Show overview
Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet has been publishing since 2017, and across the 9 years since has built a catalogue of 230 episodes. That works out to roughly 170 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 44 min and 48 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-AU-language Arts show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 2 weeks ago, with 9 episodes already out so far this year. Published by Tara A. Devlin.
From the publisher
Each week on “Kowabana: ‘True’ Japanese scary stories from around the internet,” horror author and translator Tara A. Devlin presents a selection of Japanese horror, creepypastas and urban legends translated from the deepest, darkest parts of the web. Creepy ghosts and vengeful onryo, cursed technology and haunted shrines. Discover horror like only Japan knows how to deliver. Brand new and exclusive stories translated each week. Find out more at http://www.kowabana.net/
Latest Episodes
View all 230 episodesHorrifying Encounters That Can’t Be Explained
Bewildering & Bizarre Experiences
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 of bizarre, horrifying, and ghastly ghosts from Japan. What happened to them, what do they want, and is there any way to escape them? BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Spine-tingling Accounts of the Sea
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 terrifying tales straight from the oceans surrounding Japan. Ghosts, monsters, the divine, and maybe even some fish… BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Deadly Spiritual Encounters
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! Four terrifying tales from Japan of deadly, horrifying, bizarre, and unforgettable encounters with the other side. BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Spectral Frights and Bites
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! 11 terrifying tales from Japan of ghosts, spectres, and all the horrible things that crawl around in the night. BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Maddening Mountain Frights
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! Let’s head into the mountains of Japan for 12 terrifying tales of monsters, spirits, and the other horrifying things that lurk far from civilisation. BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Hair-raising School Adventures
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! It’s time to head back to school for eight terrifying tales of what lurks in the classrooms, in the halls, in the gym, and perhaps even right in front of you… BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
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 back over the holidays, let’s take a look back at some of the best stories from last year as we prepare ourselves for another terrifying year of terrific tales. BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Deadly Dreadful 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! Nine terrifying tales of Japanese dolls that’ll make you question what’s really sitting on the shelf at night… BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Devilish Dreams
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! Eight terrifying dreams that’ll make you question going to sleep, and if it’s really safer there than it is here in the waking world. BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Encounters of the Twisted
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! Eight Japanese horror tales that will not just terrify you, but also make you question what’s really out there, and whether everything can truly be explained. BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Spooky Spectral Terrors
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! Five terrifying tales of spooky Japanese ghosts who may or may not just be after a little help… If you’re willing to offer it, that is. BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Human Horrors for Halloween
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! Sometimes it’s not the ghosts or monsters or other supernatural creepies that might be lurking in the dark that you have to fear. Sometimes it’s our fellow man… BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
2ch Classics Revisited
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! Revisit some of the most beloved creepypastas to have ever come out of 2channel, as voted by Japanese readers! BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Tales of Cursed Buildings
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! Step inside for 10 terrifying tales of cursed buildings, haunted abodes, and the creepy things that lurk in the darkness of where we live. BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Behind the Bizarre
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! Ten terrifying tales of the bizarre from Japan that will have you questioning what lurks in the dark, what hides around the next corner, and whether this is even real or not… BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Bewildering Countryside Encounters
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! Eight tales of horrifying encounters in the countryside. With so much space and so few people, what really lurks out there when you’re all alone? BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Spooky Spectres
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! Eight horrifying, bizarre, and even moving tales featuring encounters from the other side. What do these spirits really want from us? BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana
Seaside Terrors
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! Nine terrifying tales of the sea and what lurks in its deep, dark depths. But also a reminder that what lurks out there doesn’t necessarily always stay out there. Nowhere is safe… BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True' Japanese scary stories from around the internet by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/kowabana