In Japan, it feels like you can't throw a stone without hitting a spirit.

When I visited the country in April, I asked locals for ghost stories, and each time I

asked, I would see their eyes light up with this mixture of excitement and terror.

It seemed like spirits, both good and bad, were everywhere.

I heard about demonic women that lived under bridges, about old cemeteries that got

rerouted only for anything built on the old burial ground to be haunted.

I heard about a 1,000 year old samurai that won't stop lighting a bank in Tokyo on fire.

Some of these spirits tried to earn your trust, some caused property damage.

Some of them are more like monsters that can shapeshift.

But one night, in a smoky basement bar that only played old vinyl, I heard a story about

a different kind of monster.

Over a $5 old fashioned that was definitely not made right, but was more importantly $5.

A kind stranger told me about a 40 year old story that still haunts Japan to this day.

The story I want to tell you remains one of Japan's greatest unsolved mysteries.

It's referred to as the monster with 21 faces, yet there is no face that we can put

to this monster.

There's no mugshot to tape up on the wall, just a dark silhouette of the person, or people

who shapeshifted like demons to evade police detection as they kidnapped CEOs, poisoned

children's candy, and played cat and mouse with police chiefs.

Just like the spirits of Japan that roam freely around the city, this monster may still

be out there.

As always, listener discretion is advised.

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