Giving a Voice to the Kami: Spiritualism and the Literary Imagination in Modern Japan

This paper introduces the works of the Japanese novelist Serizawa Kojiro (1897-1993) and analyzes Serizawa's theory of literary creativity in relation to the spiritualist and occult milieu. Based on a close reading of Serizawa’s works and on interviews with his family and fan club, I argue that Serizawa’s understanding of literary creativity was premised on his belief in and personal investigations of spirit mediumship. Serizawa’s childhood connections to the New Religious Movement Tenrikyō, his interactions with spirit channelers, and his near-death experience shaped his view of artistic creation as giving voice to the kami.