To cut to the chase, Seppuku is not a pleasant word, nor does it refer to a pleasant action. Indeed, Seppuku refers to a violent and brutal act of self sacrifice. This term refers to a ritual suicide that was done all too often among Samurai. This ritual suicide became an integral part of the Japanese Bushido code and the discipline of the Samurai Warrior class. Seppuku dates back to the 11th century, and became more prevalent as the years went by.

To begin, the concrete definition of Seppuku, also known as hara kiri, is self-immolation or disembowelment. In crude and literal terms: “Ripping of the abdomen”. At present this act may seem absurd, or disgraceful, but at the time, Samurai viewed it as nothing more than the means of truly preserving honor. In the world of the veraciously proud Samurai, it was admirable for a warrior to realize that he had been defeated, disgraced, or morally wounded, and choose to end his life in a proud way. It meant above all that he (or she) could end life with his/her reputation enhanced.

There were many reasons for a Seppuku, firstly, Samurai preferred to die a noble death over dying at the hand of an enemy. In the case of warriors in battle, most did not perform the traditional seppuku because of their armor. In their case, they simply split the veins at the back of their neck, or fell on their swords. On the other hand many of these suicides were performed on a more formal note.

Seppuku soon became a detailed ritual in the life of the Samurai. The ritual usually went as such; the warrior was bathed, dressed in white robes and seated, either in a garden or a Tatami room. There, three attendants would watch the act and a kaishaku (the one who delivered the final blow i.e.: cutting off the Samurai’s head) would stand by. Once the ritual started, the warrior in ceremonial dress would sit down in front of a raised tray of wood. On the tray lay Japanese paper, the warriors’ favorite meal, and a low cup of Sake. Afterwords, the warrior would begin to compose a “death poem”.

Afterwords a small dais with a bare blade was placed in front of the warrior. The warrior would then slip the shoulder of his garment bellow his knees so that he would not fall in a disgraceful position. Then the warrior would begin the cutting. There were many forms of cutting but the most common was one straight across the stomach. This thus exposes the warrior’s insides (figuratively and literally). Then the warrior would lean forward and the Kaishaku would deliver the final blow.

There were many forms of this suicide including the kanshiin which a warrior would commit the act in protest of a lords decision. Oftentimes, the warrior would cut into his stomach and then bandage the wound. Afterwards, the warrior would make a speech to the lord about how he protests his actions, and then show the wound. Sometimes Seppuku was used as a form of capital punishment for those Samurai who disgraced their name. In such a case, the person would be told of his crime, and given a certain time frame to commit the Seppuku. If the person did not comply, they would often be restrained and executed. In such a case, honor was not brought back, and depending on the seriousness of said crime, the family’s rank cold be completely stripped.