Seppuku
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In Fatal Frame a samurai named Tokitada Kyuki fell in love with one of the previous Rope Shrine Maidens and unsuccessfully tried to prevent the ritual from happening. Because of his actions and dishonor, the master of Himuro Mansion at that time ordered Tokitada to commit seppuku. Unlike other rituals shown within the game, Seppuku was a ritualistic suicide (originally only performed by samurai) in Japan and carried out judicially until 1873.
Factual History
Seppuku is Japanese for ritual suicide. It is sometimes referred by Westerners as hara-kiri (which literally means stomach cutting). Seppuku, however, is the proper term and the hara-kiri is considered to be an inappropriate and vulgar way of describing this type of ritual.
The practice of seppuku finds its origins in feudal Japan (1192-1868). It was mainly fulfilled by samurai and the upper class. A samurai could be ordered to commit seppuku (such as the case in Fatal Frame) or could choose to perform it themselves to ensure that their family or name was not dishonored. While the concept of being ordered to kill oneself seems a little far-fetched, the reason behind it was because it was considered a privilege to kill oneself rather than have someone else (especially one's enemy) do it for you.
Reasons One Might Commit Seppuku
- A way to restore or hold onto the honor of one's family.
- As punishment for a crime; it was a sign of status to be permitted to commit seppuku rather than being executed.
- A way of showing unquestionable loyalty towards a deceased lord or lover.
- A public way for the person to express their distaste with the lord.
- Avoid the shame of being killed by one's own enemy.
Seppuku in the 20th Century
Even though seppuku had became common in the feudal era, the Japanese government tried many times to stop the practice through writing laws condemning the act. These laws occurred in 1603, 1663, and finally fully abolished by the established Meiji government in 1868. Even today, trying to kill oneself in Japan is greatly frowned upon, and those who don't succeed often face severe forms of punishment for trying.
Even with all these laws and threatened punishments, however, people still do try to commit suicide, including seppuku. The most recent case occurred in 1999. A businessman, becoming overstressed with his work, committed seppuku and sliced his belly open. You can argue, however, where this was not actually seppuku, since the businessman didn't follow any of the actual rituals involving seppuku.
The infamous and most current example of true seppuku was in 1970, when Yukio Mishima, a famous Japanese nationalist writer, committed suicide through seppuku. This wasn't his first suicide attempt, but this time it worked.
The Ritual
The samurai would dress himself in a white kimono (one of the Japanese funeral practices is to dress the deceased in a white kimono or white clothing). Throughout the entire time, the samurai or lord would remain calm and not flinch. If he showed any signs of this, it would be considered a form of weakness when facing death. Although the act could be performed at a home, garden or temple, it was not performed in Shinto shrines. (Regardless of what is portrayed in the Fatal Frame games, Shinto strictly prohibits blood and death in the vicinity of the shrine. It is considered a defilement and impurity.)
To perform seppuku, the victim needed at least another participant called a kaishakunin. There is another form of seppuku called jumonji giri, in which no kaishakunin is present which is explained later. After the abdomen had been sliced open, the kaishakunin was responsible for beheading the victim to stop prolonged suffering. Usually this kaishakunin was a close friend to the victim.
After dressing in a white kimono, the victim would sit in a seiza position. A table is placed before the victim that contains a sake cup, a sheet of washi paper, something for writing, and a kozuka (the blade used to disembowel oneself). This, however, could be substituted for a dagger, or in a samurai's place, their own sword.
Interesting to note that sometimes there was no kozuka or sword at all, simply a paper fan, in cases where the victim was far too young or could not be trusted with steel.
The attendant or kaishakunin (depending on the amount of people present) will then pour sake with their left hand. Normally, this is seen as extremely rude and vulgar, thus signifying the situation about to occur. The victim is served two drinks, in which he (or she) would drink both cups in 2 sips, or 4 sips total. The number 4 (shi), also stands for death. Yet again, another tale-tell sign about what was to occur.
The victim then writes a death poem, which should still reflect the gracefulness, and calmness of Japanese poetry. The poem is never supposed to mention the subject of one's immediate death. Writing a final death poem was intense pressure, since there have been incidents of noble samurai being mocked for their poor poetry skills after their death. This was seen as a lack of education and not being worthy of your position if you wrote bad poetry.
After the poem is finished, the samurai will take off his outer kimono and tuck the sleeves under his knees to prevent from slumping to the side. Even in death, one should be dignified. The samurai places the table under his bottom, and picks up his blade or kozuka with his other hand and slices themselves across the stomach. In the case where a fan is used, the kaishakunin acts as executioner and does the kirioshi strike as soon as the victim touches the paper fan across his/her stomach. The kirioshi strike is when the kaishakunin severs the head from the victim's body. This cut, however, is not supposed to entirely decapitate the victim. It should leave at least a bit of the head attached to skin at the throat. Again, another form of status, as lower criminals were beheaded as to have their head go spinning across the room. For if this was handled poorly, you can be sure that it would be the talk of the town!
After the deed is done, the table, kozuka, and anything else used in the ritual are discarded due to being defiled by death.
One more form of seppuku is called jumonji giri, in which no kaishakunin is present. After you disemboweled yourself, you would sit quietly and wait for yourself to bleed to death. General Nogi performed this form of seppuku in 1912 following the death of the Meiji emperor. He went so far as to button himself up after he sliced his stomach open. His seppuku was a form of respect to the departing of the emperor.
Alternative Names
Specific Terms Used for Seppuku
- Maebara - Precede one's lord into death by seppuku
- Oibara (追腹)- Following one's lord into death by seppuku
- Sakibara - Following one's lord into death by seppuku after the death of the lord
- Kanshi (諌死) - Committing suicide in protest of lord's decision
- Kagebara (陰腹) - Theater term for an actor performing a fictional kanshi at the end of a play.
- Jūmonji-giri (十文字切り) - Type of seppuku based on the cut made. It is one of the more painful slow ways of dying. There is also no kaishakunin to end the samurai's suffering.
Misc Info
- The term Jigai (自害) is usually defined as the female equivalent of seppuku. Jigai, however, simply means suicide and can actually be used in reference to males or females. It involved cutting their own jugular vein (in the neck) with a knife. It could be performed without assistance. Before committing jigai, a woman would often tie her ankles together so their body would be found in a dignified pose. It was performed almost exclusively by the upper class.
- Tokitada Kyuki is the only known character in the Fatal Frame Series to commit seppuku.
See Also:
Strangling Ritual, Kirie Himuro, Tokitada Kyuki & Rope Shrine Maiden