Japan has given great inventions to the world:the bullet train, sudoku, instant noodles, karaoke... The harakiri , a gruesome ritual by which the ancient samurai slashed their entrails to commit suicide, is another of those genuinely Japanese contributions to universal culture. Strictly speaking, gutting yourself with a clean sword is not as Japanese as you might think. Roman centurions were already discreetly getting out of the way, flopping belly down on their herreruza when they were defeated in battle. The Iberian warriors did the same (the famous “Iberian devotion ”). But it is undeniable that the Japanese of yesteryear knew how to give the macabre and sticky subject of suicide a touch of distinction.
The reasons that could push a samurai to undergo seppuku (more correct term than the vulgar «harakiri «) were very diverse. It could be a way to apply capital punishment to an inmate, an alternative to save honor in the face of defeat, or even a form of protest. But one could not do seppuku in any way. There were a series of rules and protocols that, to the extent that the situation allowed, had to be observed in order to leave this world in style. Let's see what the perfect etiquette for an exemplary suicide consists of.
1. The clothing
Only samurai could undergo seppuku, and for a samurai the culminating moment of his life is precisely that of death. To go to the other neighborhood with due decorum, you have to do it dressed in the best clothes. In this case, a ceremonial kimono, which would come to mean more or less what for us it would be to commit suicide in a tuxedo. The color is to the taste of the consumer, but white is preferable. Needless to say, the subject, let's call him a "suicider ”, must be properly combed and groomed.
2. The place
Seppuku can be practiced anywhere, depending on the circumstances, but the most recommended places are the dependencies of a temple, the house itself or the cell where one is confined. High-ranking samurai may choose to do so in the open air, in a patio or small garden conditioned for this purpose, while those of humbler status, as a general rule, will proceed to disembowel themselves in interior rooms. No big preparations are needed. A simple platform is enough, on which the suicide bomber will stand to carry out the task, and a small basket (or hole in the ground) to collect his head once it has been properly severed. From there, depending on the social rank of the suicide bomber, more elements can be added and the space can be decorated with curtains (always white), catwalks, tatami mats, etc. It is preferable that the lighting is rather dim, to make the show a little less unpleasant for those attending the ceremony. It is also a good idea to burn generous amounts of incense, to hide as much as possible the stench of viscera and livers.
3. The farewell poem
The seppuku ritual is carried out in the strictest silence, there is no place for the suicide bomber to pronounce his last words. But he always has the option of putting them in writing, which is considered a very elegant gesture. A most stylish epitaph before leaving for the afterlife. Some of the most sublime verses in Japanese literature have been written precisely as farewell poems.
4. The witnesses
Any self-respecting suicide must have the presence of witnesses who attest that the suicide has been well dead after the process. They are expected to come to the appointment dressed in rigorous etiquette.
5. The assistant Opening your insides is a painful matter. No matter how hard one has, it is very possible that the pain will end up making him lose his temper. We do not want to make such a sublime appearance ugly by giving the show, so, in order to save unnecessary suffering for the suicide bomber and avoid further inconvenience, every self-respecting seppuku must have the figure of the assistant, also called kaishaku . His task is to cut off the subject's head with a clean cut once it has finished eviscerating itself (more on this in point 9). The assistant is usually someone chosen by the suicide bomber, usually a friend, although if necessary, a kaishaku ex officio can also be counted on. While some skill with a sword is expected of all samurai, it's best to make sure your assistant has a good hand, as beheading a man is no easy task.
6.The tool
Instead of the long sword, the famous katana, unwieldy for these tasks, the ideal is to use the short sword, called kodachi or wakizashi . A dagger can also be used, called tanto . Obviously, it should be properly sharpened. For greater refinement and aesthetic beauty, the sword must be presented with a bare blade, without handguard or hilt, on a wooden tray. Before going to work, the suicide bomber will wrap the blade in a piece of paper or cloth so as not to cut his hand when wielding it.
7. The posture
The suicide bomber sits on the ground (Japanese style) on a small dais or dais, in full view of the witnesses. In front of him, within arm's reach, is the sword to be used in seppuku. The assistant, for his part, will stand behind you at all times, ready to act when necessary. Before beginning the carnage, the suicide bomber greets the witnesses with a bow. Above all, it is important to keep the forms. Once the salutations are over, he removes the upper part of his kimono and leaves his torso bare, so that the blade penetrates the flesh more easily.
8.The cut
We got to the heart of the matter, the seppuku itself. The word "seppuku", like its common synonym "harakiri", means "slitting the gut" in Japanese. And that is exactly what needs to be done. The sword is taken and one sticks it in the lower abdomen; Once the point is plunged into the belly, he pulls the blade to rip the meat. To make more force, it is advisable to grab the steel with both hands. The usual thing is to cut horizontally, from left to right. The longer and deeper the cut, the better. If there are enough arrests left, a second cut can be made, in a vertical direction, to remain as a lord. This seppuku in two cuts, in the shape of an L or a cross, is the most common (see attached image). But, in reality, at this point there are no strict rules. It does not matter the number or direction of the slashes, the case is to crack well cracked. Seppuku is a matter of honour, in which one has to prove one's manhood, so the more cuts one takes, the better. There are records of samurai who came to open the channel from top to bottom, and others gave themselves up to three or four cuts before definitively kicking the bucket. The possibilities are endless.
Most common cuts
9. The coup de grâce
The precise moment in which to hit the suicide bomber is a delicate matter. The "timing", ultimately, is at the sole discretion of the attendee. In some cases, to avoid suffering, the kaishaku is performed as soon as the suicide bomber makes the gesture of taking the sword, without even giving him time to plunge it into his belly. But the usual thing is to wait until he has finished with the cuts and wait for the exact moment when his strength begins to fail him. For the account that it has, it is appreciated that the suicide bomber cooperates by letting himself fall slightly forward, stretching his neck, so that the assistant has a better cutting angle. In case no assistant is at hand, the subject can save the last of his strength (if he has any left) to give himself a cut on the neck that ends his agony.
10. Collection and closing
Once the subject is properly eviscerated and decapitated, the corpse is removed and the mess is cleaned. A servant picks up the head and presents it to the witnesses, bringing the ceremony to an end.
Naturally, each case is different, and depending on the circumstances, this ritual could vary quite a bit. For example, if one is fleeing on horseback from a host of enemies and does not want to be taken alive, he logically cannot be too squeamish to get out of the way. In addition, seppuku is a very old tradition that has evolved over the centuries. But we can consider the points mentioned above as a kind of standard decalogue, some general rules by which, as far as possible, every samurai who wanted to disembowel as God intended should be guided.
Of course, for what may happen, we ask our readers not to try to do it at home.
Collaboration of R. Ibarzabal
Source:Seppuku:A History of Samurai Suicide –Andrew Rankin