The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1905-01-19
HARAKIRI In JAPAN.
How the Ceremonial Self De-
struction Was Performed.
ELABORATE METHOD FOR A DAIMIO

ELAbORAIE MEIHUU FUR A UA1MlU
Baron Suyematsu Describes the Eth
quette Observed When Feudal
Baron or Samurai of Very High
Rank Had to Dispatch Himself.
Special Apartment Prepared For
the Ceremony.
Literally harakiri is "belly cutting"
and this is the expression in common
use, but kaDpulzu, or, more usually sep
pullu, is the word employed by persons
of refinement, the actual meaning,
, however, being the same as harakiri,
says Baron Suyematsu in Nineteenth
Century. Seppuku and kappuku are
expressions coined from Chinese.
Seppuku was not only a mode of self
dispatch but was prescribed as form
of capital punishment for all of samu-
raj rank. No samurai was ever to be
beheaded or hanged.
Naturally under such conditions the
act Of seppuku came to be invested
with much formality, and cases in
which the most elaborate etiquette had
to be strictly observed were those when
q daimio-i. e., a feudal baron or sa
mural Of particularly high standing
was called upon by the proper author
tiles to dispatch himself in this way
In eXpiation Of some political Offense.
A special commissioner was then sent
from the proper quarters to witness
the due execution Of the sentence, and
q kai-shaku-nin was chosen to assist
the principal in Kidding himself of the
burden of life. This person was Sc
lected by the condemned from the cir
Gle Of his own immediate relatives,
friends or retainers, and the kai-sha-
ku-nin's office was an honorable one,
inasmuch as he was thereby privileged
to render a last service to his comrade
or chief.
There was always a special apart
ment or pavilion prepared in which the
ceremony had to take place, a particu-
lar dress, designed for use only on
these melancholy occasions, had to be
worn. and the dagger or short sword
was invariably placed before the seat
Of the condemned on clean white
tray, raised on legs, termed sambo,
which in the ordinary way is kind of
wooden stand used for keeping sacri-
fees offered to the gods or for some
similar solemn purposes.
The actual cutting open Of the body
was not essential, a trifiing incision in
a horizontal line six or seven inches or
rarely in two lines crossing each other
the more superficial the better, as
proof of light and skillful toucr-be-
ing ordinarily made, followed by a deep
cut in the throat AS rule, however,
Immediately after making the incision
In the abdomen the condemned made
slight movement of his disengaged left
hand and stretched his neck forward
as signs to the kai-shaku-nin to do his
Office, perceiving which, the latter, who
stood by with his sword ready poised,
instantly struck off his principals head.
In Japan there is no need to speak
directly CT either harakiri or seppuku,
as the euphemism ku-sun-go-bu is Of
ten ALPHABETICALLY nine inches and
a half, which was the proper length of
the dagger to be used on these occa-
sions. The weapon was always wrap
ped in some sheets of pure white paper,
only the extreme peint being exposed,
and it was correct to hold it when max
ing an incision in the right hand, not
by the handle, but by the middle Of
the paper wrapped blade How to sit,
how to bow to the spectators when
about to commence the awful task,
how to unfold reverently the part Of
the clothing which covers the upper
part of the body, how to wrap up the
dagger and how to make the requisite
signal to the kai-shaku-nin were all
matters on which the utmost nicely
was enjoined and were part of the in
struction which every samurai was
obliged to receive from the master Of
military ceremonies. Harakiri indeed,
was to the samurai a matter involving
an appalling amount of ceremony