Onryō

Onryō

From Deep into History by Deep into History

December 2, 2025 · 51 min

About this episode

The episode explores the legend of Onryō, a spirit of vengeance from Japanese history, intertwined with themes of love, betrayal, and horror.

The spooky season is here, the time when the veil between the living world and what comes next is at its thinnest. According to legend a time when ghosts, ghouls, spirits, and otherworldly creatures are able to materialize and interact with us. Today I bring you a tale based in History but has grown from what is most likely two factual incidents that when spread amongst the people grew in their retelling and blended together to become one tragic story of love, betrayal, murder, supernatural vengeance, and true horror. In fact it released a curse that is felt and dreaded today. It comes to us from Japan, and though ubiquitous, became famous when it was recorded, written and staged for the first time in the 7th lunar month of 1825 in Tokyo called TÔKAIDÔ YOTSUYA KAIDAN. Samurai, the Shogun, Ronin, Merchants, Peasants, and Japanese Culture collide to bring us this tragic tale.  Come dream with me as we go Deep into 19th Century Japan and witness the rise of a spirit of vengeance in a tale, I call, Onryō. PLEASE support the show, I could really use your help: https://www.patreon.com/deepintohistory Deep into History is Produced by York Campbell of Poetic Earthlings Studio…

Topics covered

  • Onryō
  • Japanese culture
  • ghost stories
  • 19th Century Japan
  • supernatural vengeance

Keywords

  • curse
  • TÔKAIDÔ YOTSUYA KAIDAN
  • Samurai
  • Shogun
  • Ronin
  • Merchants
  • Peasants

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Sad Dramatic March

Books & works: History, Onryō, Sad Dramatic March, Epidemic Sound Hosted

Places: Japan, Tokyo

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