The “hara kari” is the Japanese mode of suicide, generally resorted to on the discovery of any crime which would leave a stain on their honour, or a blemish on their fair name.
By thus escaping the hands of justice, the wife, family, and relations of the delinquent are regarded in no worse light than if he had died perfectly innocent. I have seen a native drawing of this mode of suicide, representing the self-sacrificing victim kneeling on the middle of a white cloth, his back resting on the small kind of stool which enables the Japanese to remain for hours in this posture. In his right hand is a drawn sword. He is looking upwards, as though invoking some deity. The people are assembled in vast numbers to witness the spectacle, such a suicide being regarded as a deed of great heroism.
A Lady’s Visit to Manilla and Japan (1863)
The small sword ..., which is worn by all above a certain rank, might prove very useful—or disagreeable, as the case might be at close quarters. But it is not so much as a fighting sword that our ideas are connected with it, but rather as the instrument for carrying out the act of Harakiri.
This extraordinary custom—if custom it can be called—is confined exclusively to the Japanese; and, revolting as it may appear in itself, there is much that is heroic, or even romantic, about it.
Every writer on Japan has described it; but as some people may possibly glance over this, who, from lack of time or inclination, trouble themselves but little about “manners and customs” of foreign lands, we, too, will follow suit, and say a word or two on the subject.
First, to explain the name—Harakiri (hara, the belly, and kiri, to cut) means simply and literally cutting open the belly; life being extinguished by the second self-operation of plunging the short sword into the throat.
There are many circumstances under which harakiri may be committed, though it must not for a moment be placed in the same scale as suicide among other nations. Causes that would bring about the former a dozen times over, would scarcely be sufficient to drive a native of any other country to self-destruction; inasmuch as harakiri, instead of carrying with it the disgrace to memory and kindred consequent on suicide, is looked upon rather as the brave act of a devoted man.
Disappointment, pecuniary loss, dishonour, or even an insult, have all frequently brought it about; and in the last-named case, he who cast the insult is bound, by the laws of honour, to follow the example, and immolate himself in the same manner.
We might quote numberless instances that occurred during our service in Japan; e.g.: But the other day, immediately on the declaration by the Tycoon of his determination to abdicate, rather than attempt to maintain his position, in defiance of the Mikado and his confederacy of the Daimios of the South, his prime minister, considering the resolution disgraceful both to the sovereign and his adherents, preferred death to dishonour, and at once committed harakiri.
Again, we remember a case at Nagasaki of quite a different character. A yakonin, in some money transaction with a European merchant at that place, was detected in substituting bricks for the square shapes in which ichiboos are done up, a hundred in a block. When discovered, he attempted to cut down the Englishman; but failing in that, rushed out and disembowelled himself.
At times harakiri is a privilege, and, as such, only accorded to men of rank. Thus, a high official who has incurred disgrace is usually commanded to perform the harakiri, in place of suffering capital punishment. The advantage of the alternative is, that instead of the unfortunate man’s family being degraded, and his goods forfeited, as in the case of death at the hands of the executioner, his relatives rather gain caste by his fate.
The act of harakiri is wonderfully represented on the stage. It is quite a part of their juggling performances; for even when very close in front of the actor, you could almost swear that it was really gone through. The smooth flesh surface severed by the keen blade, the burst of blood, and the gushing, quivering bowels,—nothing is wanted to make up the lifelike scene,—and you turn from it with a shudder, unable to persuade yourself that it is not real.
Our Life in Japan (1869)
Formerly, in committing hara-kiru, the suicide actually ripped open his bowels; at present, he simply scratches the abdomen, drawing blood, while an attendant, dressed in white, gives the death-blow with a sword.
Across America and Asia (1870)
With the dawn of western civilisation the old custom of hara-wo-kiri has disappeared, and it is now only on very rare occasions that one still hears of a suicide having been committed by hara-wo-kiri. Modern poisons, the revolver, and the hempen rope have in Japan become the instruments now more used for that end.
Japan As I Saw It (1912)
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