Seppuku
Videos
Seppuku, also called harakiri, is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honor, but was also practiced by other Japanese peop
Staged seppuku with ritual attire and kaishakunin assistant, 1897
Samurai about to perform seppuku
A tantō prepared for seppuku
The wife of Onodera Junai, one of the forty-seven rōnin, prepares for her suicide; note the legs tied together, a feature of female seppuku to ensure a decent posture in death
Exsanguination
Videos
Exsanguination is the loss of blood from the circulatory system of a vertebrate, usually leading to death. The word comes from the Latin 'sanguis', meaning blood, and the prefix 'ex-', meaning 'out of
Seppuku
…and drawing the blade from left to right, slicing the belly open. If the cut is deep enough, it can sever the abdominal aorta, causing death by rapid exsanguination. One of the earliest recorded cases of seppuku was that of Minamoto no Tametomo, who had fought in the Hōgen war and, after being defeated, was exiled…
15th-century depiction of exsanguination as part of Jewish ritual slaughter of animals for consumption