japan Art: seppuku

Being an extremely slow and painful process of suicide, seppuku was used as a method of demonstrating the courage, self-control and strong determination characteristic of a samurai. As part of the bushido code of honor, seppuku was a common practice among samurai, who regarded their life as a surrender to the honor of dying gloriously, refusing to fall into the hands of their enemies, or as a form of death penalty in the face of dishonor by a crime, misdemeanor, or other cause that would disgrace them. Other reasons were behind these courageous acts