Seppuku

As time passed, the idea of using an assistant became more prevalent and the assistant became known as the kaishakunin. Sometimes the kaishaknin’s duty would be to act in a moment of surprise and cut off the master’s head before he could inflict pain upon himself, thus absolving the master of any blame. However, the most honored warriors were the ones who refused a kaishakunin and performed seppuku with no assistance. Some of these would cut open their abdomen, clean the sword, and dip a brush into their own body to compose their jisei no ku (final poem) in their own blood as they waited patiently for death.

Seppuku was usually performed using a wakizashi (short sword) or a tantō (knife). It could take place with preparation and ritual in the privacy of one's home, or quickly with no preparation on a battlefield.

In a seppuku ritual, the samuari was bathed, dressed in white robes, and fed his favorite meal. When he finished the meal, a tanto or wakazashi was placed on his plate. The warrior would prepare for death by writing a death poem. It was usually determined in advance when the kaishakunin would make his daki-kubi, the decapitation stroke. With his kaishakunin standing by, he would open his kimono (robe), take up his blade and plunge it into his abdomen, first making a left-to-right stroke and then a second slightly upward stroke to spill out the intestines.