Chatting About Shinobi Mysteries w. Susan Spann | Japan Station 32

Posted on February 15, 2020

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On This Episode of Japan Station

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we’re talking about ninjas, the judicial system of 16th century Japan, and more with Susan Spann, author of the Hiro Hattori “shinobi mystery” series of books.

About Susan Spann

Susan Spann is the award-winning author of the Hiro Hattori series of mystery books. The novels follow the adventures of Hiro Hattori, a ninja from the famous Iga clan, and Father Mateo Avila da Silva, a Portuguese Jesuit priest, as they travel through 16th century Japan solving murders and avoiding danger. Though originally from the U.S., Spann now lives in Japan. She practices traditional Japanese calligraphy and used to raise seahorses.

Topics Discussed

How Susan Spann got the idea to write books about a ninja detective
What Susan Spann likes about writing the Hiro Hattori books
The evolving relationship between Hiro Hattori and Father Mateo
The judicial system of 16th century Japan
The social caste system of 16th century Japan
The different types of police seen in 16th century Japan
The difference between a yoriki and dōshin
Whether there were lawyers in 1500s Japan
Jails in 16th century Japan
Oda Nobunaga and when he will appear in the Hiro Hattori books
Where actors stood in the social hierarchy of 16th century Japan
How difficult it is to verify information about ninja
Whether shuriken were mainly used as “throwing stars” or not
The city of Iga in Mie Prfecture
Susan Spann’s experience climbing 100 mountains in one year and her upcoming book Climb
Places in Japan Susan Spann would like to visit in Japan
The challenges of raising seahorses
Why male seahorses can seem to be shier than female seahorses
And much more!

Listen to Japan Station on

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Links, Videos, Etc.

As of the time of this writing seven books have been published in the Hiro Hattori series. You can find Amazon affiliate links to all seven books below.

You can check out Susan Spann’s website via the button below.

Susan Spann Website

You can follow Susan Spann on these social media platforms.

Here is Susan Spann’s blog entry about why male seahorses seem shy.

Why Male Seahorses Seem More Shy

And here’s a video of a male seahorse giving birth. It’s pretty incredible and just like Susan described. A must watch.

You can watch Showko Showfukutei’s new special, Absolutely Normal, on Amazon Prime. You can use the affiliate link below to check it out.

- Showko Absolutely Normal

And if you’d like to listen to the episode of Japan Station that featured Showko Showfukutei, use the link below.

Japan Station 05: Rakugo Performer, Ventriloquist & Comedian Showko Showfukutei

The two latest episodes of the Ichimon Japan podcast can be accessed via the links below.

Special Thanks

Opening/Closing song: Oedo Controller (大江戸コントローラー) by Yunomi featuring Toriena (Used with permission from Yunomi)
To listen to more of Yunomi’s music, check out his Soundcloud page or YouTube channel.

Japan Station cover art: Provided by Erik R.

Images: Courtesy of Susan Spann