Seppuku , also called harakiri , is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honour, but was also practised by other Japanese people during the Shōwa era to restore honour for themselves or for their families.
Staged seppuku with ritual attire and kaishaku, 1897
Samurai about to perform seppuku
A tantō prepared for seppuku
Samurai harakiri
Bushidō is a moral code concerning samurai attitudes, behavior and lifestyle, formalized in the Edo period (1603–1868). There are multiple types of bushido which evolved significantly through history. Contemporary forms of bushido are still used in the social and economic organization of Japan. Bushido is also used as an overarching term for all the codes, practices, philosophies and principles of samurai culture. It is loosely analogous to the European concept of chivalry, but there are major differences.
A samurai in his armor in the 1860s. Hand-colored photograph by Felice Beato
Bushidō – The Way of the Warrior. Written in Japanese kanji.
Shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199)
Daimyo Katō Kiyomasa