Why do you think people (both in the 18th century, when Akinari was writing, and in our own day) are attracted to ghost stories or tales of the supernatural?
I think people like ghost stories and tales of the supernatural because there’s a little bit of uncertainty involved in the topic and I think that sparks an interest in some people. I also think it also lets people escape the repetitive nature of reality, and discover the more creative side of their imagination. They also used it to pass time because they didn’t have the things we have today to keep ourselves entertained.
