⚠️ WARNING & DISCLAIMER ⚠️
The following content describes historical execution and interrogation methods used during the Edo Period of Japan (1603–1867)
⚠️Spoiler Alert ⚠️
Please only read these chapters after the completion of novel
This information is provided strictly for readers involvement into story and historical context regarding the antagonist's motive in Verdict of Edo.
I do not support or encourage violence. These methods are historical facts, but they are brutal and gruesome. DO NOT ATTEMPT any of the actions described here. This is a pure work of fiction and only intended for mature audiences. Reader discretion is advised.
INTRODUCTION: THE CODE
In Verdict of Edo, the antagonist (The Shogun) does not kill in random. He was following the strict methods from period of Edo as per the sins the victims have done. To understand the killer, one must understand the history. Below are the techniques referenced in the novel, explaining their historical origin and their significance in the modern story.
FILE 001: TSURUSHI (The Pit)
Victim: Suzuki Taro
Sin: Greed
Historical Origin: 17th Century (Tokugawa Shogunate)
The History:
Tsurushi was one of the most feared torture methods in Japanese history, primarily used to force "Hidden Christians" to withdraw their opinion.The victim was suspended upside down into a pit full of filthy and dirt. To prevent the flow of blood to head which causes unconsciousness (which would end the suffering), a small cut was made on the temple to relieve pressure and stay conscious.
In the Novel:
The Shogun re-creates this method in Verdict of Edo to kill the Victim brutally and made him to feel like 'I am dying like filth'
FILE 002: MINO-ODORI (The Raincoat Dance)
* Victim: Kurosawa Hiroshi
* Sin: Oppression
* Historical Origin: Sengoku/Edo Period
The History:
Mino-Odori was a cruel punishment used on landlords by frustrated peasants. The victim was dressed in a traditional straw raincoat and set on fire. The victim would run and roll on floor around in agony, pain resembling a grotesque "dance".
In the Novel:
The Shogun executes the Real Estate Businessman (Kurosawa) using a horrific method. He dresses the victim in a high-tech, fire-ignitable raincoat and inside with a flammable gel. When ignited, the coat traps the heat inside like an oven while preventing the victim from put out the flames.
FILE 003: KAMAYUDE (Boiling)
Victim: Ryosuke Takeda
Sin: Theft
Historical Origin: Sengoku Period
The History:
The most famous example of Kamayude is the execution of the legendary thief Goemon Ishikawa in 1594. He was boiled alive in a massive iron vessel for attempting to assassinate the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It was a punishment reserved for the most ruthless crimes against the state.
In the Novel:
The Shogun brings this ancient punishment into a modern Luxury Hotel. Shogun boils Takeda in bathroom hot-bath by increasing the temperature tremendously.
FILE 004: NOKOGIRIBIKI (The Saw)
Victim: Masao Tanaka
Sin: Falsehood
Historical Origin: Edo Period Public Humiliation
The History:
Reserved for the crime of killing one's master, Nokogiribiki was a slow death. The victim was buried in the ground up to their neck. A bamboo saw was placed next to their head. Audience were invited to pull the saw through the victim's neck once or twice. It was psychological terror and public shame, victim dies to exposure and starvation.
In the Novel:
The Shogun captures the Corrupt Judge and buries him in a ground in a public park. Instead of a bamboo saw, he keeps a mechanical saw blade connected to an poll. The public is given the choice: choice to kill him or not.
FILE 005: HARITSUKE (Crucifixion)
Victim: Dr. Arata Ogawa
Sin: Forgery
Historical Origin: Edo Period Punishment
The History:
Haritsuke was the standard method of execution for serious crimes like forgery or fraud. The criminal was tied to a wooden cross. Executioners would thrust spears into the sides of the victim, piercing the torso and exit through the shoulder. Finally, a throat thrust to end the life. The body was left on display as a warning like a cross mark.
In the Novel:
The Shogun performs this on the Q-Front Billboard in Shibuya. By using pistons instead of spears, he automates the death. The location is key: Haritsuke was always public. By executing the Doctor on a giant screen, the Shogun forces the entire city to witness the "Verdict."