Changes

The ceremony was performed with a "kaishaku" or second. This person was usually someone close to the man committing seppuku and their responsibility was to cut off the head of the first person after at least one cut was made. It was to spare them the pain and prolonged agonizing death of opening the intestines after having proved they had the courage to mortally wound themselves.

The ceremony was performed with a "kaishaku" or second. This person was usually someone close to the man committing seppuku and their responsibility was to cut off the head of the first person after at least one cut was made. It was to spare them the pain and prolonged agonizing death of opening the intestines after having proved they had the courage to mortally wound themselves.

In recent years the most notable person to suicide in this manner was the novelist and ultra-nationalist [[Yukio Mishima]], who chose seppuku after a failed comic-opera coup, in which he had kidnapped the Japanese Minister of Defence.

In recent years the most notable person to commit suicide in this manner was the novelist and ultra-nationalist [[Yukio Mishima]], who chose seppuku after a failed comic-opera coup, in which he had kidnapped the Japanese Minister of Defence.

[[Category:Culture]]

[[Category:Culture]]

[[Category:Japan]]

[[Category:Japan]]