Marketing the Menacing Fetus in Japan

Discover the intriguing exploration of "mizuko kuyo," a significant Japanese religious ritual for aborted fetuses, in Marketing the Menacing Fetus in Japan by Helen Hardacre. Published in 1999 by the University of California Press, this insightful book spans 332 pages and delves into the cultural and religious dynamics surrounding this ritual. Popularized in the 1970s, "mizuko kuyo" emerged as religious entrepreneurs began to share accounts of fetal wrath and spirit attacks, offering a means of ritual atonement for women who have undergone abortions. Hardacre's compelling analysis not only sheds light on the ritual itself but also examines its implications within Japanese society. This book is an essential read for anyone interested in the intersections of religion, culture, and marketing in contemporary Japan.