Hara-Kiri: Japanese Ritual Suicide (6 page)

Regardless of the relationship of the
kaishaku-nin
to the condemned, he was expected to look upon the seppuku performer as an enemy. If the condemned planned to escape, he might snatch up the sword of the
kaishaku-nin.
To prevent this, the
kaishaku-nin
had to watch constantly his longer sword
(tachi)
as well as his shorter one
(wakizashi).
He was advised not to carry his swords in his hands but to attach them to his belt in the manner called
otoshizashi.

The cord on the sword-sheath was not to be wrapped around the haft, because it sometimes became coiled around the blade. It was to be tied to the rear.

The
kaishaku-nin
had to be sitting down when the
kenshi
appeared, so he had to take care not to let his limbs become numb, especially on cold days. Even though a man of high rank might be present, he was not to forget to exercise his limbs. Such a precautionary measure was not counted as disrespect.

In addition, regardless of the temperature, the palms of the hand were liable to become sweaty, and the
kaishaku-nin
was expected to keep them dry.

The
kaishaku-nin
also had to make precise measurements beforehand, so that his sword would not touch the ceiling or the walls when executing his downward stroke.

To eliminate further hindrance to his movements, the
kaishaku-nin
would loosen his
kataginu
or wing-pointed formal surcoat, dropping it off his shoulders.

It was common knowledge among swordsmen that the human neck is about four
sun
long, or a little over four inches, both in the front and rear portions. However, as it varied somewhat with the individual, the
kaishaku-nin
considered it part of his duties to study the length of the neck of the condemned.

There were three positions for holding the sword: high, middle, and low. If the seppuku performer were a person of high rank, it was deemed proper to use the high position. If he were of equal rank with the
kaishaku-nin,
the middle position was recommended.

If the seppuku ceremony were to be held in a courtyard covered with white sand, the
kaishaku-nin
was requested to wear
zori
or straw sandals. However, it was not good form to wear them up to the actual spot for seppuku. Even this etiquette surrounding the
zori
was taken as a delicate indication of the culture and character of the
kaishaku-nin,
and, therefore, could form the basis for criticism.

If the seppuku performer indicated hesitance to carry on with the ceremony, he was sometimes given a
suzuri
or Japanese ink-pot (for use with a writing brush) and told that he might leave a written message. Understandably, he might wish to postpone death, even for a moment. While concentrating on what to write, he would become somewhat calmer. Then, when the victim's neck was in the right position, the
kaishaku-nin
would do his duty. In utilizing this device, however, prior consultation with the
kenshi
was thought to be advisable.

Whenever any conversation was directed at the
kaishakunin
by the seppuku performer, "Put your mind at rest" was the stereotyped response usually given. Indulgence in conversation might only serve to further disquiet the mind of the condemned.

According to one school, it was taboo for the seppuku performer to face either east or north for the reasons that the east is the direction of birth and facing the north would show disrespect to the Emperor.

In individual feudal fiefs,the condemned was prohibited from facing the castle, and, within the castle, from facing the main building. Whereas the directions which the condemned could face were west and south, it sometimes happened that the castle or main building was located in one of those directions. In such cases only, the east and north became permissible.

Degradation of Seppuku

In the course of time, the rite of seppuku took on many forms. The wooden sword and the white fan came into use. Of course, these methods were used in the case of crimes which could not be punished in the more honorable way as well as in the case of the lower grades of samurai. However, Yamaoka Shummei, deploring the abuse of the true spirit of genuine seppuku, wrote in his
Seppuku Jisatsu Kojitsu no Koto
(Old Facts about Seppuku and Suicide):

We have these days an established manner of seppuku using the
kaishaku-nin
in a way which renders use of the dirk unnecessary. A fan is placed on the
sambo
tray; when it is picked up, the seppuku performer is instantly decapitated. It doesn't matter whether he knows how to disembowel himself or not. Such cannot be called seppuku, but only decapitation.

The forms of these quasi-seppuku are as follows:

Sensu-bara or
"Fan Hara-kiri."
Instead of the seppuku dirk, a fan is placed on the
sambo
tray. The condemned might have been decapitated for his crime but, being miti
gated one degree, he was permitted this "imitation sep
puku." It might be more proper to classify this as ranking between seppuku and decapitation.

The fan to be used was prepared in this manner: its rivet was removed and the two major stays broken; the entire fan was held together by only a paper string. The traditional Japanese idea is that the fan symbolizes a blessing and happiness because of its ever widening shape. This shape cannot be held without the rivet and the two retaining stays. Hence, for the purpose of seppuku, this symbol of blessing was distorted.

Mizu-bara or
"Water Hara-kiri."
Originally two small, unglazed dishes were colored gold, silver, vermilion, and green, and were brought to the condemned. When he had poured the water from the upper dish into the one underneath while holding them high in a prayerful posture, his head was cut off.

Later, exactly when is uncertain, this rite also was abbreviated, so that just one unglazed earthenware dish was set forth, without any water. In this case also, the symbolism was marred by chipping the rim of the dish. Even this simple, chipped dish, substituted for the seppuku dirk, saved the face of a samurai.

This "water hara-kiri" was inferior in grade to "fan harakiri," and, therefore, was closer to decapitation. The reason for chipping the rim of the earthenware dish was simply to show that a new one, i.e., a sign of benediction, was not used. While the condemned held this dish on his right knee, his head was cut off.

At this level of punishment, however, either
kamishimo
(including surcoat and
hakama,
loose trousers) or just the
hakama
were allowed, depending on the rank of the condemned. It was like standard seppuku, however, in that the same
tatami
were used and the
kaishaku-nin
was dressed the same.

Te-bara or "Hand Hara-kiri."
Te-bara
was alternatively called
yubi-bara
or "finger hara-kiri,"
toshu,
or
soe-bara.
This penalty was just under
mizu-bara,
and only slightly higher than mere beheading. Whereas the condemned should have been decapitated, his punishment was mitigated for some consideration by one degree. In this case, he was not allowed to sit on regular
tatami,
but on a thin matting called
usuberi,
a kind of rush mat, while he wore only a plain white kimono. The man who performed the function of
kaishaku
was not called by that name, but rather
tachi-tori
or sword-taker, and this was not considered to be a job for a regular samurai. The
tachi-tori
was chosen from among the
ashigam
class; he wore a plain, white kimono, the skirt of which was tucked up behind. His striking posture was also less formal; he waited at the right side of the condemned to take advantage of a favorable moment to strike.

Uchi-kubi or "Beheading."
Uchi-kubi
was also called
morokubi,
meaning the whole head. Among the three forms of beheading, this penalty ranked the highest in treatment received. The seriousness of the crime was indicated by the choice of place of execution: the premises of the house where confined, at a temple, or in an open field. The criminal was not bound. If his relatives requested the corpse, it would be handed over to them.

Kiri-ume or "Cut Off and Bury."
This punishment was limited in its place of execution to a forlorn field. If bound, the criminal was released at the time of execution. A pit was dug, and, as soon as he was beheaded, the body was kicked into it for burial.

Kiri-sute or "Cut Off and Throw Away."
The criminal was executed on an out-of-the-way plot of wasteland and his body left exposed on the ground. This punishment was sometimes called
uchi-sute,
also meaning "cut off and throw
away."

Shibari-kubi or"BeheadingWhile Bound."
This was actually the same as
kiri-ume
except that the criminal was bound at the moment of beheading. Moreover, he was buried still bound.

The story of the 47
ronin,
who are buried in Tokyo, is the source of many theater dramatizations, notably on the kabuki stage. On these pages are woodblock prints of famous kabuki actors in seppuku scenes: above, the dramatized seppuku of one of the
ronin.

"Chushingura" (Treasury of Loyal Retainers) is the most famous kabuki play based on the story of the 47
ronin.
The print shows the scene where Lord Asano attacks his tormentor (upper half) which led to Asano's sentence of seppuku (lower half).
Kabuki prints courtesy of Waseda Uni-

A highly dramatic scene from a play about a famous Tokugawa magistrate in which he has offered to commit suicide. While the
kaishaku-nin
(right) stands ready to draw his sword, a messenger (left) bursts into the room and stops the seppuku. These being mere dramatizations, the seppuku rites are not as described in the text.