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The Early Reception of Nietzsche’s Eternal Recurrence in Japan and Its Emotional Features

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Tetsugaku Companion to Feeling

Part of the book series: Tetsugaku Companions to Japanese Philosophy ((TCJP,volume 6))

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Abstract

This chapter examines some representative cases of Japanese intellectuals’ discussions of Friedrich Nietzsche’s idea of eternal recurrence from the Meiji period to the early Shōwa period (roughly before the Second World War). The intellectuals discussed in this chapter include Anesaki Chōfū 姉崎嘲風, Tobari Chikufū 登張竹風, Natsume Sōseki 夏目漱石, Watsuji Tetsurō 和辻哲郎, Abe Jirō 阿部次郎 and Kuki Shūzō 九鬼周造. In examining their reception of eternal recurrence, this chapter will analyse its emotional or affective moments, and thereby contribute to the theme of ‘Emotion in Japanese Philosophy’, as a case study of the emotional features of the reception of a philosophical idea or theory. In summary, the characteristic of their reception is that they tried to understand the idea of eternal recurrence by incorporating it into the system of Japanese traditions, such as Kamakura Buddhism (Jōdo Shinshū and Zen Buddhism) and Bushidō. It is also remarkable that, based on their own reading of eternal recurrence, they expressed a wide range of emotions, including rejection, surprise, courage and delight.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Nietzsche, The Gay Science (Die fröhliche Wissenschaft), 1882 / 87, § 333 (KSA vol. 3, p. 558). KSA refers to Nietzsche (1988).

  2. 2.

    Nietzsche, The Gay Science, § 341 (KSA vol. 3, p. 570).

  3. 3.

    Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra (Also sprach Zarathustra) III, 1884, The Convalescent (Der Genesende), II (KSA vol. 4, p. 273).

  4. 4.

    Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, III, On the Vision and the Riddle (Von Gesicht und Räthsel), II (KSA vol. 4, p. 201 f.).

  5. 5.

    In Journal Shinkai 心海, no. 4, 1893 (see Takamatsu and Nishio 1982: 200 and 510).

  6. 6.

    Georg Brandes, ‘Friedrich Nietzsche. Eine Abhandlung über aristokratischen Radikalismus’ (1888), in Brandes 1895: 137–203.

  7. 7.

    In Taiyō 太陽, vol. 4, no. 6, 1898 (Takamatsu and Nishio 1982: 304).

  8. 8.

    In Taiyō, vol. 7, no. 9, 1901 (reprinted in Senuma 1970: 79–84).

  9. 9.

    In Teikoku Bungaku (Imperial Literature), vol. 7, no. 9, 1901 (reprinted in Senuma 1970: 311–313).

  10. 10.

    In Teikoku Bungaku, vol. 7, no.11, 1901. (reprinted in Senuma 1970: 306–309.)

  11. 11.

    Nachgelassene Fragmente, Frühjahr–Herbst 1881, 11 [159] (KSA vol. 9, p. 503).

  12. 12.

    Takayama Chogyū, ‘What kind of person is Nichiren Shōnin? 日蓮聖人とは如何なる人ぞ’, in Taiyō, vol. 8, no. 4, 1902 (reprinted in Senuma 1970: 85–92).

  13. 13.

    Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spake Zarathustra. A Book for All and None, tr. Alexander Tille, London, 1896.

  14. 14.

    This estimation is based on Hirakawa 1972: 634 f.

  15. 15.

    Löwith 1997: 242. A phrase from Sōseki in the quotation is modified by the English text of Natsume 2020: 250.

  16. 16.

    Hans Vaihinger, Philosophie des Als Ob: System der theoretischen, praktischen und religiösen Fiktionen der Menschheit auf Grund eines idealistischen Positivismus. Mit einem Anhang über Kant und Nietzsche, Berlin 1911.

  17. 17.

    Kuki Shūzō, 「驚きの情と偶然性」(Emotion of Surprise and the Contingency) (1939), in Kuki 1981b: 174.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, Graduate School of Arts and Letters, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

    Kido Atsushi

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  1. Department of Philosophy Graduate School of Arts and Letters, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

    Kido Atsushi

  2. Department of Philosophy Graduate School of Arts and Letters, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

    Noe Keiichi

  3. Faculty of International Liberal Arts, Dokkyo University, Soka-shi, Saitama, Japan

    Lam Wing Keung

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Atsushi, K. (2024). The Early Reception of Nietzsche’s Eternal Recurrence in Japan and Its Emotional Features. In: Atsushi, K., Keiichi, N., Wing Keung, L. (eds) Tetsugaku Companion to Feeling. Tetsugaku Companions to Japanese Philosophy, vol 6. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42186-0_8

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