Chizuko Mifune
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Chizuko Mifune (御船千鶴子, Mifune Chizuko, 17 June 1886 - 19 January 1911) was a renowned female clairvoyant during the late Meiji period in Japan. Born in the Kumamoto Prefecture, Chizuko was briefly married from 1908-1910. It has been stated that Chizuko was deeply religious and, at times, was hypnotized by her brother-in-law. At the age of 23, accounts tell of Chizuko awakening her powers in foresight when, in her meditative posture, she saw a number of worms within a nearby tree in the garden, covered by bark and invisible to the naked eye. News spread quickly from the Kumamoto Prefecture to other parts of Japan. Chizuko's abilities soon reached the ears of Dr. Tomokichi Fukurai, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Tokyo. Sharing a deep interest in the supernatural, Dr. Fukurai set out to validate the phenomenon of extra-sensory perception (E.S.P.) to fellow researchers and skeptics alike (one such being Dr. Kenjiro Yamakawa). One of the most famous public demonstrations of Chizuko was conducted by Dr. Fukurai on 15 September 1910. Chizuko appeared to read messages written inside hidden envelopes, to the astonishment of the crowd. The spectacle proved unconvincing and Chizuko was seen as a charlatan, her reputation forever marred. At the young age of 24, Chizuko committed suicide by ingesting poison - there are conflicting theories as to what were the exact reasons. It is widely believed that in the day before her death, Chizuko had a vision of a newspaper article foretelling her own death.[citation needed]
[edit] Influences
Chizuko Mifune has recently grabbed the attention of Japanese horror (J-Horror) filmmakers and has in some way been acknowledged in such films as Yogen and Ringu.
