Japanology Plus - Season 6 - Eps 10: Oni: Japanese Ogres
Oni -- Japanese ogres -- appear to be halfway between humans and beasts, with animal horns and scowling expressions. They come from ancient folklore, but are a big part of modern Japanese society, both through stories, and seasonal events like Setsubun. Many are feared, but others are respected as deities who can control natural phenomena such as wind and lightning. Our main guest is Kazuhiko Komatsu, a leading folklore researcher. He tells us why Oni are more than just terrifying monsters.
About Japanology Plus
Title: Japanology Plus
First Air Date: 2014-04-03
Last Air Date: 2025-03-13
Status: Returning Series
Rating: 6.4/10 (from 5 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 13
Total Episodes: 330
Network: NHK WORLD-JAPAN
Genres: Documentary, Talk
Production Companies: NHK, NHK Educational
Synopsis
Host Peter Barakan delves into various aspects of Japanese culture; exploring practices, history, and modern innovations in such areas as ramen, rice, sushi, geisha, bonsai, and so much more. Local experts discuss their passions at fascinating length, and American Japanophile Matt Alt experiences the food, practices, and cultures in each episode in depth. Viewers will finish each half hour episode with a new understanding of an area of Japanese life through demonstrative videos and explanations, all delivered respectfully and true to the Japanese way of life.
Cast
Peter Barakan
Self - Host
