Skip to main content
Back to Show
Monstrum

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

Season 3 Episode 11

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". This episode explores the religious and artistic history of the Kasha and takes a look at the significant role of cats in Japanese culture.

Support Provided By
Season
The Dominican Republic's Most Infamous Monster Terrified Me
14:48
A haunting Dominican legend comes alive: La Ciguapa.
America’s Most Infamous Haunting Is Terrifying
13:29
The Bell Witch may be the most chilling and best-documented hauntings in American history.
Why This UFO Sighting Was Different
10:53
The Cold War-era UFO Mystery of The Lubbock Lights remains captivating to this day.
Why Lumberjacks Never Look Behind Them
9:53
The Hidebehind: you never see it—until it’s too late.
A Monster Expert's Take on Mascot Horror
9:01
Let's look at how mascot horror twists cheerful childhood icons into unsettling threats.
Why Korea’s Monsters Aren’t Meant to Scare You
9:07
Why is Korea’s most famous monster, Dokkaebi, really not scary?
The Deep Halloween Lore You Probably Don’t Know
9:11
Bats have long been symbols of death and darkness. But why?
Don’t Let the Boo Hag Ride You
9:46
Ever wake up feeling drained? Maybe the Boo Hag's been riding you.
The Cryptid That Turned Out To Be Real
9:01
The okapi sounds made-up—but it’s very real (and very cute).
The Disturbing Reasons We Invent Monsters
10:20
What makes a monster?
Real Life Monster Hunters Are More Hardcore Than Fiction
10:27
How did Van Helsing go from academic in Dracula to action hero icon?
The Most Puzzling UFO Case of the 20th Century
14:27
Was the 1952 Flatwoods Monster sighting an alien, a Cold War experiment, or mass hysteria?
Active loading indicator