Harakiri

I watched the new Shogun TV series recently. It was shocking to see how willingly and quickly the Samurai kill themselves via seppuku/harakiri (often mispronounced hari-kari in the US) over what we might view as the slightest infraction of decorum so they can die with honor. Even within the context of this time period, it’s hard to believe life would be so easily given up. So I did some research.

The show’s producers consulted with a historical expert to ensure accurate depictions. Consultant Frederik Cryns, professor of Japanese History at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies in Kyoto describes the prevalence of harakiri during this period in Japan. You can read an interview with him here.

If you’re still curious about the Samurai Code of Honor and how seppuku fits in, I recommend watching “Harakiri”. It’s considered one of the best samurai pictures ever made, and one of the greatest films ever made, landing at #59 on the British Film Institute’s “Top 100 Greatest Films of All Time” list (Hat tip to Kevin Rose). 

I watched this film last night. Filmed in stark black and white, with an eye for immaculate framing, and a keen sense of aesthetics. A dark psychological masterpiece carried by its dialogue, storytelling, and incredible cinematography.

Harakiri is an intense, simmering, slow burn of honor, ethics, and revenge. A deep exploration of how the Samurai Code does not apply evenly to everyone, a critique of the act of harakiri itself, and the lengths powerful men will go to maintain their power. I can’t help but think the style of this movie influenced Tarantino.

Here’s the trailer

Watch on Amazon Prime (affiliate link)

Not convinced? Roger Ebert included this movie in his “Great Movies Collection.” See what Roger Ebert had to say about this movie (He gives 4 out of 4 stars).

An Alternative to Tipping

Tipping in Japan is a no-no. You can offend people by tipping. This can feel strange and uncomfortable for people from countries where tipping is ingrained and expected. 

Here’s a way to show your appreciation and do something tip equivalent in a culturally acceptable, fun, and social way:

Buy the chef a beer (or a highball). Pay attention to what they’re probably already drinking. 

A couple of things. First, chefs and bartenders in Japan do in fact, drink on the job. It’s common and even expected sometimes. Don’t worry about getting them in trouble or offending them. Second, don’t do this in some giant restaurant with numerous servers and chefs.

The way I usually do this, which I learned from a Japanese buddy, is when I’m ready to order my next beer, instead of saying “Another beer please” or “One beer please”, I’ll say “Two beers please” and point to the chef/bartender and myself to make it clear that one of the beers is for them. This will be greeted by happy exclamations and a friendly kanpai (cheers). If you're there with multiple people, simply add an extra beer to your order and indicate that it’s for the chef/bartender, who is most likely the person taking the order.

This is a normal thing to do in a small izakaya where the owner is the chef/bartender. By buying them a drink, you are increasing your bill (thus giving them extra income) for something you are not even consuming. They are consuming it. That’s the fun part. Japanese chefs tend to really enjoy it when you buy them a beer and they will cheers you with it— now you’ve made the whole atmosphere more social. Have fun making friends with small izakaya owners!

Japanese Death Poems

Japanese death poems are enlightening —and valuable in the context of contemplating our mortality. The book “Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death” by Yoel Hoffman (affiliate link) explores the centuries-old Japanese tradition of jisei (death poems) (Hat tip to Mark Bere Peterson).

From the description: “Hundreds of Japanese death poems, many with a commentary describing the circumstances of the poet's death, have been translated into English here, the vast majority of them for the first time. Yoel Hoffmann explores the attitudes and customs surrounding death in historical and present-day Japan and gives examples of how these have been reflected in the nation's literature in general.” 

As the author, Yoel Hoffman, says “Death poems reveal that before death, the Japanese tend rather to break the restraints of politeness that hold them back during their lifetime; we must comb through hundreds of death poems in order to find one or two written in the style customary for polite greetings. Neither material nor social concerns come to the fore.” 

In popular culture, the TV series Shogun (yes. I’m mentioning it again.) features important characters writing death poems just before they die. If you’re curious about the meanings of those poems, (Warning spoiler alert), you can read breakdowns here and here.