*This episode originally aired in June 2020
Where did Japan come from—and how did its people see the world around them? In this episode of the Deep in Japan Podcast, professor and storyteller Steve McCarty takes us on a journey through 30,000 years of Japanese history and mythology. From the earliest humans and the rise of the Imperial line to the cultural heights of the Heian Period, he weaves together archaeology, legend, and spiritual insight.
Where did Japan come from—and how did its people see the world around them? In this episode of the Deep in Japan Podcast, professor and storyteller Steve McCarty takes us on a journey through 30,000 years of Japanese history and mythology. From the earliest humans and the rise of the Imperial line to the cultural heights of the Heian Period, he weaves together archaeology, legend, and spiritual insight.
Along the way, you’ll hear myths as powerful as anything in Greek tragedy—stories that shaped how the Japanese understood nature, gods, and themselves. The episode climaxes with a breathtaking vision of sacred mountains seen as a maṇḍala—an entire spiritual landscape you could walk through.
If you’re curious about where Japan’s unique worldview came from—or just love a good origin story—this one’s for you.
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