The Camera Obscura

The Camera Obscura
Kanji	射影機と異界の実証 しゃえいき と いかい の じっしょう
Game	Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
Author	Unknown
Chapter	Hour I: The Sign
Located at	Yuu's Room
Obtained	In the bookcase
Description	An old folklore book from Yuu's bookcase. It is on the "Camera Obscura"
Additional Description	In the bookcase is the book "Occultism" that Amakura wrote about in his letter.
Related Notes	Radio Transmissions, The "Spirit World"

ENJA

The Camera Obscura is a device used to capture the "Other World" made by "Occultist" Kunihiko Asou. From the late 19th to the early 20th century, he tried to communicate with and get proof of this "Other World."

The term "Occultist" refers to people involved in the movement to verify Eastern thought using contemporary Western technology. Kunihiko Asou is a prime example of such an "occultist."

The "Camera Obscura" was one of his quintessential experiments. He modified the at the time still rare "camera", by adding a special lens and film. It was supposed to capture "unbelievable things" normally invisible to the naked eye, like a so-called "different phase interval" and "spirits and ghosts."

They are very rare nowadays, but apparently these cameras are still traded among curio dealers. Most have been broken, and we have lost the chance to "see the other world," as well as Asou's achievements, for eternity.



Notes:

• The title of the book as Rei picks it up of the shelf is given as "Occultism". Its Japanese title translates to "Proof of the Camera Obscura and Spirit World".
  
• When viewing this note in the menu you can view a picture of the Camera Obscura by pressing the O (circle) button.
  
• The reference to Dr. Asou living "from the late 19th to early 20th century" actually refers to the end of the Edo period (1603-1867) and into the Meiji period (1868-1912) in the Japanese text.

「射影機」とは、江戸末期から明治にか
けて、「異界」との交信、実証を目指し
た「神秘科学者」麻生邦彦氏が残した
「異界」を写す機械である。

「神秘科学」とは、同時の西洋文化流入
に合わせて、東洋的思想を西洋文化の技
術で証明しようという動きであり、麻生
邦彦氏はその「神秘科学」者の代表的な
存在である。


「射影機」は彼の代表的な実験の一つで、
当時まだ珍しかった「写真機」を、特殊
なフィルムとレンズなどの組合せによ
り改良し、本来目に見えない、いわば
「位相のずれた空間」「精神体・霊体」
などと呼ばれる「ありえないもの」を写
し取ることができるというものである。


ごく稀にではあるが、昨今でも古物商な
どの間で取引されることがあるようだが、
その多くは壊れ、「異界を見る」という
現代の我々がなし得ない機能と、その功
績は永遠に失われたままである。