Anonimo - Seppuku Samurai (hara-kiri)

Rare photograph of the hara-kiri ceremony.
The cut had to be made from left to right and then upwards while in the classic Japanese position called seiza, i.e. kneeling with the toes facing backwards; this also had the function of preventing the body from falling backwards because, according to the then followed moral code, the warrior must die by falling honourably forward.

To further preserve the samurai’s honour, a trusted friend called kaishakunin, after promising their friend, beheaded the samurai as soon as they inflicted the wound on their abdomen so that the pain would not disfigure their face. Beheading (kaishaku) required exceptional skill, and in fact kaishakunin was the most skilful friend in swordplay; a mistake resulting from little skill or emotion would have caused considerable further suffering.
Beautiful!