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Explore ghosts, psychic family gifts, haunted places, and a chilling doppelgänger encounter with filmmaker Anita Sugimura Holsapple!
Have you ever felt an unseen presence, sensed something unusual in a supposedly haunted place, or experienced an encounter that defied every rational explanation? What if some families possess an extraordinary sensitivity to the spirit world—and what if our experiences with the paranormal raise questions that science has yet to answer?
In this fascinating episode of Byte Sized Blessings, I sit down with Anita Sugimura Holsapple, an extraordinary filmmaker, sociologist, conflict resolution specialist, and storyteller whose life has been touched by mysterious, unsettling, and deeply intriguing paranormal encounters.
Anita is also the daughter of a U.S. Marine and a daughter of a Nagasaki survivor. Her work explores difficult and often overlooked aspects of war, wartime experiences, and military service. But today, we're exploring another dimension of her remarkable story: her family's intuitive gifts, her experiences with ghosts, and the strange encounters that have left her wondering about the nature of consciousness, death, and the spirit world.
Psychic Abilities, Family Intuition, and Seeing Spirits
For Anita, sensitivity to the paranormal is not an isolated experience. She describes intuitive and psychic gifts running through her mother's side of the family, including a cousin who sees ghosts regularly.
Her own experiences began when she was just ten years old, during a visit to San Diego's infamous Whaley House. Rather than immediately feeling afraid, she was confused by the strange sensory information she was experiencing.
Anita describes encounters involving unusual sounds, distinctive smells, visual impressions, and physical sensations. She also explains how different people may experience the paranormal in different ways.
Some people see apparitions. Others sense a presence or feel an unexplained shift in the atmosphere. Anita's stories invite us to consider whether there might be more to human perception than we currently understand.
Haunted Places and the Dark Energy of Paranormal Locations
Why do certain places seem to affect us so profoundly?
Anita talks about her fascination with reportedly haunted locations, including the Whaley House, Salem, and the Queen Mary. She describes how some places seem to carry a heavy or unsettling atmosphere, while other people may experience the same location very differently.
One particularly startling encounter occurred aboard the Queen Mary, where Anita says she was physically grabbed by the ankle in the engine room. She later learned of a story involving a sailor who reportedly died a horrific death in that area.
Was the encounter connected to the ship's history? Why do some people feel an overwhelming presence in a location while others feel almost nothing?
We explore these questions without pretending to have all the answers.
Paranormal Investigation, Curiosity, and Respect for the Dead
Anita loves paranormal television and is fascinated by the possibility of exploring haunted places with a camera. She even uses night-vision equipment to investigate what she might otherwise miss.
But her curiosity comes with an important boundary: respect.
She questions whether paranormal investigations can sometimes become disrespectful, particularly when people enter cemeteries or places associated with the dead simply for entertainment.
This conversation explores the balance between investigating the unexplained and approaching mysterious experiences with humility, compassion, and a willingness to admit what we don't know.
About Anita Sugimura Holsapple!
Anita is a filmmaker, sociologist, conflict resolution specialist, and storyteller. As the daughter of a U.S. Marine and a Nagasaki survivor, she brings a distinctive perspective to conversations about history, war, service, and the human experience. She also shares a deep fascination with paranormal encounters and the mysteries of human perception.
Enjoy This Episode?
If this conversation sparked your curiosity about ghosts, psychic experiences, and the mysteries of our world, please follow Byte Sized Blessings, leave a rating, or write a review. Your support helps more people discover these extraordinary stories.
And remember: sometimes the most remarkable adventures begin when we step beyond the familiar, ask a difficult question, and remain open to the possibility that there is more to this world than meets the eye.
And if you'd like to investigate more stories of the paranormal, or ghosties, click on the links below!
Norman B. tells of a real life ghostly encounter in an old hotel in Montana! Listen to "The Paranormal Secret of the Livingston Hotel: A True Ghost Story, with Norman B!" on Apple HERE and Spotify HERE.
Jennifer White tells an astounding tale of being able to see and communicate with those who are beyond the veil! Listen to Brain Tumor Surgery Survivor, Seeing Spirits & the Incredible Story of Rome the Cat with Jennifer White" on Apple HERE and Spotify HERE.
Hannah Forest shares a story of encounter when she least expected it! (and her husband felt it too!) Listen to "Fairies, The Fae, Paranormal Encounters & Magic! (Whew!)" on Apple HERE and Spotify HERE.
And what about my gorgeous guest Anita? Whelp, all the links are below!
Battlefield: Home, the website, (and Anita) can be found HERE!
If you want to request a screening, click HERE!
If you'd like to check out the incredible Smithsonian Exhibition "Japanese War Brides, Across A Wide Divide" online and read a bit more about Anita's incredible mother, click HERE!
To read a bit more about Anita's film and her work check out Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center. Based in Albuquerque, NM this organization is dedicated to celebrating Almost 400 Years of American Military Family History.
And finally, to check out Anita's podcast, "The Turning Edge," with Circe Olson Woessner click on Apple HERE and Spotify HERE!
Thanks everyone, for listening!
Your bit of beauty is this: additional conversation around the history and experiences of those brave Japanese women who came to the United States during and after WW2. "Japanese War Brides: Teaching History Through Multimedia Resources" by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education is a gem of a video, allowing us all a deeper understanding of their stories and experiences.
