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harakiri/seppuku questions.
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I was watching Ganbare Goemon. There is a character whose name is Harakiri Seppukumaru whose favorite pastime is seppuku. My questions are why is the ritual suicide for japan a slice in the stomach. Why not the heart? Is it because the Japanese consider the stomach where the soul rests? How long does it take to die when commiting seppuku? I didn't think cutting yourself in the stomach would be fatal since its only useless intestines. How does it lead to death? Also is the person who cuts off your head there only when you don't want your head in the possetion of the enemy or do they always assist your suicide by slicing off your head afterwards? Anybody have more information on harakiri/seppuku?  Jomunga eats your avatars. |
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Re: harakiri/seppuku questions.
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by
on 2006-01-28 22:56:05 |
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I find it interesting that someones "past"time is seppuku. Go here for a full explination of seppuku. |
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Re: harakiri/seppuku questions.
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Oh I see, its suppose to be long and painful. Interesting, wikipedia has everything down. Jomunga eats your avatars. |
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Re: harakiri/seppuku questions.
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by remainingscar
on 2007-08-11 05:44:58
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it is because they wanna FEEL THE PAIN !
whatever
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Re: harakiri/seppuku questions.
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Okay, here's my explaination of seppukku (as far as my knowlegde goes.) The reason for the slice in the stomach; The stomach was used because the blade had to be dragged across the abdomen, spilling teh insides out. It would be too easy for someone to make a fake blade to stab themself in the heart (such as a blade going into the handle of the knife, not the person.), plus seppukku was an 'honorable' thing to do. The samurai did not fear the pain of the slice. Usually it did not take very long to die after cutting the stomach. Most times, if allowed, the person standing behind them would sever the head from the body, ruling out any pain. And yes, you do die because the balde is fairly long and cuts not just the intestines but the gall bladder (depending on where the blade goes in, and the gall bladder contains poison.), along with the stomach, liver, appendix, vital organs, etc. And lastly the head-cutter; The person who stood behind you to cut your head off was usually a close fried of your whom you trusted not to let you suffer the pain of the cut to the abdomen. This person was only allowed to sever your head AFTER the knife was in the body, not before. Prisoners did not get this person behind them, and if they did they weren't committing seppukku. (Not most likely anyway.) There's what I know, hope that helped.
I can't think of anything to put here!!!!
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Re: harakiri/seppuku questions.
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Seppuku, huh? Woooo, scary, man. Here's what I know: Seppuku (or harakiri) is the ancient samurai art of committing suicide by disembowelment. It was usually performed by samurai on the battlefield (I'd rather DIE than fall in with the enemy!!!!!) but it could essentially be done by anyone who found himself (or herself; seppuku by samurai wives is not unheard-of) in a tough situation. Now the normal method of seppuku was, as everyone else has pointed out, disembowelment. This method was chosen because a samurai, as a warrior, was supposed to be pain-resistant, and also because disembowelment is probably the slowest death imaginable (people stabbed in the stomach have been known to linger on for almost 6 hours, dying ultimately of blood loss). But did u know that there are other methods of seppuku? One which was popular among ninja was slashing the face or just using the knife to feel the skin off the face with a single slash. EEYEW!   --> |