About 86,600 results
Open links in new tab
  1. Seppuku | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica

    Nov 12, 2025 · Seppuku is a form of taking one’s own life that was considered honourable among the feudal Japanese samurai class. Traditionally, the act consisted of stabbing oneself in the abdomen …

  2. Seppuku Explained: The Samurai’s Ritual of Honor and Death

    Apr 25, 2025 · Seppuku is a ritual form of suicide by disembowelment. It was practiced mainly by samurai —the noble warrior class of ancient Japan. Unlike common ideas of suicide that come from …

  3. Learning the History of Seppuku: A Samurai’s Philosophy of Ritual …

    Jan 13, 2025 · Seppuku, also known as hara-kiri, is one of the most striking and symbolic practices in Japanese history. Far from being just a grim ritual, it was seen as an honorable way to confront …

  4. Seppuku | Research Starters - EBSCO

    Seppuku is a traditional Japanese form of ritual suicide closely associated with the ancient samurai warrior class. Sometimes also referred to as hara-kiri, seppuku is typically performed by stabbing or …

  5. Seppuku: The ultimate samurai sacrifice - History Skills

    Seppuku was a form of ritual suicide by disembowelment that allowed a warrior to preserve honour when facing shame, failure, or inevitable capture. It was expected to be carried out with ritualistic …

  6. Seppuku - (History of Japan) - Vocab, Definition, Explanations | Fiveable

    Seppuku is a form of ritual suicide by disembowelment that was practiced by the samurai class in feudal Japan. This act was often seen as an honorable way to die, especially in situations where a samurai …

  7. Death with Honor? Behind the Myths of Seppuku - nippon.com

    May 23, 2023 · Seppuku is famous as a form of suicide by which samurai took responsibility and showed their sincerity. However, the reality did not generally match up to the legend, as seppuku …

  8. Seppuku - Wikipedia

    Seppuku (切腹, lit. 'cutting [the] belly'), also called harakiri (腹切り, lit. 'abdomen/belly cutting', a native Japanese kun reading), is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment.

  9. Seppuku and Harakiri Explained: Facts and Differences

    Harakiri and seppuku mean exactly the same thing in Japanese, but, Japanese people almost never use the word harakiri and prefer the word seppuku instead. Harakiri refers to the action of cutting …

  10. Seppuku: The Japanese Philosophy of Honor, Death, and …

    Aug 14, 2025 · Discover the meaning behind seppuku, the samurai ritual of self-disembowelment. Explore its cultural roots, ethical significance, and how its spirit lives on in modern Japan.