Seppuku: A History of Samurai Suicide

This first comprehensive history in English of Japanese ritual suicide offers both action-packed stories that read like fiction, and invaluable scholarship - now in paperback.

This impeccably researched survey looks at seppuku (or hara-kiri, as it's more commonly known outside Japan) from ancient to modern times. Author Andrew Rankin presents a selection of thrilling historical and literary samurai stories, as well as details about every aspect of the ritual, including: choosing and preparing the location, selecting a second, what to wear, shaving the head and bathing, the cutting technique, and different styles of seppuku. The author worked directly from original sources, such as medieval war tales, documents of the samurai clans, and execution handbooks; and provides much information that has never appeared in English before.

Author: Andrew Rankin
Publisher: Kodansha
Published: 09/04/2018
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.48lbs
Size: 7.20h x 5.00w x 0.70d
ISBN13: 9781568365862
ISBN10: 1568365861
BISAC Categories:
- History | Asia | Japan
- Social Science | Customs & Traditions
- Social Science | Death & Dying

About the Author
Andrew Rankin was educated at the universities of London, Tokyo, and Cambridge, and has lived in Japan for many years. His other books include Mishima, Aesthetic Terrorist: An Intellectual Portrait.