‘The present state and statistical observation of mental patients under home custody’, by Kure Shūzō and Kashida Gorō (1918)

This text, dealing with the private confinement of the mentally ill at home, or shitaku kanchi, has often been referred to as a ‘classic text’ in the history of Japanese psychiatry. Shitaku kanchi was one of the most prevalent methods of treating mental disorders in early twentieth-century Japan. Under the guidance of Kure Shūzō (1865–1932), Kure’s assistants at Tokyo University inspected a total of 364 rooms of shitaku kanchi across Japan between 1910 and 1916. This text was published as their final report in 1918. The text also refers to traditional healing practices for mental illnesses found throughout the country. Its abundant descriptions aroused the interest of experts of various disciplines