Lectures on the Study of Mysterious Phenomena and Other Writings

A strange voice answers questions in a rural household. A tailor dons a metal hat and rubber clothing to keep imagined foxes out of his body. Tables turn, spirits seem to write, and familiar fears demand explanations. Inoue Enryō brings these reports into an ambitious inquiry that joins philosophy, psychology, religion, education, and practical investigation.

This collection includes the introduction and second-edition preface to his lectures on mysterious phenomena, a brief call for reports, a lively public talk, and his account of an investigation in Gunnai, Kōshū. The introduction sets out an extensive classification and preserves both of its substantial bibliographies. The later works show his methods in action, including the limits of evidence and his own uncertainties.

A Buddhist educator and founder of the Tetsugakukan, Enryō argued that removing apparent mysteries could reveal a deeper mystery within mind and reality itself. His project also carried strong ambitions for moral education and national renewal. These five complete works retain his formal arguments, spoken humor, historical assumptions, and field observations, with concise explanatory notes. AI-assisted translation, prepared and edited by Valentin Sarić.