Experiments carried out in pre-war Japan by Dr. Tomokichi Fukurai from Tokyo proved that thought can act on photographic plate or film, leaving images of any complexity on it.
First parapsychologist
Tomokichi Fukurai was born on November 3, 1869. After graduation, he was invited to the Tokyo Imperial University as a teacher of Western philosophy.
In 1903, the Imperial University established a laboratory of experimental psychology under the direction of Professor Yujiro Motors. Fukurai took an active part in the experiments and after a year and a half he defended his thesis entitled "Psychological Aspects of Hypnosis." The textbook he wrote was the only Japanese-language book on hypnosis for 40 years.
While studying borderline states of consciousness, Fukurai became interested in parapsychology. His first test subject was Chizuko Mifune of Kumamoto. The girl became famous in her hometown, unmistakably looking for lost objects and penetrating her gaze through any obstacles. Chizuko, without any X-ray, saw the internal organs of those who needed diagnostics. In addition, she could tell from the photograph whether the person captured on her was alive. Sometimes she answered questions even before they were asked.
In 1908, 22-year-old Mifune married an officer. Three weeks later, the spouse was sent to Manchuria, where he served for several years without a single vacation. This was not what Chizuko expected. Anticipation of the future was not her forte.
Promotional video:
Tragedy in Tokyo
In the spring of 1910, Tomokichi Fukurai first heard of Chizuko Mifune's talents. In order not to waste time in vain, the professor asked his colleague Shinkichi Imamura to go to Kumamoto and conduct an experiment. The girl had to read the texts in sealed envelopes. Each card with the text was wrapped in several layers of foil and then put into an envelope. By the condition of the experiment, Shinkichi Imamura himself did not know the contents of the envelopes. To the surprise of the scientist, the girl easily completed the task.
Upon learning of the success, Fukurai personally came to Kumamoto. Now Chizuko had to read the hieroglyphs sealed in cans. In 65% of cases, the girl read the texts as if they were in front of her eyes, and in other experiments she did not see everything or made quite excusable mistakes.
Mifune agreed to travel to Tokyo to appear before scientists and journalists. Professor Fukurai further complicated the experience. Now the notes to be read lay in pieces of lead pipe with the ends flattened with a hammer. To find out if the note was read correctly, the pipe was sawn. On the third try, Chizuko read the text without a single mistake.
The journalists raised a fuss, claiming that Fukurai had told Mifune the contents of the notes in advance. The capital's newspapers were full of notes about the "charlatan professor and his accomplice," hinting that they were in a love affair. Unable to withstand the slander and harassment that followed, on January 18, 1911, Chizuko was poisoned.
The birth of thoughtgraphy
Shortly before the death of Mifune, the professor met another clairvoyant - 40-year-old Ikiko Nagao, the wife of a judge from Marugame. Experiments with her were complicated to the limit. The woman was to read the text on an undeveloped photographic plate lying in a hermetically sealed box. If you tried to open the box, the plate would instantly glow. During the experiments, Nagao easily read invisible inscriptions.
While developing the plates, Fukurai noticed strange light spots on them and came to the conclusion that they were somehow connected with the process of clairvoyance. On December 27, 1910, he conducted a different experiment. Lady Nagao was presented with a sealed undeveloped plate. Then Fukurai drew a hieroglyph on a piece of paper, asked him to remember it and focus his thoughts on the plate. After developing, the professor saw a spot, "in general terms similar to a given hieroglyph."
As the training progressed, the clarity of the image grew. During the following experiments, Ikiko was able to draw a circle, a cross and a square on the plate with an effort of thought. It turned out to be unnecessary to hold the record in your hands. The professor called the process thoughtgraphy.
On January 8, 1911, Fukurai conducted a public experiment, to which he invited his curator Professor Motoru, as well as a colleague of Dr. Fuji and journalists. At the decisive moment, the woman said in confusion:
- I don't feel the record.
The professor opened the box and made sure Nagao was right. A scandal broke out. The stolen record was found in Dr. Fuji's pocket. Apparently, the doctor thus tried to bring Ikiko to clean water.
A few days later, Fukurai persuaded Nagao to repeat the experiment, this time without Fuji. The woman was sure that she had successfully applied the thoughtgrams to the plate, but this could not be verified. When the professor came out for a short while to talk to scientists and reporters, someone climbed through the window and stole the undeveloped records. Instead, the robber left a note demanding that the experiments be stopped.
In mid-January, Nagao fell ill. The news of Mifune's suicide completely knocked her down. A month later, she died of pneumonia.
The greatest psychic
Professor Fukurai did not look for a long time to replace the dead women. He began experiments with Koichi Mita, a famous Japanese psychic who specialized in "going to the astral plane." Koichi could, concentrating, see any place on earth - even one where he had never been, describe the situation and the actions of the people who were there.
The very first experiments in thoughtgraphy were crowned with success. Koichi could write anything on any record with the power of his mind.
In December 1912, Professor Motor died, thanks to which Fukurai could work unimpeded. In his place came a certain Matatoro Matsumoto, and Fukurai was immediately fired with a "wolf ticket". But, as they say, whatever is done is for the best. Now Fukurai could experiment without looking back at the opinion of the leadership.
On September 17, 1915, Koichi Mita was invited to participate in an experiment on thoughtgraphy in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture. About two thousand people came, including school teachers. Mr. Ono, the photographer, placed three undeveloped plates on top of one another and locked them in a small wooden box. The box was placed on the table in the center of the stage.
The editor of a local magazine asked Mita to use the power of thought to capture four Japanese characters on two records - the top and bottom. Mita sat down about 120 centimeters from the table. It took one and a half minutes to complete the task. Ono developed the plates in the presence of witnesses. On the top and bottom, the given hieroglyphs appeared in a circle crossed by a cross, and on the middle there was nothing. Most of all people were stunned by Mita's ability to combine thoughtgraphy and flights "to the astral". Fukurai described one of the experiments this way.
“On December 31, 1929, Koichi Mita and I met in Osaka with the head of Nihon Chikasu Kiyokai, Aoki, and its general manager, Mr. Shasaki, to discuss further experiments in thoughtgraphy. We bought 12 records, tied them crosswise with ribbon and stamped the knots. The subject for thoughtgraphy was left to Mita's discretion, and the records were locked in a safe.
On January 3 of the following year, we met again. Koichi Mita said:
- I started acting at 2:46 am on January 1. First, I mentally went to Mr. Shasaki's house in Sakai, a city near Osaka. He was drinking something instead of sleeping. In Shasaki's bedroom, there was a painting "Horse" by the artist Otsu. I concentrated to capture this picture on the first plate of a dozen, but in the course of thoughtgraphy I saw two more plates in my mental vision, quickly passing before my eyes. So, I think, "The Horse" appeared on them. Then I made an astral trip to Lord Aoki's home in Ashiya, a suburb of Kobe, and found him sitting at a table in my studio. He held a pen in his hand. I concentrated to transfer the contents of his thoughts, whatever it may be, to the twelfth plate. I have no idea what he was thinking.
Shasaki confirmed that at 2:46 am he was awake and that there was a "Horse" hanging in his bedroom. Aoki also stated that Mita did not invent anything.
“The plates from the safe were handed over to me,” writes Fukurai, “for developing in the presence of photographers. From the first to the third disc, Otsu's "Horse" was captured. On the fifth there was a portrait of a stranger to us, and on the 12th the hieroglyphs "Aoki Shudo". Shudo is the pseudonym used by Aoki. The other records were left blank. Aoki stated that the characters on the 12th plate were written in his handwriting."
Astral flight to the moon
On June 24, 1931, Mita received an unthinkable assignment: to make an astral trip into space to see and capture on a plate the other side of the moon. The experience was crowned with success.
On November 12, 1933, the experiment was repeated publicly. Thousands of people filled the auditorium. Fukurai put 12 records on the table and asked the newsmen to choose which one the image should appear on. The choice fell on the sixth record from the top. Negatives were shown in the presence of witnesses and were convinced that a clear image of the planet with dark spots and craters appeared on the sixth plate.
Koichi Mita passed away in 1950. Tomokichi Fukurai survived him by two years, without waiting for the most convincing proof that he was right.
In 1959, the Soviet probe "Luna-3" for the first time transmitted to Earth images of the invisible side of the Moon. Then it was the turn of the Apollo program. Seeing a circular map made up of dozens of photographs, Professor Motinori Goto was shocked by its resemblance to pre-war thoughtgraphs. He proved that the 31 surface elements in Mita's images match the true details of the lunar relief!