Most likely, you have
heard of Hari-Kiri which is a Japanese method of ritual suicide (seppuku). It involves
the action to cut or slice the stomach or abdomen with a dagger of knife. It
was part of the Samurai code of honor; a.k.a.(Bushido), and practiced most
often among the warrior class. Often, those leaders who fell into disgrace were
ordered to commit hara-kiri for their actions. Sometimes those who committed
hari-kiri would leave an unused sake cup on their tray to indicate that they
did not ingest any alcohol in an attempt to try to mask the pain when they
disemboweled themselves, thus proving their bravery. Some would write a death
poem before committing the act. It seemed to me to be a very noble way to leave
this world, but after reading some of the accounts of actual proceedings, it
might be better just to die in one’s sleep.
