Why You Need to Read Volume II of Ikki Kita’s Spiritual Notice Diaries
- Ryota Grace Nakanishi
- Aug 13
- 5 min read
New Release
IKKI KITA'S SPIRITUAL NOTICE DIARIES: VOLUME II
From Height 203 to the Afterlife: General Nogi’s Spiritual Mandate for Revolution
Ikki Kita Spiritual Notice Diaries
During the Russo-Japanese War, General Nogi Maresuke made a profound and haunting statement regarding his refusal to grant his sons special treatment. In the absence of the tragic loss of his two sons in combat, it would have been impossible for him to confront the parents of the thousands of soldiers who perished at the foot of Height 203.
Firstly, I would like to express my profound gratitude to all readers who have purchased the English translation series of Kita Ikki's works. As a thorough discussion is available in Volume 1, the focus here will be on highlighting the fundamental themes illustrated in Volume 2. Furthermore, it is strongly recommended that readers worldwide who understand Japanese consult Kita Ikki's original works directly in the source language. Indeed, the distinctive style of Kita Ikki can only be fully appreciated through direct engagement with the Japanese text.
The book cover features General Nogi, Japan's "God of War."
It is documented that General Nogi Maresuke communicated spiritual messages to Kita Ikki on multiple occasions from the afterlife. The Imperial soldier embodied by General Nogi is presented as the ideal image of a patriot and reformer, untainted by the corruption of money-driven politics. This perspective is congruent with the prevailing social climate of the era, characterized by a deep-seated aversion to money-driven politics among the Japanese populace. This aversion, compounded by a perceived absence of viable alternatives, ultimately led to the entrustment of the onerous task of rectifying global affairs to the military. This ideal image remained constant in Kita Ikki's thinking both before and after 1933. It represented the finest embodiment of the force capable of leading the social innovation and restoration revolution of that era. To list them: The following individuals are notable for their contributions to the Meiji restoration: Takamori Saigō, Emperor Meiji (Grand Marshal), Heihachirō Tōgō, and General Nogi Maresuke.
The following is a quote from the aforementioned book.
It is evident that a considerable number of individuals exhibit disloyalty and insubordination. It is posited that if the military and the government were to set aside their respective self-interests and proceed with a spirit of devotion to public service, this would be in accordance with the will of the gods and Buddhas. There is no question regarding the accuracy of this assertion. This assertion was made by Zendō.
How much did automatic writing and divine visions shape Kita Ikki's political manifestos?
IKKI KITA'S SPIRITUAL NOTICE DIARIES: VOLUME II is an essential primary-source publication tracking the profound mystical and psychological evolution of Ikki Kita, modern Japan's most influential radical political philosopher. It is available across formats on Amazon and cataloged on Google Books. [1, 2, 3]
Book Overview
The text serves as a stark historical counterpoint to Kita's mainstream political treatises, such as An Outline Plan for the Reorganization of Japan. While his political publications outlined an anti-establishment synthesis of far-left state socialism and ultranationalist militarism, this diary captures the deeply private, eccentric, and spiritual landscape that fueled his worldview. [1, 2]
Volume II covers the middle-to-later periods of his ideological formulation, during which his political convictions became increasingly inseparable from automatic writing, intense visions, and divine instructions (remanifested as "spiritual notices").
Key Themes & Content
The Fusion of Mysticism and Fascism: The book reveals how Kita did not view his religious experiences as distinct from his radical politics. Instead, his visions actively directed his revolutionary strategies.
Psychological Portrait of a Revolutionary: Readers gain unvarnished access to the intense paranoia, messianic complex, and profound isolation of a man who believed he was destined to reshape the Japanese Empire.
Interpersonal Dynamics: The diary highlights his interactions with early Shōwa-era military officers and underground networks, shedding light on the spiritual subculture that gripped radical factions before the 1936 February 26 Incident. [2]
Critical Review & Historical Value
For students and scholars of East Asian political history, this text is invaluable. Academic works often sanitize historical figures by focusing entirely on their polished manifestos. This volume shatters that lens, proving that the roots of Japanese ultranationalism were as much occult and psychological as they were socioeconomic.
The prose can be challenging due to its esoteric terminology, erratic internal logic, and fragmented formatting. However, as an uncensored look into the mind of a thinker whose ideas eventually sparked a bloody military coup, it is an indispensable resource. [2]
Understanding the Status of Kita Ikki's Translated Works Under the NSL and Article 23
No official declaration or legal ruling states that Ikki Kita's Spiritual Notice Diaries: Volume II violates the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) or Article 23 legislation. [1]
The book is an English translation of the private diaries (written between 1931 and 1933) of Ikki Kita, an early 20th-century Japanese intellectual, socialist, and ultranationalist. Because the text focuses entirely on historical Japanese political philosophy, religious visions, and the prelude to pre-WWII military uprisings, it does not target or mention contemporary Chinese or Hong Kong governance. [2, 3, 4, 5]
How the NSL Applies to Books
While the Hong Kong government does not publish an official "banned book list," publications are typically flagged under national security laws if they contain specific elements: [1, 6]
Secession or Subversion: Material explicitly advocating for Hong Kong independence or the overthrow of the Chinese government.
Sedition: Content targeting local authorities to incite public hatred or rebellion.
Foreign Interference: Materials tied to active foreign collusion against local national security. [1, 6]
As an archival, academic translation of pre-war Japanese history, Spiritual Notice Diaries lacks any connection to these categories. It is treated globally and locally as a historical text rather than a piece of contemporary political subversion. [2, 7]
What is a "Reikoku"? Exploring Kita Ikki’s Esoteric Terminology
The original Japanese text is called 『霊告日記』 (read as Reikoku Nikki).
The term breaks down as follows:
霊告 (Reikoku): Spiritual revelations, divine notices, or inspirations from spirits.
日記 (Nikki): Diary or journal. [1]
Ikki Kita dictating these visions to his wife during his final years, and they were later published in Japan as part of his collected historical works (Kita Ikki Ch著作集).
The Hong Kong Publisher Reviving Ikki Kita’s Esoteric Political Texts
Ryota Nakanishi operates as an independent publisher and translator in Hong Kong. [1, 2]
He is a Hong Kong-based writer, intelligence analyst, and former film industry professional who self-publishes his own translations and analytical works. He is the exact individual responsible for bringing the book you mentioned to the market. [2, 3]
His Connection to the Book
Role: He is both the translator and the listed publisher for the English editions of Ikki Kita's writings, including Ikki Kita's Spiritual Notice Diaries: Volume II. [1]
Focus: His publishing portfolio centers heavily on translating early 20th-century Japanese political philosophy into English, alongside writing his own books on film aesthetics and regional geopolitics. [2, 4, 5]
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