Inoue Enryō’s yōkai investigations
- Date of account
- 1880s–1890s
- Location
- Tokyo and throughout Japan
- Source
- model_recalled_reference
- Record updated
- 2026-10-10
Record summary
The philosopher Inoue Enryō founded an influential program for investigating yōkai, ghosts, and supernatural beliefs, including the establishment of the Tetsugakukan in 1887. He classified strange experiences, sought natural or psychological explanations, and also argued that some traditional beliefs could be reorganized within a modern ethical and national framework. His work matters as a counterpoint to occult revivalism: it shows how supernatural traditions became objects of empirical, educational, and philosophical scrutiny in Meiji Japan. His categories and motives remain debated by historians of religion and folklore.
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