Fire Cat or Fire Cart? The History of Japan’s Kasha

Swooping down from the heavens on a fire ball, the Kasha drags the bodies of the dead to the underworld for a life of damnation. Most frequently depicted as a demonic, flaming cat, the kanji for ‘Kasha’ actually translates to “Fire Cart”—so why did this malevolent yōkai take on a feline appearance? Featuring the author of numerous yōkai books, Hiroko Yoda, this episode explores the religious and artistic history of the Kasha and takes a look at the significant role of cats in Japanese culture.

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