities," he said. "Simple creatures can solve certain kinds of difficult puzzles. If you want to spotlight the essence of life or intelligence, it's easier to use these simple creatures."
Slime mould, a monocellular being that lives on rotting leaves and does not possess a brain, may not be the obvious subject of scientific research in relation to intelligence.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
Toshiyuki Nakagaki, a professor at Future University Hakodate, northern Japan, cultivates the slime in petri dishes and has discovered how the brainless organism is capable of finding its way out of a maze.
The brainless organism is able to “organise” its cells to create the most direct route through a maze in order to reach a source of food, according to his studies.
The findings highlight how slime mould possesses information processing abilities shared by humans which are more sophisticated than the most advanced computers, according to Professor Nakagaki.
"Humans are not the only living things with information-processing abilities," he said. "Simple creatures can solve certain kinds of difficult puzzles. If you want to spotlight the essence of life or intelligence, it's easier to use these simple creatures."
Slime mould, a monocellular being that lives on rotting leaves and does not possess a brain, may not be the obvious subject of scientific research in relation to intelligence.
[Click here to read full article]
Monday, December 26, 2011
Mischievous Ghosts Bring Prosperity in Japan
By Chris Capps
There are few cultures quite so interested in ghosts as Japan. According to stories from the Iwate prefecture and Japanese lore, ghosts or Yurei are divided into categories that each hold a special place in the society and the minds of the people. And while many of the ghosts are terrifying and even dangerous, the legendary Zashiki warashi are said to be the mischievous ghosts of children who play pranks around the house and must be fed every day. Why do so many want them? They are also said to be the bringers of incredible fortune.
The Zashiki-Warashi is generally seen as a small child of about five or six years of age with a red face. Older houses, particularly if they have been kept in good repair are the general places you may find them if you are lucky. And those who live in a home with a Zashiki Warashi must maintain it by constantly feeding it and entertaining it. For when the ghost becomes bored with its new home it will soon depart. And after that the house and its occupants will soon suffer a great misfortune or generally just start to lose sight of their ability to maintain their affairs. There are guide books on the matter, movies, and even songs on how to keep a Zashiki Warashi. Sometimes special individuals were used who could see these ghosts and brought from far away to confirm the presence of one or to help maintain its presence.
Perhaps the most famous case of these interesting and unique spirits is the Ryokufuso which was destroyed in a fire in October of 2009. This famous Zashiki-Warashi has been said to be wandering now, looking for a new residence to live in and give prosperity to.
Of course the Zashiki-Warashi is only one of the many different types of ghosts seen in Japan in folklore. The most mysterious thing about the being is how it changes its mind about things like where it lives. In the west we generally think of ghosts as beings that take up residence and then are "removed" with the assistance of a psychic or other forms of communication with it. We don't usually think of ghosts as things that must be maintained and preserved lest they lose their interest in continuing to haunt. And that doesn't even begin to take into account the amount of mischief these entities are said to have. The ghosts are supposed to be some of the biggest tricksters ever to walk the Earth. But the cost of their pranks never seems to outweigh the benefit of the good luck and prosperity they bring to the house.
Different cultures have far different ways to deal with ghosts and other legends. From the way we look at the paranormal, it looks like sometimes the true mystery may not be where they come from or what they're doing here, but what we will do when we meet them.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
There are few cultures quite so interested in ghosts as Japan. According to stories from the Iwate prefecture and Japanese lore, ghosts or Yurei are divided into categories that each hold a special place in the society and the minds of the people. And while many of the ghosts are terrifying and even dangerous, the legendary Zashiki warashi are said to be the mischievous ghosts of children who play pranks around the house and must be fed every day. Why do so many want them? They are also said to be the bringers of incredible fortune.
The Zashiki-Warashi is generally seen as a small child of about five or six years of age with a red face. Older houses, particularly if they have been kept in good repair are the general places you may find them if you are lucky. And those who live in a home with a Zashiki Warashi must maintain it by constantly feeding it and entertaining it. For when the ghost becomes bored with its new home it will soon depart. And after that the house and its occupants will soon suffer a great misfortune or generally just start to lose sight of their ability to maintain their affairs. There are guide books on the matter, movies, and even songs on how to keep a Zashiki Warashi. Sometimes special individuals were used who could see these ghosts and brought from far away to confirm the presence of one or to help maintain its presence.
Perhaps the most famous case of these interesting and unique spirits is the Ryokufuso which was destroyed in a fire in October of 2009. This famous Zashiki-Warashi has been said to be wandering now, looking for a new residence to live in and give prosperity to.
Of course the Zashiki-Warashi is only one of the many different types of ghosts seen in Japan in folklore. The most mysterious thing about the being is how it changes its mind about things like where it lives. In the west we generally think of ghosts as beings that take up residence and then are "removed" with the assistance of a psychic or other forms of communication with it. We don't usually think of ghosts as things that must be maintained and preserved lest they lose their interest in continuing to haunt. And that doesn't even begin to take into account the amount of mischief these entities are said to have. The ghosts are supposed to be some of the biggest tricksters ever to walk the Earth. But the cost of their pranks never seems to outweigh the benefit of the good luck and prosperity they bring to the house.
Different cultures have far different ways to deal with ghosts and other legends. From the way we look at the paranormal, it looks like sometimes the true mystery may not be where they come from or what they're doing here, but what we will do when we meet them.
[Click here to read full article]
Friday, December 16, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Fukushima Earthquake Moved Seafloor Half a Football Field
By Mark Fischetti
The March 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake that decimated Japan and its Fukushima nuclear reactors with a monster tsunami altered the seafloor off the country’s eastern coast much more than scientists had thought. Analysis released today in the journal Science indicates the ocean bed moved as much as 50 meters laterally and 16 meters vertically. The magnitude 9.0 quake occurred close to the nearby Japan Trench that runs north to south in the Pacific Ocean (dark blue line on the map below).
The trench exists because the oceanic Pacific Plate (dark blue on map below) is moving westward, hitting and bending down under the continental Okhotsk Plate (light blue) from which Japan rises (green, brown). This “subduction” action creates tension within the tectonic plates, which is occasionally released in the form of earthquakes.
Although measurements from satellites and seismic ground sensors had indicated the Okhotsk Plate moved after the 9.0 temblor on March 11, the extent of the movement was not clear. Researchers at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology compared new seafloor maps made of the region this year with maps made in 1999 and were surprised by the extent of motion. For example, data along one transect (yellow marker, below) near the quake’s epicenter (black “x” on the map) indicated that the Okhotsk plate moved 50 meters east-southeast toward the trench.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
The March 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake that decimated Japan and its Fukushima nuclear reactors with a monster tsunami altered the seafloor off the country’s eastern coast much more than scientists had thought. Analysis released today in the journal Science indicates the ocean bed moved as much as 50 meters laterally and 16 meters vertically. The magnitude 9.0 quake occurred close to the nearby Japan Trench that runs north to south in the Pacific Ocean (dark blue line on the map below).
The trench exists because the oceanic Pacific Plate (dark blue on map below) is moving westward, hitting and bending down under the continental Okhotsk Plate (light blue) from which Japan rises (green, brown). This “subduction” action creates tension within the tectonic plates, which is occasionally released in the form of earthquakes.
Although measurements from satellites and seismic ground sensors had indicated the Okhotsk Plate moved after the 9.0 temblor on March 11, the extent of the movement was not clear. Researchers at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology compared new seafloor maps made of the region this year with maps made in 1999 and were surprised by the extent of motion. For example, data along one transect (yellow marker, below) near the quake’s epicenter (black “x” on the map) indicated that the Okhotsk plate moved 50 meters east-southeast toward the trench.
[Click here to read full article]
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Scientists a step closer to cloning mammoth
YAKUTSK, Russia — The thighbone of a mammoth found in August in Siberia contains well-preserved marrow, increasing the chances of cloning one of the extinct beasts, Japanese and Russian scientists confirmed recently.
The teams from the Sakha Republic's mammoth museum in eastern Russia and Kinki University's graduate school in biology-oriented science and technology will launch full-fledged joint research next year to clone the giant mammal, which is believed to have become extinct about 10,000 years ago, they said.
By transplanting nuclei taken from the marrow cells into elephant egg cells whose nuclei have been removed through a cloning technique, embryos with a mammoth gene could be produced and planted into elephant wombs, as the two species are close relatives, they said.
Securing nuclei with an undamaged gene is essential for the nucleus transplantation technique, but doing so from mammoths is extremely difficult and scientists have been trying to reproduce a mammoth since the late 1990s, they said.
[Click here to read full article]
Read more >>
The teams from the Sakha Republic's mammoth museum in eastern Russia and Kinki University's graduate school in biology-oriented science and technology will launch full-fledged joint research next year to clone the giant mammal, which is believed to have become extinct about 10,000 years ago, they said.
By transplanting nuclei taken from the marrow cells into elephant egg cells whose nuclei have been removed through a cloning technique, embryos with a mammoth gene could be produced and planted into elephant wombs, as the two species are close relatives, they said.
Securing nuclei with an undamaged gene is essential for the nucleus transplantation technique, but doing so from mammoths is extremely difficult and scientists have been trying to reproduce a mammoth since the late 1990s, they said.
[Click here to read full article]
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