# Taira no Masakado: The First Samurai's Flying Head & Tokyo's Cursed Shrine (Ep. 175)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/uncanny-japan-53805/taira-no-masakado-the-first-samurai-s-flying-head-tokyo-s-cursed-shrine-ep-175
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/uncanny-japan-53805/taira-no-masakado-the-first-samurai-s-flying-head-tokyo-s-cursed-shrine-ep-175.md
Podcast: [Uncanny Japan](https://stenobird.com/podcast/uncanny-japan-53805)
Published: 2025-08-02T21:38:00+00:00
Episode link: https://uncannyjapan.com/podcast/a-cursed-severed-head-taira-no-masakado/
Audio file: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/PHTE3292772165.mp3?updated=1762497489
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Duration seconds: 1242

## Resource

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night wondering who Japan's first samurai was? And then maybe wondering if severed heads can actually fly? Well, that's exactly what I want to talk to you about today. Today I'm going to tell you about the fierce, the legendary Taira no Masakado, who's been dubbed the first samurai. Was he a bad guy? Was he a good guy? And yeah, we'll get into airborne heads too, and curses. His story is wild - a 10th-century warrior whose severed head refused to decay and flew 200 miles home to Tokyo. Come with me as I share this incredible supernatural legacy. [Please Note: Some of the links are affiliate links (both Amazon and other). This means that at no cost to you, if you use and purchase through them I receive a small compensation. This is paid by the retailer. It also helps support me and my artistic endeavors. Thank you.] Follow Uncanny Japan Patreon Uncanny Japan Website Thersa Matsuura Website Books on Amazon YouTube Facebook Instagram Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution) Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Credits Music by Julyan Ray Matsuura About SpectreVision Radio SpectreVision Radio is a bespoke podcast network at the intersection between the arts and the uncanny, featuring a tapestry of shows exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown. We're a community for creators and fans vibrating around common curiosities, shared interests and persistent passions. spectrevisionradio.comlinktr.ee/spectrevisionsocial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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## Transcript

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