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Paper short abstract

Focusing on I∴O∴S∴ and OTO Japan, this study examines the rise and decline of Western ritual magic groups in Japan (1970s-1990s) and their influence on contemporary Japanese conceptions of magic.

Paper long abstract

Western ritual magic refers to a body of practical knowledge centered on symbolism, meditation, and other ritual practices that was formulated and systematized in Western Europe in the late nineteenth century, by influential figures and organizations, such as Éliphas Lévi (1810–1875) and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (1888–1901). It subsequently exerted a significant influence on the formation and development of modern occultism, often associated with Aleister Crowley (1875-1947).

In the early 1970s, Western ritual magic began to be introduced to Japan. By the 1980s, this knowledge had spread widely through popular literary media, including translationed works, occult magazines, and instructional manuals. At the same time, there began to appear an increasing number of groups aimed at the study and practice of ritual magic.

I∴O∴S∴ was one of the earliest and most prominent groups among them. Established by Akiba Tsutomu (born c. 1958) in 1986, this group operated mainly in the Kantō region and Osaka and remained active until the late 1990s. The group offered regular instructional courses, conducted group rituals, and established its own official organ. In 1994, Akiba was interviewed by Mu, one of Japan’s most popular occult magazines, which also reported on and disseminated scenes of the group’s equinox ritual held that year.

Around the same period, another prominent magic group was also founded and became active in Japan: the Order of the Oriental Templars (Tōhō Seidō Kishidan), the Japanese branch of Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), an international magical organization focused on the instruction of the magical–religious system formulated by Aleister Crowley. These OTO branches, also mainly located in the Kantō region and Osaka, underwent repeated establishment and dissolution throughout the 1990s.

Focusing on these two groups, and drawing on their official documents, magazine reports, as well as direct interviews with former members, this presentation reveals the emergence, development, and decline of Western ritual magic groups in Japan during the last two decades of the twentieth century. By investigaing how these groups interpreted "magic", it resonsiders how the concept of magic in Japan today was historically influenced through the introduction and popularization of Western ritual magic.