Encountering Mysteries, Recalling Histories on the Asia-Pacific War in Postwar Japan: An Analysis of Readers’ Contributions to Mu, an Occult Magazine

Abstract

In this paper, the transmission of war histories in everyday life is elucidated by examining the personal experiences of ghosts and supernatural phenomena related to the Asia-Pacific War. Readers’ contributions to Mu, a monthly occult magazine, were used to collect and analyze mysterious personal stories. The following are pointed out in this study. First, personal stories of war-related ghosts and supernatural phenomena show that people in postwar Japan touched on and recalled pieces of the history of the Asia-Pacific War in everyday life by encountering mysterious experiences. Second, the visitation of unknown war ghosts and transmission of war history are intimately connected. These mysterious personal stories demonstrate that people tend to encounter ghosts in places historically related to war.