Hara-Kiri: Japanese Ritual Suicide (4 page)

The inspector's group will never be provided with any food or drink until the ceremony has been completed.

When the death sentence is to be pronounced, both the senior and associate inspector as well as their followers will prepare themselves by putting on the two swords officially required.

Simultaneously with the arrival of the advance notice of the inspector's coming, the condemned is informed of the same. Thereupon, the condemned begins his preparations, with the aid of the household, by dressing his hair and bathing.

A kimono bearing his family crest and a ceremonial surcoat called a
kamishimo
are brought to him on a tray when he has finished bathing. After dressing, he is led off by a chief samurai who wears only a
wakizashi
or short sword. (Precautions are taken so that the condemned man cannot snatch away the long sword of his guide.) On both sides as well as in back of the condemned will walk six guards. At the threshold of the room, the man to die leaves his guide and guards to turn toward the inspector. Then, the supreme command of doom is pronounced. As soon as this duty is accomplished, it is often the case that the senior inspector leaves the mansion. In this event, the associate
kenshi
will remain to watch the actual act of seppuku.

Prior to bidding farewell to this world, the condemned man will change his garb for the third and last time to a snow-white outfit symbolizing purity and the decision to end his life.

The participants in the seppuku rite are one or two
karo
or principal retainers, two or three samurai, one caretaker- official, six guards, one
kaishaku
and his two assistants, one incense-bearer who need not be a samurai, and a Buddhist priest if the rite takes place in a temple. For the task of burial as well as cleaning up the polluted ground or room, four men are selected from among the
ashigaru,
the lowest grade of samurai, whose functions were menial. These served on this occasion without their swords.

During the performance of the ceremony, the inspector may either lay his long sword at his side or wear it, whichever he likes. After he has inspected the decapitated corpse for his subsequent attestation, he is supposed to leave the site. Only when he is a person of high rank may he carry the long sword in his left hand; if not, he must bear it in his right. Such were the minutiae of manners. When the sword (in sheath) is held in the left hand, it is easier to draw, while difficult when held in the other. Such reasoning often decided feudal manners.

When seppuku is to be committed in a courtyard, the inspector will be dressed in an outfit called the
kataginu
which is comprised of the
kamishimo
and the loose trousers called the
hakama.
Wearing two swords, he is seated on a stool, signifying his post as the supreme commander for the day.

When the duties of the inspector are completed, both the senior and his associate, if they are together, shall visit, on their return route, the mansion of a
rochu
(feudal cabinet member) assigned to such duty to report that the inspectors have completed without incident the supervising of the final disposal of the condemned. Since this
rochu
will be expecting their visit, candles will be burning in the parlor where he will utter the stereotyped response, "It was an unavoidable act."

As can be seen, the customs and formalities surrounding the ceremony were extremely complicated. One major reason for this was that ranks and grades, as well as corresponding manners and formalities, were excessively emphasized for the purpose of keeping peace and order among the tough and warlike samurai.

Ritual Procedures

When a high-ranking samurai was placed under the custody of a certain noble, it usually, although not always, meant that he would be commanded to perform seppuku. The retainers of the custodian noble had, therefore, to be most attentive and cautious so as to prevent untoward occurrences and, at the same time, not give the doomed man the certain foreknowledge of his pending sentence.

Often this custodial period lasted several days or longer. In the case, however, of Lord Asano Takumi-no-Kami, it was about four o'clock in the afternoon that he was placed in the custody of Lord Tamura and he was sentenced to death that same evening. This was a rare case and one of the most dramatic incidents during the Tokugawa reign. It took place when His Imperial Majesty's messenger was visiting the Tokugawa castle, where a great fete was to be held. Lord Asano was appointed by the Shogun to officiate at the grand reception. On the other hand, the expert director of manners and ceremonies was Kira Kozuke-no-Suke who, probably because Lord Asano did not give him "tea money" or a bribe
sub rosa,
failed not only to instruct the latter adequately but even taught him to wear a certain costume on the wrong occasion: where long dragging trousers were to be worn, Lord Asano was told to wear
hakama
or short trousers. When he emerged thus clad in the grand corridor, he was shamed to find all the other lords wearing long trousers. When he next met Kira within the palace, the quick-tempered young Lord Asano tried to kill him but, being prevented by guards, achieved only a slight cut on Kira's forehead. Then he shouted, "Kira, wait!" and threw his short sword at Kira, hoping thus to inflict more serious injury. Unfortunately, this short sword pierced the gorgeously decorated golden sliding door at the end of the
Matsu-no-Roka
(Pine Corridor), and this incident was the cause behind the Shogun's command that Lord Asano commit seppuku. This story has since been made into a kabuki play,
Chushingura,
or the "Treasury of Loyal Retainers."

When a samurai was put under the surveillance of the lord he served or into the custody of his kinsmen, the responsible party had to prepare attendants both to take care of him as well as to watch over him. These watchmen had to pay keen attention not to offend the confined man nor to excite him. If he should ask if he would be commanded to commit seppuku, they were to answer simply that they knew nothing about it.

As the day for the seppuku ceremony approached, the condemned man's family, friends, vassals, and messengers from his master were permitted to visit him.

Three days prior to the date set for seppuku, close friends were invited to a farewell banquet. The custodian of the condemned had to arrange the affair so that the doomed man would cause no disturbance or trouble. All through the banquet there was no mention made of regret or sorrow, resigned resolution being taken for granted. At this farewell party, all guests were requested to sit to the left of the condemned man, to give him this last honor. The Japanese believe that the right side is the position of honor.

Japanese in those days ate at individual tables or on small raised trays called
o-zen.
The
o-zen
placed before the man to commit seppuku was distinctly different from the others. It was called
tachi-oshiki
and was a thin wooden plate with four long legs. As a rule, all the dishes were vegetarian. However, if the departing man was a lord or a person of high rank, he was allowed to break the vegetarian rules and his dishes were served on an ordinary black-lacquered
o-zen
covered with clean, white paper. Three slices of spicy pickled vegetables were indispensable; "three slices" in Japanese is rendered
mikire
which could also mean "to cut flesh." Here is a portentous play on words.

Sake (rice wine) was served to the left, or contrary to the normal order. The small cup, called a
choku,
should be filled to the brim in two pourings, so as to avoid the meaning of repetition implied by the number three. Symbolism permeated the banquet from beginning to end. Similar topics of conversation were not to be brought up twice. The chopsticks used at this dinner were made of anise wood or bamboo, the former being used exclusively for funeral dinners. Thus, the doomed person was made to feel that he was already, in a sense, being mourned.

When the banquet was over, the caretaker came in and announced, "The date for your seppuku has been set on the _____; as to the
kaishaku-nin
[the assistant at seppuku], _____ has been appointed, so please take note," etc. Without losing any time, the assistant came in and said, "I am the man appointed as the
kaishaku-nin;
if you have any wishes, please let me know." The assistant
kaishaku-nin,
also made his obeisance and said, "I am the assistant
kaishaku-nin;
please do not hesitate to ask for anything you desire." Next, it was time for the seppuku performer to say what he wanted done. If there was nothing, he would say so. If he wanted to arrange the precise moment of decapitation, he would say that he would make a signal, such as raising his right hand.

It was sometimes the case that in the actual ceremony, the
kaishaku-nin
himself became so excited that he gave the
coup de grace
before the seppuku performer gave any signal. Both the performer and the assistant should be of one mind to accomplish a clean, final cut at the right instant.

If the condemned man could leave everything up to the assistant, who should be a reliable swordsman, it was much easier for both. When the famous 47
ronin
committed seppuku, it was the concern of the authorities not to let them suffer any pain. Thus, no sooner had the seppuku performer stretched out his hand to take the knife than the highly qualified
kaishaku-nin
decapitated him with one clean cut. In such cases, it was not construed as a mere execution because the condemned man took the initiative in reaching for the seppuku knife.

The technique of
kaishaku
was precise and delicate. Therefore, the discussion after the banquet between the seppuku performer and the
kaishaku-nin
was of major importance in achieving a laudable ceremony that would be recounted by following generations.

The farewell greetings were all so ceremonialized and stereotyped that they served as some relief at such a doleful time. In reply to the command to commit seppuku, the condemned man would answer, "My crime should have deserved a more severe punishment, whereas I have been allowed to commit seppuku, for which my gratitude is boundless," etc. The caretaker and other intimate persons would also give their last greetings. The exact phrases would differ with the individual as well as with the circumstances. However, the content would generally be like this: "This is the day for you to commit seppuku. The weather is fine and the day is auspicious. I hope you will be able to accomplish seppuku without any difficulty." After hearing these messages, the seppuku performer would reply, first to the caretaker for his kindnesses, "I heartily thank you for your troubles during these days and for your cordial treatment." To the inspector and other officials, the doomed man would say, "I appreciate your good offices; I am ready to commit seppuku in a few moments."

He would then proceed to the place of the ceremony. There, he would again solemnly bow to the assistant, uttering a few words of appreciation; the same would be accorded to the other guards.

When all had been said, the seppuku performer would receive a cup of plain water, which was called
matsugo-nomizu
or "water for the last moment." The vessel was either a regular tea cup or a small dish of unglazed pottery, which was brought in on a white offering tray
(sambo)
by, if available, the chief priest of the temple of which the condemned man was a member. At that moment, the priest would deliver a short sermon after which the condemned man drank the water. The last cup of water also served to calm the nerves of the man facing death.

After the priest had carried the cup back to his seat, one of the officials would produce the knife on the
sambo.

On some occasions, sake was served. While the seppuku performer was seated at his place ready for the act of seppuku, servants would bring in small two-layer dishes of unglazed pottery containing three slices of spiced pickled vegetables and
kombu
(kelp or seaweed). The chopsticks were placed contrary to the usual direction and the sake bottle was held in the left hand and poured to the left. The ceramic dish for sake was filled in two pourings, and was drunk in two swallows and then two more; that is, in four swallows altogether. The Japanese words for "four" and "death" are pronounced the same,
shi.

The seppuku knife was not long. In the first place, a long knife would be dangerous. It might happen that the condemned man would suddenly change his mind and decide not to die. Were he an excellent swordsman, he might use a long knife or sword to effect his escape. It once happened that the condemned man snatched up the sword of the
kaishaku-nin,
whom he killed with one blow, and fled.

The standard length of the knife for seppuku was 0.95
shaku,
or about eleven and a half inches. It was wrapped in two folds of a Japanese tissue paper called
sugihara
paper, leaving the point exposed slightly over half an inch. When the crime was particularly reprehensible, twice that length was bared. It was wrapped in an inverted direction and tied at three points. The cutting edge was laid facing the seppuku performer with the point to his left.