Spirits and Animism in Contemporary Japan : The Invisible Empire

This book draws attention to a striking aspect of contemporary Japanese culture: the prevalence of discussions and representations of "spirits" (tama or tamashii). Ancestor cults have played a central role in Japanese culture and religion for many centuries; in recent decades, however, other phenomena have expanded and diversified the realm of Japanese animism. For example, many manga, anime, TV shows, literature, and art works deal with spirits, ghosts, or with an invisible dimension of reality. International contributors ask to what extent these are cultural forms created by the media for consumption, rather than manifestations of "traditional" ancestral spirituality in their adaptations to contemporary society. Spirits and Animism in Contemporary Japan considers the modes of representations and the possible cultural meanings of spirits, as well as the metaphysical implications of contemporary Japanese ideas about spirits. The chapters offer analyses of specific cases of "animistic attitudes" in which the presence of spirits and spiritual forces is alleged, and attempt to trace cultural genealogies of those attitudes. In particular, they present various modes of representation of spirits (in contemporary art, architecture, visual culture, cinema, literature, diffuse spirituality) while at the same time addressing their underlying intellectual and religious assumptions. "This book draws attention to a striking aspect of contemporary Japanese culture: the pervasive nature of discussions and representations of "spirits" (tama or tamashii). Ancestor cults have played a central role in Japanese culture and religion for many centuries; in recent decades, however, other phenomena have contributed to expand and diversify the realm of Japanese animism. For example, many manga, anime, TV shows, literature, and art works deal with spirits, ghosts, and more in general, with an invisible dimension of reality. International contributors ask whether these are manifestations of "traditional," ancestral spirituality in their adaptations to contemporary society, or forms of commercial merchandise created by the media for consumption. Spirits and Animism in Contemporary Japan takes seriously not only the modes of representations and their possible cultural meanings of spirits, but also and especially the metaphysical implications of contemporary Japanese ideas about spirits. The chapters offer analyses of specific cases of "animistic attitudes" in which the presence of "spirits" and spiritual forces is alleged, and attempt to trace cultural genealogies of those attitudes. In particular, they present various modes of representation of spirits (in contemporary art, architecture, visual culture, cinema, literature, diffuse spirituality) while at the same time addressing their underlying intellectual and religious assumptions."--Bloomsbury Publishing. "This book draws attention to a striking aspect of contemporary Japanese culture: the pervasive nature of discussions and representations of "spirits" (tama or tamashii). Ancestor cults have played a central role in Japanese culture and religion for many centuries; in recent decades, however, other phenomena have contributed to expand and diversify the realm of Japanese animism. For example, many manga, anime, TV shows, literature, and art works deal with spirits, ghosts, and more in general, with an invisible dimension of reality. International contributors ask whether these are manifestations of "traditional," ancestral spirituality in their adaptations to contemporary society, or forms of commercial merchandise created by the media for consumption. Spirits and Animism in Contemporary Japan takes seriously not only the modes of representations and their possible cultural meanings of spirits, but also and especially the metaphysical implications of contemporary Japanese ideas about spirits. The chapters offer analyses of specific cases of "animistic attitudes" in which the presence of "spirits" and spiritual forces is alleged, and attempt to trace cultural genealogies of those attitudes. In particular, they present various modes of representation of spirits (in contemporary art, architecture, visual culture, cinema, literature, diffuse spirituality) while at the same time addressing their underlying intellectual and religious assumptions."-- Provided by publisher Contents List of Figures List of Contributors Introduction: The Invisible Empire: Spirits and Animism in Contemporary Japan • Fabio Rambelli 1 The Dead Who Remain: Spirits and Changing Views of the Afterlife • Satō Hiroo 2 The Mystical “Occident” or the Vibrations of “Modernity” in the Mirror of Japanese Thought • Jason Ā. Josephson-Storm 3 A Metaphysics of the Invisible Realm: Minakata Kumagusu on Spirits, Molds, and the Cosmic Mandala • Fabio Rambelli 4 New Religious Movements, the Media, and “Japanese Animism” • Ioannis Gaitanidis 5 Animated City: Life Force, Guardians, and Contemporary Architecture in Kyoto • Ellen Van Goethem 6 Essays in Vagueness: Aspects of Diffused Religiosity in Japan • Carina Roth 7 Came Back Hounded: A Spectrum of Experiences with Spirits and Inugami Possession in Contemporary Japan • Andrea De Antoni 8 The Spirit(s) of Modern Japanese Fiction • Rebecca Suter 9 Techno-Animism: Japanese Media Artists and their Buddhist and Shinto • Legacy Mauro Arrighi 10 Spirit/Medium: Critically Examining the Relationship between Animism and Animation • Jolyon Baraka Thomas 11 From Your Name. to Shin-Gojira: Spiritual Crisscrossing, Spatial Soteriology, and Catastrophic Identity in Contemporary Japanese Visual Culture • Andrea Castiglioni Notes Bibliography Index