Himeji Castle 5 Harakiri Place 姫路城の腹切丸

This post will have a slightly different flavor to it. This is my favorite location at Himeji Castle. The official name of the location is 'Sack Turret'. Sack Turret provides defenders with a commanding view of approaching soldiers. One can see the gun /bow ports in the wall to the left. This location holds a good defensive location for the occupants. 　Ｓｅｅ　ａ　ｆｕｌｌ　ｐｈｏｔｏ　ｔｏｕｒ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｌｏｃａｔｉｏｎ　ａｔ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｌｉｎｋ．

The location has a second and more foreboding name. Harakiri Maru (place). It is easy to walk past as you tour through the castle. There is a small walkway down beneath a wall, then it opens up in to this section. On the right is a small stage where a dishonored (or honored depending on the circumstances) Samurai would kneel in seiza and receive his sentence. Above the small stage is a smaller ledge where the judge would sit and prescribe the sentence... Seppuku.

Seppuku has followed several different forms throughout Japanese History. Generally speaking the doomed Samurai would be wearing a ceremonial white Kimono, and have his Wakｉzashi available for use. Opening his Kimono and bearing his chest he would wrap the Wakazashi in special paper and drive it into his stomach. Then cutting left to right in an upward motion would make the first cut. A second cut right to left may also be made.

Depending on the honor being afforded to you, one might have a second who will behead you once you have committed to the act. Movies often depict the second slicing the head straight off toppling it to the ground. However, in reality, the Second would be specially trained to keep the head attached so it would not so crudely roll about. This was especially important and the honor of the Second depended on the accuracy of the cut. The condemned would kneel on the arms of the Kimono so as not to fall backward after the cut. The head and sword would then be washed at the well (now covered by a grate) before being presented before the lord. Your Second may follow you depending on the crime. For more on Seppuku read Lowry's Autumn Lighting for a detailed description.　　

One may also be afforded the opportunity to compose a 'death poem' before the act. During the Kamakura period 1185-1392 Japan's rule shifted from nobility to the warrior class. This change brought a change in the way death was perceived as well as an upsurge in ritualized warrior methods, -Read 'Japanese Death Poems' for more information. Seppuku finds its roots not only in Zen, but with a great influence of Confucionism (The utmost loyalty to one's superiors.) During the Edo period,1600-1867, Seppuku entered its most refined of stages.(1)

One interesting thing to note is that the first recorded mention of seppuku in Japanese literature was by a woman. c. 713

The goddess Awami who pursues her lover... when she does not find him..."Takes a dagger, pierces her stomach, and falls into the marsh."(1)

The story is an explanation of how Harasaki (Marsh of the split stomach, near Kobe) gets its name....

Leaving a death poem evolved through the Japanese adaptation of Chinese, Zen, Confusion, and Daoist philosophy. Apparently it was a Buddhist custom to copy Buddhist teachings at the time of death. This practice combined with Japanese influence over time morphed into the writing of poems at the time of one's death. 'Japanese Death Poems' chronicles this adaptation, and has a great collection of these poems, including many famous poets and monk's poems.

A few Poems of note;　Ｐｌｅａｓｅ　ｆｏｒｇｉｖｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｍｍｉｓｓｉｏｎ　ｏｆ　ｍｙ　ｏｗｎ　ｄｅａｔｈ　ｐｏｅｍ．．．．　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ｙｅｔ　ｔｏ　ｃｏｎｃｅｉｖｅ　ｉｔ．．．．．．．．．


Kakinomoto-no-Hitomaro, a Tanka death poem of the 7th century.
Not knowing かも山
That my body lies　　　　　　　　　いわねしまける
upon Mount Kamo's Rocks　　　われをかも
My love 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　しらにといもが
awaits　me　　　　　　　　　　　　　待ちつつあるらむ

Ouchi Yoshitaka (1507-51) a Samurai general's poem before Seppuku.
Both the victor 　　 打つ人も
and the vanquished are　　　　　　　うたるる人も
but drops of dew,　　　　　　　　　　　もろともに
but bolts of lightning-　　　　　　　　にょろやくにょでん
thus should we view the world.　　おお　さにぜかん

Matsuo Basho (1694) Who died of illness on a journey.
On a journey, ill: たびにやんで
my dream goes wandering　　　　夢はかれのを
over the withered fields　　　　　　かけめぐる

Takuan Soho (1645)
Dream 夢

ーＴｈｉｓ　ｐｏｓｔ　ｔｏｏｋ　ｃｏｎｓｉｄｅｒａｂｌｅ　ｉｎｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎ，　ｑｕｏｔｅｓ　ａｎｄ　ｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｏｏｋ，　‘Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ　Ｄｅａｔｈ　Ｐｏｅｍｓ‘　ｂｙ　Ｙｏｅｌ　Ｈｏｆｆｍａｎｎ，　１９８６　Ｔｕｔｔｌｅ　Ｐｕｂｌｉｓｈｉｎｇ．
Ｐｌｅａｓｅ　ｒｅａｄ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｂｏｏｋ　ｆｏｒ　ａ　ｍｏｒｅ　ｉｎｆｏｒｍｅｄ　ｉｎｓｉｇｈｔ　ｉｎｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｏｐｉｃ　ｏｆ　ｄｅａｔｈ　ｐｏｅｍｓ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅｉｒ　ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎ　ｔｏ　Ｚｅｎ　ａｎｄ　Ｃｈｉｎｅｓｅ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔ　　Ｍａｎｙ　ｍｉｓｎｏｍｅｒｓ　ｅｘｉｓｔ　ｉｎ　ｒｅｇａｒｄｓ　ｔｏ　Ｊａｐａｎｓｅ　Ｒｉｔｕａｌ　Ｓｕｉｃｉｄｅ．　

～Ｔｈｉｓ　ｐｏｓｔ　ｉｓ　ｎｏｔ　ｉｎｔｅｎｄｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｃｏｖｅｒ　ａｌｌ　ｂａｓｅｓ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｉｓｓｕｅ．　　Ｉｔ　ｉｓ　ｏｎｌｙ　ｉｎｔｅｎｄｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｐｒｏｖｉｄｅ　ａ　ｂｒｉｅｆ　ｉｎｓｉｇｈｔ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｕｎｉｎｉｔｉａｔｅｄ．　　Ｐｌｅａｓｅ　ｒｅａｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｍａｎｙ　ｒｅｓｃｏｕｒｃｅｓ　ａｖａｉｌａｂｌｅ　ｆｏｒ　ａ　ｍｏｒｅ　ｂｒｏａｄ　ｐｏｒｔｒａｙａｌ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ａｃｔ．　　－Ｂｅ　ｃａｕｔｉｏｕｓ　ｏｆ　ｓｏｕｒｃｅｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ｓｉｍｐｌｉｆｙ　ｉｔ　ｔｏ　ｓｏｍｅ　ｅａｓｙ　ｅｑｕａｔｉｏｎ　ｏｆ　ｃｕｌｔｕｒａｌ　ｂｉａｓ　ａｎｄ　ｗａｒｒｉｏｒ　ｃｕｌｔ　ｆｕｒｖｏｒ．　　Ｍｕｃｈ　ｌｉｋｅ　ｔｈｅ　Ｋａｍｉｋａｚｅ　ｐｉｌｏｔｓ　ｏｆ　ＷＷＩＩ，　ｔｈｅ　ｍｏｔｉｖａｔｉｏｎｓ　ａｎｄ　ｄｒｉｖｉｎｇ　ｆｏｒｃｅｓ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｉｍｅｓ　ｃｒｅａｔｅｄ　ａ　ｃｏｍｐｌｅｘ　ｍａｔｒｉｘ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｅｒｓ　ａｒｅ　ｔａｘｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄ．

Ｍａｎｙ　Ｔｈａｎｋｓ　ｔｏ　Ｋａｇｅｙａｍａ－ｓａｎ　ｗｈｏ　ｍａｄｅ　ｍｙ　ｖｉｓｉｔ　ｔｏ　Ｈｉｍｅｊｉ　Ｃａｓｔｌｅ　Ｐｏｓｓｉｂｌｅ．

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