No.71 Hitobashira, Earthquake Disasters, and Gratitude: What the Spirits Wanted to Convey (Guest: Tofu Kozo Kame-san)

Perhaps the "Hitobashira" of the past was also a form of prayer.

Together with our guest, Tofu Kozo Kame-san, we explore the true meaning behind "Hitobashira," a term often heard in folklore. Rather than just a scary story, we present the perspective that it may have been a form of prayer—a desperate wish held by the people of that era to overcome hardships and pass a future on to the next generation. It is striking how we unravel occult entities like ghosts and human pillars not merely as sources of fear, but through the lens of the emotions embedded within them.

We are deeply prompted to think about the meaning of living with nature.

We feature an episode from our guest's time in an apple orchard in Nagano Prefecture. The practice of leaving a portion of the harvest as an offering to the gods, rather than taking every single apple for human consumption, conveys how respect and gratitude for nature were rooted in daily life. Amidst the discussion on the discomfort regarding how modern society has unilaterally intruded upon nature, the conversation shifts to how a certain event led to the blurring of boundaries between humans and spirits.

A mysterious scene felt at a convenience store after the earthquake is shared.

Touching upon the guest's own experience with the earthquake disaster, they share a heart-wrenching scene they witnessed in a certain location. In the aftermath of many deaths, a strange phenomenon occurred where those who likely did not understand they had passed away were gathering in one place. Please listen to the full episode to hear the rest of this story.