The Esoteric in Touhou

Discover the spiritual aspects of Touhou that lurk below the surface and learn how to apply the lessons to your life.

• Introduction


• Part 1: The Mythologies That ZUN Loved


• Shinto


• Buddhism


• Taoism




• Part 2: Western Weirdness in Eastern Wonderland


• ZUN Moon Rising


• Shifting Through The Layers, Passing Into Fantasy


• Traces of Western Magic in Eastern Wonderland


• Hifuu Club's Fringe Activities


• Conclusion: Shanghai Alice's Fantastic Eclecticism




• Part 3: Wonderland Resacralization


• Touhou is an Egregore


• How Egregores Pass Out of Fantasy


• Shanghai Alice's Archetypes


• Gensokyo Is A Place On Earth?


• Ultraterrestrial Fantasy Organisms


• The Supernature of Touhou's Spirit Ecology


• But They're Anime Girls..?


• Conclusion: Are You Playing With Native Gods?


• Part 4: Starting the Practice Mode


• Setting the expectations and addressing some questions


• Common elements between Touhou games and spiritual practice


• Spiritual practices and health


• Nervous system regulation, sleep and diet


• Some psycho-spiritual factors for consideration


• Meditation: the root practice


• First steps into the dream world

Other's Words

Testimonies and effortposts from others.

• Esoteric Buddhism in Touhou Project


• Shugendo & Touhou


• Healed by the Kami of Jomine Shrine


• Thaumaturgical Answer


• Chimata-sama helped me sell an album


• Kicking Down The Shrine Door


• How Tendai-anon found Buddhism

Letters from the Archive

Literal blogposting.

• Year of the Snake Letter - 29th of January 2025


• Thoughts on ”Japanese Shamanism”/Occult Japan by Percival Lowell


• Winter Solstice Letter - 21st of December 2024


• Personal experiences - How I met the Kami of Gensokyo

Site Functions

• Index


• ...Touhou?


• Acknowledgements


• External sources


• History of the Archive


• Contact