Japanese learn about their past lives for future comfort - Reuters report

Interest in reincarnation and spirituality is growing in Japan, as reflected in the popularity of television programs in which Hiroyuki Ehara explores the past lives of famous figures. His weekly broadcasts captivate viewers, and his spiritually themed books sell millions of copies. Faced with uncertainties in life and careers, Japanese people seek comfort in exploring their past identities. This phenomenon highlights the long tradition of spiritualism in a country simultaneously grappling with modern skepticism.

Hiroyuki EharaThe room suddenly falls silent as Hiroyuki Ehara (pictured) stares at the Japanese actress standing before him, closes his eyes, and leans forward in deep thought. A moment later, the gullible actress's past life is revealed—she is the reincarnation of a British aristocrat's daughter. " You should never have gone to Britain ," he said. " You have too many painful memories there. You couldn't marry the man you loved and were forced to marry someone else. But that family went bankrupt, and you lived in poverty for the rest of your past life."

The popularity of Ehara, a self-proclaimed spiritual protector, and his weekly television program in which he looks into the past lives of famous people and reads their "auras," has sparked a dynamic search in Japan for joy in the self.

Spiritual books, help centers, and even a jewelry "power stone" have struck a chord in a country where spiritualism has a long tradition, yet where it is met with skepticism in modern times. Ehara's books have sold over 7 million copies.

The fascination, say social commentators, seems to reflect growing anxiety about jobs, families, and lifestyles that have led Japanese people to feel a loss of identity. For Yukari Kato, director of an educational materials company, visiting spiritual advisors is an annual ritual.

"I saw two different advisors and was surprised when they used the exact same term to describe my society and trade network just by looking at me—they compared it to a 'spider's web.' They said they were talking to 'someone' standing next to me, that it might be my guardian angel ," she said, admitting to spending 20,000 to 60,000 yen (650 to about 1,300 złoty) on reading material.

The popularity of the show, hosted by Ehara and a transvestite singer who, in his previous incarnation in the 17th century, was a Christian revolutionary, seems to surprise even the producers themselves. Some experts say the phenomenon is a continuing trend. Shintoism, the local religion, is a form of animism, and many customs—such as the consecration of a newly constructed building—are based on a belief in spirits.