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=Seppuku's origin =

 Seppuku, also known as hara-kiri (stomach cutting) in a more vulgar expression, is dated to have begun around the 11th century. It became a more-formal ritual around the 15th century.  Seppuku was a common practice for about 700 years, from 1180, when the famous[| Minamoto Yorimasa] committed suicide as a way to avoid being captured by his enemies, until 1868 when the practice was banned during the [|Meiji Restoration]. Before killing himself, Minamoto calmly composed the following death poem: "Like a fossil tree from which we gather no flowers Sad has been my life, fated no fruit to produce" =**Seppuku's meaning** =  There are three main parts in the ritual that Minamoto used when he killed himself. He first cut his own belly where the soul was believed to reside, therefore it would be released. After that he got decapitated by a trusted second (also known as //kaishakunin//). Displaying death heads on stakes was a common practice all through Japan's feudal period as a symbol of a trophy. Therefore, in order to prevent their enemies from doing that he demanded to be decapitated and his head to be sunk in a river. The third part of the ritual is the writing of a death poem prior to the ritual. Such practice has survived until today. It did not matter to the [|samurai] whether seppuku was done as a punishment or to avoid a dishonorable death at an enemy's hand, the meaning of it brought honor, loyalty, courage, and moral character to their name. To a samurai, their Honor was far more important than life; committing seppuku was not only seen as the right thing to do, but as the only right decision to make. disgrace and defeat were of big shame to Japanese, therefore they committed hara-kiri as a way to make up for it. Once a //[|daimyo]'//s death occurred, their loyal followers showed their affection and sorrow towards their master by committing suicide. Back on the battle field, others reasons why to commit seppuku were to show contempt for their enemies, to show their disagreement when an injustice occurred, and even with the meaning to try to get their lord to reconsider a wrong choice made in order to save others.

=** Seppuku for women ** = Suicide was not unique for men. For women existed the practice of stabbing into the heart with a knife or a long and sharp hair-pin and also practicing the female version of Seppuku, [|Jiagi]. =**Procedures for Seppuku** = On the battlefield, prior to get captured by their enemies, samurai often carried out acts of //hara-kiri// as fast as they could with very little formal preparation. However, when it was set as a formal ritual, such as ordered by a feudal lord, or the [|shogun], seppuku or hara-kiri was a very formal ceremony, requiring certain etiquette, witnesses and considerable preparation. media type="youtube" key="dYFUWKV3Thg" height="390" width="480"

 The settings required for a ritual were very important, such as the appearance of both the place and the one getting killed. Before killing himself, the accused bathed and changed into new, formal attire. Once ready, he would go to the location where the functionaries of the ceremony and the witnesses had already gathered. The ceremony would start with the charges and sentence being read. After that, the principal retired briefly to change clothes one more time. Once the individual returned the execution proceeded. Sitting on his heels, and exposing his upper body, the principal tucked the upper garments of his kimono tightly under his legs to prevent his body from falling ignominiously backward. He carefully picked up the dirt that rested on a small wooden stand placed in front of him, which he then used as a seat to prop himself up straight and slightly forward, leaving the neck exposed. He composed himself, and then plunged the blade into his abdomen. At that point, his second struck a blow that, if all went well, cleanly severed his head from his body. The skilled //[|kaishakunin]// would leave the head attached to the body by just a flap of skin, to prevent it from rolling indecorously across the floor.

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Location for ritual  = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> The location of an officially ordered seppuku ceremony was very important. Thee rituals were often performed at temples (but not [|Shinto shrines]), in the garden or villas, and inside homes. The size of the location was determined according to the rank such individual possessed. Samurai and functionaries would have bigger place for their seppuku compared to criminals and other common individuals.

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;">Last important seppuku recording = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> The last important seppuku ritual recorded were done by [|Mishima Yukio] and one of his followers. They both made it public at the Japanese Self-Defense Forcers headquarters. the process of it came out to be such an abrupt attem <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">pt. It was in 1970 when Mishima committed seppuku in the office of General Kanetoshi Mashita. Morira, a 25 year old man who was his follower, tried to behead Mishima three times but failed. A third man, Hiroyasu Koga, joined in and finished Yukio. Trying to follow Mishima in the Seppuky ritual, Morita cut his belly as well. However, his wounds were not fatal enough that he ended up giving the sing to be finished the way he was. Morita was beheaded by Koya as well. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 27px;">**Suicide in Modern Japan** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Even today, suicidal acts are very common among the Japanese society. For example, sometimes commit suicide just because of a failed exam, businessmen do it to cover the shame of bankruptcy and company employees because they lose their job. Japan has the highest suicide rate compared to the rest of industrialized countries.

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;">Famous Suicides in Japan's History = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;">A number of suicides that took actually part in history, became legend and subject to Kabuki plays and thousands of book and ukiyo-e illustrations.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: normal; margin-left: 51pt; margin-right: 15pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · " When Yoshitsune was surrounded in his last castle resort by hostile troops sent by his own brother, he killed first his wife and his own children. Then he committed seppuku. This happened in 1189. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: normal; margin-left: 51pt; margin-right: 15pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · In 1582, the reckless tyrant [|Oda Nobunaga] was forced to commit suicide after one of his generals, Akechi Mitsuhide, had successfully revolted against him.  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: normal; margin-left: 51pt; margin-right: 15pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · The most spectacular case were [|the 47 ronin] - masterless samurai. The real events happened in 1701 and 1702. Their lord, Asano, had been forced by the Shogun to commit an unjustified suicide for the sole reason of a heated sword duel, that resulted in some minor bruises. The opponent, Kira, had provoked the duel by his rude behavior, but got away without any punishment. The 47 vassals of the dead Asano vowed revenge. In the end, they raided Kira's mansion during a night assault and decapitated Kira with the very same sword used for Asano's suicide. The 46 ronin (one had died before) were arrested and forced to commit seppuku themselves in spite of an outcry of the public. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: normal; margin-left: 51pt; margin-right: 15pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · In 1877 [|Saigo Takamori], the leader of a rebellion against the imperial Japanese government, was defeated in the battle of Satsuma in Southern Japan. He was wounded and committed seppuku in samurai manner on the battlefield. He became a folk hero for the Japanese people. The story of Saigo Takamori later became the not historically correct background story for the film [|The Last Samurai]. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: normal; margin-left: 51pt; margin-right: 15pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · In 1895, fourty men of the Japanese military protested against the return of the Liaotung peninsula to China by committing seppuku. The Japanese had gained an unexpected and easy victory against the Chinese in the [|Sino-Japanese war] of 1894/1895. The peninsula had been returned as part of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, hammered by mediation of the USA. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: normal; margin-left: 51pt; margin-right: 15pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · When [|Emperor Meiji] died in 1912, general Nogi committed seppuku" ([|Dieter Wanczura], April 2009)