Seppuku

Seppuku ( lit."stomach-cutting") is a Japanese word that means ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku is better known in English as hara-kiri () and is written with the same kanji as seppuku but in reverse order with an okurigana. However, in Japanese hara-kiri is considered a colloquial and somewhat vulgar term. The practice of committing seppuku at the death of one's master is known as oibara (?? or ???); the ritual is similar.

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Seppuku was a key part of bushido, the code of the samurai warriors; it was used by warriors to avoid falling into enemy hands, and to attenuate shame. Samurai could also be ordered by their daimyo (feudal lords) to commit seppuku. In later years, disgraced warriors were sometimes allowed to commit seppuku rather than be executed in the normal manner. Since the main point of the act was to restore or protect one's honor as a warrior, those who did not belong to the samurai caste were never ordered or expected to commit seppuku.

Japanese: When used as an adjective, Japanese refers to anything that originates from Japan. It may refer to more than one article:...

Ritual suicide: Ritual suicide is the act of suicide motivated by a religious, spiritual, or traditional ritual....

Disembowelment: : This article is about the act of disembowelment. For the band, see Disembowelment (band)....

Seppuku related Images and Photos (experimental)

"Seppuku ""Cut Here"" Shirt"