The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-07-22
HOW TO COMMIT HARI-KARI."
How the Daimios of Japan Perform the
Happy Dispatch

How the Daimios of Japan Perform the
Happy Dispatch"
A gentleman who had travelled extens-
ively in Japan, in speaking with reporter
recently, said: "Hari-kari or the happy
DESPATCH is not committed by the japanese
on every trivial occasion, as many people
believe A japanese does not slaughter
himself on the front doorstep if the dinner
to which he has been invited is cold and
the wines poor, as some writer's would lead
one to suspect On the contrary, the happy
despatch is a much esteemed privilege, al
lowed to the aristocracy only, and only ex-
ercised by them on special occasions and
with great ceremony. You see it is some
thing man can do but once, and not every
man that once, so when it is done it is done
well The privilege formerly belonged not
only to the DaimiOs but also to their fight
ing men, those two-sworded fellows who cor
responded in the old japanese civilization
to the sword and buckler men who sur
rounded the barons of the middle ages
"When Daimio cOElRaittsd hari-kari it
was considered the proper thing for his
fighting men to avail themselves of the
privilege OF following hls example. When
he was defeated on the field of battle he lost
caste if he and all his two-sworded followers
did no6 Immediately perform the happy
Dispatch In these days japanese only
commits hari-kari when he has committed
some offense Of which the punishment is
death. Then he is sent NJ 'nt:cia. I,tteg
intimat1ng that it is about time he stepped
out On receipt OF the letter he sets his
house in order, sends invitations to his
friends and performs the required opera
ton.
a yTThn nj ont O Nvntl
himself Of the privil ges of his noble birth
sent NE an invitation cree and | went
There was a good-5i4el company present,
and, afte- paTta4ing OF refreshments in th.
house, we all went out into the garden
Seats were arranged for the company in a
semi-Circle around at placed close to
the walls O. the building. Rich screens hit
the place from The view of any curious
people who hight be lurking in the neigh
bOrhood. All icing seated the man VINO
was about to die stool en- the mat and his
best friend with sh4 arp sword in his hand
took his place beside him. Then salver,
on which was the hari-kari knife, was
handed to his eldest sou, who, kneeling on one
knee, tooG the Anlfe by the point and pre-
sented it 10 MS faith r. The father Knet on
both knees, and, gtasping the knife with
both hands, made ID large cross-shap cash
Al LIS dDuOlIoil NOG COiLIS1G Win UQlS nG
grasped the point in Dne hand and the
han,ue in the other and pressed it into his
throat. Then, QUICK as thought, the friends
sword flasheI in the air an the Daimio Was
beueadei. The happy dispatch had been
consummated was quite cured of al
curiosity to see hari-kari. The man whom
l saw take his own life in this way was re-
garded as having put on great many
frills,' and it is considered quite sufficient II
the noble gentleman about to die merely
punctures himself with the hari- kari knife
and then permits his bead to be taken off BY
his friend New York Tribune.