The Horrifying, Little-Known History of Japanese Crucifixion
Crucifixion in Japan took various forms and was used to punish thieves, threats to public order, and religious enemies alike. It's unclear when crucifixion was introduced into Japan - historians theorize it happened anywhere from the 12th to the 16th century - but the Japanese added their own twists and turns to the longstanding method of execution. Through the Second World War, Japanese crucifixion was a method of torture and execution, inflicting pain and fear on criminals, spectators, and political prisoners.
Because of its relationship to Christianity, however, not all those who were meted this horrific form of punishment met it with apprehension. In fact, some saw it as their chance at martyrdom, dying in the same manner as their savior, Jesus Christ.
Crucifixion Was Used For Thousands Of Years Before Entering Japan
Crucifixion Was Used For Thousands Of Years Before Entering Japan
Photo: UnknownWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
As a means of punishment, crucifixion was used to inflict pain, suffering, and humiliation on offenders and enemies. From ancient Babylon, Assyria, and Persia, onward through the Greek and Roman periods, through to the rise and spread of Christianity, it was meant to shock the body, cause slow asphyxiation, and perhaps even incite cardiac arrest within a few hours at the least, days at the most. The person crucified was also subjected to the elements - wind, heat, rain - projectiles hurled at them, taunts and ridicule, and even fires lit under them to make a bad situation even worse.
By the time it entered Japan, crucifixion had nearly 2,000 years of history behind it. Crucifixion is most often associated with the death of Jesus, but its widespread and long-term use in the ancient world created a practice that was adaptable and subject to the whims of political, religious, and social leaders.
Crucifixion Was Reserved For The Worst Offenders
Execution was reserved for the worst offenders and could be done by beheading, hanging, and crucifixion - or some combination of the three. Crimes against individuals of higher social status and against family members were punished severely, and killing one's master could result in beheading prior to crucifixion. Adultery, theft, and subterfuge were all crucifiable offenses because they threatened both the social and political order.
In the 1570s, during the Period of the Warring States, Japanese soldier Torii Suneemon was crucified for treason. In the 1860s, Sokichi, a 25-year-old servant, was crucified for killing the son of his master, his arms and legs spread on a cross and displayed to the world in a haunting, long-lasting photograph. The specifics about his crime are unknown, but there are additional heads on frames in front of Sokichi's body shown in another picture of the same event.
Crucifixion Was A Heroic End For At Least One Samurai Warrior
Crucifixion Was A Heroic End For At Least One Samurai Warrior
Photo: Toyohara ChikanobuWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
In the 1570s during the contest for control over Japan, Japanese soldier Torii Suneemon was crucified as a traitor. As a retainer for the Tokagawa clan, Suneemon snuck out of the castle at the siege of Nagashino. He successfully arranged for reinforcements but was captured by Takeda Katsuyori sneaking back into the castle. Sunnemon was strung up on a cross, told to yell to his comrades in the castle that reinforcements weren't coming.
Defiant and fearless, Sunnemon announced to his fellow fighters that help was on the way, betraying his captors. He was then stabbed and killed, but he was praised as a hero after a coalition of Oda and Tokugawa reinforcements arrived and won the Battle of Nagashino Castle.
Crucifixion In Japan Was A Very Public Process
Crucifixion In Japan Was A Very Public Process
Photo: DaderotWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
Capital punishment was not used widely in Japan until after the Heian period, which ended in the late 12th century. Carrying out a crucifixion in Japan began by carrying the condemned to his death through town on horseback, a practice known as hikimawashi. This was done in most cases of execution as a way of bringing added humiliation to the offender. He was accompanied by guards who poked and prodded at him, as well as a banner with his name, offense, and punishment. The route would, of course, pass by his residence and the location where the initial crime took place. Then,
[The] unfortunate was then tied to a cross made from one vertical and two horizontal poles. The cross was raised, the convict speared several times from two sides, and eventually killed with a final thrust through the throat.
Onlookers would be intrigued by the criminal, yes, but the process also served as a reminder to behave, lest the same fate fall upon them.
If A Person Condemned To C8rucifixion Died In Prison, His Body Was Pickled And Put Up Anyway
In some instances, a prisoner would be condemned to die by crucifixion but didn't live long enough to experience it. If this happened, the body of the prisoner would be preserved - or pickled - and then crucified.
Whether alive or dead when strung up, the corpse of the crucified person would be on display.
During The 16th Century, Upside-Down Crucifixion Became Common
During The 16th Century, Upside-Down Crucifixion Became Common
Photo: Priscille LeroyWikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 3.0
The Japanese got somewhat creative when it came to executions. Upside-down crucifixions were common during the Tokagawa era, as were water executions. Upside-down hanging was also a common way of torturing and executing Christians.
Crucifixion Of Christians In Japan Was Part Of A Push To Drive The Faith Out Of The Country
Crucifixion Of Christians In Japan Was Part Of A Push To Drive The Faith Out Of The Country
Photo: UnknownWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
During the late 16th century, the shogunate under the Toyotomi Hideyoshi government wanted to rid the country of Christians and began crucifying them to do it. In 1597, 26 Christians were martyred at Nagasaki.
One Jesuit missionary recorded the moment:
The astonishing fruit of the generous sacrifice of our 26 martyrs is that the Christians, recent converts and those of maturer faith, have been confirmed in the faith and hope of eternal salvation; they have firmly resolved to lay down their lives for the name of Christ. The very pagans who assisted at the martyrdom were struck at seeing the joy of the blessed ones as they suffered on their crosses and the courage with which they met death.
Christians represented imperialism and were dangerous outsiders, so they were interrogated about their faith, and if they failed to renounce Christianity, they were executed. Crucifixion as a death for Christians was appropriate given the fate of their savior, and many met their end willingly.
Persecutions and crucifixions continued until Christianity was allowed in Japan in 1873.
Bodies Of Crucified Individuals Were Left On Display For Three Days
The insularity of Japanese culture had a mobilizable tool in the physical remains of executed criminals and enemies. As a general rule - and message - crucified bodies were left atop their crosses for three days. Often, crucifixion took place outside of a city's walls, but the display of bodies was an intimidating site for visitors who were not to be trusted.
After the three-day period, guards would take the bodies down and dispose of them; this was all done in the open to remind the populace what happened to legal and social outcasts.
Japan Crucified Koreans Who Wanted Independence
Japan formally annexed Korea in 1910 after the short-lived Empire of Korea failed. By 1911, Korean Christians were persecuted and killed for not assimilating. Japan once again viewed Christianity as a threat to their rule.
They associated Korean Christians with Korean nationalism and executed them by putting them in front of a firing squad while strung up on crosses.
During World War II, Prisoners Were Crucified
Australian soldier Herbert, AKA "Jim" or "Ringer," Edwards was a prisoner of war in Burma during World War II. In 1943, he was convicted by the Japanese of killing native cows for food and was crucified, along with two fellow soldiers, by being strung up in a tree. He was beaten and, after his right hand came loose, wire was inserted into his hand and restrained again.
Perhaps because Edwards was given food while his hand was loose, Edwards survived 63 hours of crucifixion. He was eventually taken down, was released after the end of the war, and lived until 2000, but neither of his companions survived the ordeal. Nevil Shute later used Edwards as the inspiration for his book A Town Like Alice.
Crucifixion in Japan took various forms and was used to punish thieves, threats to public order, and religious enemies alike. It's unclear when crucifixion was introduced into Japan - historians theorize it happened anywhere from the 12th to the 16th century - but the Japanese added their own twists and turns to the longstanding method of execution. Through the Second World War, Japanese crucifixion was a method of torture and execution, inflicting pain and fear on criminals, spectators, and political prisoners.
Because of its relationship to Christianity, however, not all those who were meted this horrific form of punishment met it with apprehension. In fact, some saw it as their chance at martyrdom, dying in the same manner as their savior, Jesus Christ.
Photo: UnknownWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
Crucifixion Was Used For Thousands Of Years Before Entering Japan
Crucifixion Was Used For Thousands Of Years Before Entering Japan
Photo: UnknownWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
As a means of punishment, crucifixion was used to inflict pain, suffering, and humiliation on offenders and enemies. From ancient Babylon, Assyria, and Persia, onward through the Greek and Roman periods, through to the rise and spread of Christianity, it was meant to shock the body, cause slow asphyxiation, and perhaps even incite cardiac arrest within a few hours at the least, days at the most. The person crucified was also subjected to the elements - wind, heat, rain - projectiles hurled at them, taunts and ridicule, and even fires lit under them to make a bad situation even worse.
By the time it entered Japan, crucifixion had nearly 2,000 years of history behind it. Crucifixion is most often associated with the death of Jesus, but its widespread and long-term use in the ancient world created a practice that was adaptable and subject to the whims of political, religious, and social leaders.
Crucifixion Was Reserved For The Worst Offenders
Execution was reserved for the worst offenders and could be done by beheading, hanging, and crucifixion - or some combination of the three. Crimes against individuals of higher social status and against family members were punished severely, and killing one's master could result in beheading prior to crucifixion. Adultery, theft, and subterfuge were all crucifiable offenses because they threatened both the social and political order.
In the 1570s, during the Period of the Warring States, Japanese soldier Torii Suneemon was crucified for treason. In the 1860s, Sokichi, a 25-year-old servant, was crucified for killing the son of his master, his arms and legs spread on a cross and displayed to the world in a haunting, long-lasting photograph. The specifics about his crime are unknown, but there are additional heads on frames in front of Sokichi's body shown in another picture of the same event.
Crucifixion Was A Heroic End For At Least One Samurai Warrior
Crucifixion Was A Heroic End For At Least One Samurai Warrior
Photo: Toyohara ChikanobuWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
In the 1570s during the contest for control over Japan, Japanese soldier Torii Suneemon was crucified as a traitor. As a retainer for the Tokagawa clan, Suneemon snuck out of the castle at the siege of Nagashino. He successfully arranged for reinforcements but was captured by Takeda Katsuyori sneaking back into the castle. Sunnemon was strung up on a cross, told to yell to his comrades in the castle that reinforcements weren't coming.
Defiant and fearless, Sunnemon announced to his fellow fighters that help was on the way, betraying his captors. He was then stabbed and killed, but he was praised as a hero after a coalition of Oda and Tokugawa reinforcements arrived and won the Battle of Nagashino Castle.
Crucifixion In Japan Was A Very Public Process
Crucifixion In Japan Was A Very Public Process
Photo: DaderotWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
Capital punishment was not used widely in Japan until after the Heian period, which ended in the late 12th century. Carrying out a crucifixion in Japan began by carrying the condemned to his death through town on horseback, a practice known as hikimawashi. This was done in most cases of execution as a way of bringing added humiliation to the offender. He was accompanied by guards who poked and prodded at him, as well as a banner with his name, offense, and punishment. The route would, of course, pass by his residence and the location where the initial crime took place. Then,
[The] unfortunate was then tied to a cross made from one vertical and two horizontal poles. The cross was raised, the convict speared several times from two sides, and eventually killed with a final thrust through the throat.
Onlookers would be intrigued by the criminal, yes, but the process also served as a reminder to behave, lest the same fate fall upon them.
If A Person Condemned To Crucifixion Died In Prison, His Body Was Pickled And Put Up Anyway
In some instances, a prisoner would be condemned to die by crucifixion but didn't live long enough to experience it. If this happened, the body of the prisoner would be preserved - or pickled - and then crucified.
Whether alive or dead when strung up, the corpse of the crucified person would be on display.
During The 16th Century, Upside-Down Crucifixion Became Common
During The 16th Century, Upside-Down Crucifixion Became Common
Photo: Priscille LeroyWikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 3.0
The Japanese got somewhat creative when it came to executions. Upside-down crucifixions were common during the Tokagawa era, as were water executions. Upside-down hanging was also a common way of torturing and executing Christians.
Crucifixion Of Christians In Japan Was Part Of A Push To Drive The Faith Out Of The Country
Crucifixion Of Christians In Japan Was Part Of A Push To Drive The Faith Out Of The Country
Photo: UnknownWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
During the late 16th century, the shogunate under the Toyotomi Hideyoshi government wanted to rid the country of Christians and began crucifying them to do it. In 1597, 26 Christians were martyred at Nagasaki.
One Jesuit missionary recorded the moment
The astonishing fruit of the generous sacrifice of our 26 martyrs is that the Christians, recent converts and those of maturer faith, have been confirmed in the faith and hope of eternal salvation; they have firmly resolved to lay down their lives for the name of Christ. The very pagans who assisted at the martyrdom were struck at seeing the joy of the blessed ones as they suffered on their crosses and the courage with which they met death.
Christians represented imperialism and were dangerous outsiders, so they were interrogated about their faith, and if they failed to renounce Christianity, they were executed. Crucifixion as a death for Christians was appropriate given the fate of their savior, and many met their end willingly.
Persecutions and crucifixions continued until Christianity was allowed in Japan in 1873.
Bodies Of Crucified Individuals Were Left On Display For Three Days
The insularity of Japanese culture had a mobilizable tool in the physical remains of executed criminals and enemies. As a general rule - and message - crucified bodies were left atop their crosses for three days. Often, crucifixion took place outside of a city's walls, but the display of bodies was an intimidating site for visitors who were not to be trusted.
After the three-day period, guards would take the bodies down and dispose of them; this was all done in the open to remind the populace what happened to legal and social outcasts.
Japan Crucified Koreans Who Wanted Independence
Japan formally annexed Korea in 1910 after the short-lived Empire of Korea failed. By 1911, Korean Christians were persecuted and killed for not assimilating. Japan once again viewed Christianity as a threat to their rule.
They associated Korean Christians with Korean nationalism and executed them by putting them in front of a firing squad while strung up on crosses.
During World War II, Prisoners Were Crucified
Australian soldier Herbert, AKA "Jim" or "Ringer," Edwards was a prisoner of war in Burma during World War II. In 1943, he was convicted by the Japanese of killing native cows for food and was crucified, along with two fellow soldiers, by being strung up in a tree. He was beaten and, after his right hand came loose, wire was inserted into his hand and restrained again.
Perhaps because Edwards was given food while his hand was loose, Edwards survived 63 hours of crucifixion. He was eventually taken down, was released after the end of the war, and lived until 2000, but neither of his companions survived the ordeal. Nevil Shute later used Edwards as the inspiration for his book A Town Like Alice.
The Horrifying, Little-Known History of Japanese Crucifixion
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Crucifixion in Japan took various forms and was used to punish thieves, threats to public order, and religious enemies alike. It's unclear when crucifixion was introduced into Japan - historians theorize it happened anywhere from the 12th to the 16th century - but the Japanese added their own twists and turns to the longstanding method of execution. Through the Second World War, Japanese crucifixion was a method of torture and execution, inflicting pain and fear on criminals, spectators, and political prisoners.
Because of its relationship to Christianity, however, not all those who were meted this horrific form of punishment met it with apprehension. In fact, some saw it as their chance at martyrdom, dying in the same manner as their savior, Jesus Christ.
Crucifixion Was Used For Thousands Of Years Before Entering Japan
As a means of punishment, crucifixion was used to inflict pain, suffering, and humiliation on offenders and enemies. From ancient Babylon, Assyria, and Persia, onward through the Greek and Roman periods, through to the rise and spread of Christianity, it was meant to shock the body, cause slow asphyxiation, and perhaps even incite cardiac arrest within a few hours at the least, days at the most. The person crucified was also subjected to the elements - wind, heat, rain - projectiles hurled at them, taunts and ridicule, and even fires lit under them to make a bad situation even worse.
By the time it entered Japan, crucifixion had nearly 2,000 years of history behind it. Crucifixion is most often associated with the death of Jesus, but its widespread and long-term use in the ancient world created a practice that was adaptable and subject to the whims of political, religious, and social leaders.
Crucifixion Was Reserved For The Worst Offenders
Execution was reserved for the worst offenders and could be done by beheading, hanging, and crucifixion - or some combination of the three. Crimes against individuals of higher social status and against family members were punished severely, and killing one's master could result in beheading prior to crucifixion. Adultery, theft, and subterfuge were all crucifiable offenses because they threatened both the social and political order.
In the 1570s, during the Period of the Warring States, Japanese soldier Torii Suneemon was crucified for treason. In the 1860s, Sokichi, a 25-year-old servant, was crucified for killing the son of his master, his arms and legs spread on a cross and displayed to the world in a haunting, long-lasting photograph. The specifics about his crime are unknown, but there are additional heads on frames in front of Sokichi's body shown in another picture of the same event.
Crucifixion Was A Heroic End For At Least One Samurai Warrior
In the 1570s during the contest for control over Japan, Japanese soldier Torii Suneemon was crucified as a traitor. As a retainer for the Tokagawa clan, Suneemon snuck out of the castle at the siege of Nagashino. He successfully arranged for reinforcements but was captured by Takeda Katsuyori sneaking back into the castle. Sunnemon was strung up on a cross, told to yell to his comrades in the castle that reinforcements weren't coming.
Defiant and fearless, Sunnemon announced to his fellow fighters that help was on the way, betraying his captors. He was then stabbed and killed, but he was praised as a hero after a coalition of Oda and Tokugawa reinforcements arrived and won the Battle of Nagashino Castle.
Crucifixion In Japan Was A Very Public Process
Capital punishment was not used widely in Japan until after the Heian period, which ended in the late 12th century. Carrying out a crucifixion in Japan began by carrying the condemned to his death through town on horseback, a practice known as hikimawashi. This was done in most cases of execution as a way of bringing added humiliation to the offender. He was accompanied by guards who poked and prodded at him, as well as a banner with his name, offense, and punishment. The route would, of course, pass by his residence and the location where the initial crime took place. Then,
[The] unfortunate was then tied to a cross made from one vertical and two horizontal poles. The cross was raised, the convict speared several times from two sides, and eventually killed with a final thrust through the throat.
Onlookers would be intrigued by the criminal, yes, but the process also served as a reminder to behave, lest the same fate fall upon them.
If A Person Condemned To C8rucifixion Died In Prison, His Body Was Pickled And Put Up Anyway
In some instances, a prisoner would be condemned to die by crucifixion but didn't live long enough to experience it. If this happened, the body of the prisoner would be preserved - or pickled - and then crucified.
Whether alive or dead when strung up, the corpse of the crucified person would be on display.
During The 16th Century, Upside-Down Crucifixion Became Common
The Japanese got somewhat creative when it came to executions. Upside-down crucifixions were common during the Tokagawa era, as were water executions. Upside-down hanging was also a common way of torturing and executing Christians.
Crucifixion Of Christians In Japan Was Part Of A Push To Drive The Faith Out Of The Country
During the late 16th century, the shogunate under the Toyotomi Hideyoshi government wanted to rid the country of Christians and began crucifying them to do it. In 1597, 26 Christians were martyred at Nagasaki.
One Jesuit missionary recorded the moment:
The astonishing fruit of the generous sacrifice of our 26 martyrs is that the Christians, recent converts and those of maturer faith, have been confirmed in the faith and hope of eternal salvation; they have firmly resolved to lay down their lives for the name of Christ. The very pagans who assisted at the martyrdom were struck at seeing the joy of the blessed ones as they suffered on their crosses and the courage with which they met death.
Christians represented imperialism and were dangerous outsiders, so they were interrogated about their faith, and if they failed to renounce Christianity, they were executed. Crucifixion as a death for Christians was appropriate given the fate of their savior, and many met their end willingly.
Persecutions and crucifixions continued until Christianity was allowed in Japan in 1873.
Bodies Of Crucified Individuals Were Left On Display For Three Days
The insularity of Japanese culture had a mobilizable tool in the physical remains of executed criminals and enemies. As a general rule - and message - crucified bodies were left atop their crosses for three days. Often, crucifixion took place outside of a city's walls, but the display of bodies was an intimidating site for visitors who were not to be trusted.
After the three-day period, guards would take the bodies down and dispose of them; this was all done in the open to remind the populace what happened to legal and social outcasts.
Japan Crucified Koreans Who Wanted Independence
Japan formally annexed Korea in 1910 after the short-lived Empire of Korea failed. By 1911, Korean Christians were persecuted and killed for not assimilating. Japan once again viewed Christianity as a threat to their rule.
They associated Korean Christians with Korean nationalism and executed them by putting them in front of a firing squad while strung up on crosses.
During World War II, Prisoners Were Crucified
Australian soldier Herbert, AKA "Jim" or "Ringer," Edwards was a prisoner of war in Burma during World War II. In 1943, he was convicted by the Japanese of killing native cows for food and was crucified, along with two fellow soldiers, by being strung up in a tree. He was beaten and, after his right hand came loose, wire was inserted into his hand and restrained again.
Perhaps because Edwards was given food while his hand was loose, Edwards survived 63 hours of crucifixion. He was eventually taken down, was released after the end of the war, and lived until 2000, but neither of his companions survived the ordeal. Nevil Shute later used Edwards as the inspiration for his book A Town Like Alice.
Crucifixion in Japan took various forms and was used to punish thieves, threats to public order, and religious enemies alike. It's unclear when crucifixion was introduced into Japan - historians theorize it happened anywhere from the 12th to the 16th century - but the Japanese added their own twists and turns to the longstanding method of execution. Through the Second World War, Japanese crucifixion was a method of torture and execution, inflicting pain and fear on criminals, spectators, and political prisoners.
Because of its relationship to Christianity, however, not all those who were meted this horrific form of punishment met it with apprehension. In fact, some saw it as their chance at martyrdom, dying in the same manner as their savior, Jesus Christ.
Photo: UnknownWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
Crucifixion Was Used For Thousands Of Years Before Entering Japan
Crucifixion Was Used For Thousands Of Years Before Entering Japan
Photo: UnknownWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
As a means of punishment, crucifixion was used to inflict pain, suffering, and humiliation on offenders and enemies. From ancient Babylon, Assyria, and Persia, onward through the Greek and Roman periods, through to the rise and spread of Christianity, it was meant to shock the body, cause slow asphyxiation, and perhaps even incite cardiac arrest within a few hours at the least, days at the most. The person crucified was also subjected to the elements - wind, heat, rain - projectiles hurled at them, taunts and ridicule, and even fires lit under them to make a bad situation even worse.
By the time it entered Japan, crucifixion had nearly 2,000 years of history behind it. Crucifixion is most often associated with the death of Jesus, but its widespread and long-term use in the ancient world created a practice that was adaptable and subject to the whims of political, religious, and social leaders.
Crucifixion Was Reserved For The Worst Offenders
Execution was reserved for the worst offenders and could be done by beheading, hanging, and crucifixion - or some combination of the three. Crimes against individuals of higher social status and against family members were punished severely, and killing one's master could result in beheading prior to crucifixion. Adultery, theft, and subterfuge were all crucifiable offenses because they threatened both the social and political order.
In the 1570s, during the Period of the Warring States, Japanese soldier Torii Suneemon was crucified for treason. In the 1860s, Sokichi, a 25-year-old servant, was crucified for killing the son of his master, his arms and legs spread on a cross and displayed to the world in a haunting, long-lasting photograph. The specifics about his crime are unknown, but there are additional heads on frames in front of Sokichi's body shown in another picture of the same event.
Crucifixion Was A Heroic End For At Least One Samurai Warrior
Crucifixion Was A Heroic End For At Least One Samurai Warrior
Photo: Toyohara ChikanobuWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
In the 1570s during the contest for control over Japan, Japanese soldier Torii Suneemon was crucified as a traitor. As a retainer for the Tokagawa clan, Suneemon snuck out of the castle at the siege of Nagashino. He successfully arranged for reinforcements but was captured by Takeda Katsuyori sneaking back into the castle. Sunnemon was strung up on a cross, told to yell to his comrades in the castle that reinforcements weren't coming.
Defiant and fearless, Sunnemon announced to his fellow fighters that help was on the way, betraying his captors. He was then stabbed and killed, but he was praised as a hero after a coalition of Oda and Tokugawa reinforcements arrived and won the Battle of Nagashino Castle.
Crucifixion In Japan Was A Very Public Process
Crucifixion In Japan Was A Very Public Process
Photo: DaderotWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
Capital punishment was not used widely in Japan until after the Heian period, which ended in the late 12th century. Carrying out a crucifixion in Japan began by carrying the condemned to his death through town on horseback, a practice known as hikimawashi. This was done in most cases of execution as a way of bringing added humiliation to the offender. He was accompanied by guards who poked and prodded at him, as well as a banner with his name, offense, and punishment. The route would, of course, pass by his residence and the location where the initial crime took place. Then,
[The] unfortunate was then tied to a cross made from one vertical and two horizontal poles. The cross was raised, the convict speared several times from two sides, and eventually killed with a final thrust through the throat.
Onlookers would be intrigued by the criminal, yes, but the process also served as a reminder to behave, lest the same fate fall upon them.
If A Person Condemned To Crucifixion Died In Prison, His Body Was Pickled And Put Up Anyway
In some instances, a prisoner would be condemned to die by crucifixion but didn't live long enough to experience it. If this happened, the body of the prisoner would be preserved - or pickled - and then crucified.
Whether alive or dead when strung up, the corpse of the crucified person would be on display.
During The 16th Century, Upside-Down Crucifixion Became Common
During The 16th Century, Upside-Down Crucifixion Became Common
Photo: Priscille LeroyWikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 3.0
The Japanese got somewhat creative when it came to executions. Upside-down crucifixions were common during the Tokagawa era, as were water executions. Upside-down hanging was also a common way of torturing and executing Christians.
Crucifixion Of Christians In Japan Was Part Of A Push To Drive The Faith Out Of The Country
Crucifixion Of Christians In Japan Was Part Of A Push To Drive The Faith Out Of The Country
Photo: UnknownWikimedia CommonsPublic domain
During the late 16th century, the shogunate under the Toyotomi Hideyoshi government wanted to rid the country of Christians and began crucifying them to do it. In 1597, 26 Christians were martyred at Nagasaki.
One Jesuit missionary recorded the moment
The astonishing fruit of the generous sacrifice of our 26 martyrs is that the Christians, recent converts and those of maturer faith, have been confirmed in the faith and hope of eternal salvation; they have firmly resolved to lay down their lives for the name of Christ. The very pagans who assisted at the martyrdom were struck at seeing the joy of the blessed ones as they suffered on their crosses and the courage with which they met death.
Christians represented imperialism and were dangerous outsiders, so they were interrogated about their faith, and if they failed to renounce Christianity, they were executed. Crucifixion as a death for Christians was appropriate given the fate of their savior, and many met their end willingly.
Persecutions and crucifixions continued until Christianity was allowed in Japan in 1873.
Bodies Of Crucified Individuals Were Left On Display For Three Days
The insularity of Japanese culture had a mobilizable tool in the physical remains of executed criminals and enemies. As a general rule - and message - crucified bodies were left atop their crosses for three days. Often, crucifixion took place outside of a city's walls, but the display of bodies was an intimidating site for visitors who were not to be trusted.
After the three-day period, guards would take the bodies down and dispose of them; this was all done in the open to remind the populace what happened to legal and social outcasts.
Japan Crucified Koreans Who Wanted Independence
Japan formally annexed Korea in 1910 after the short-lived Empire of Korea failed. By 1911, Korean Christians were persecuted and killed for not assimilating. Japan once again viewed Christianity as a threat to their rule.
They associated Korean Christians with Korean nationalism and executed them by putting them in front of a firing squad while strung up on crosses.
During World War II, Prisoners Were Crucified
Australian soldier Herbert, AKA "Jim" or "Ringer," Edwards was a prisoner of war in Burma during World War II. In 1943, he was convicted by the Japanese of killing native cows for food and was crucified, along with two fellow soldiers, by being strung up in a tree. He was beaten and, after his right hand came loose, wire was inserted into his hand and restrained again.
Perhaps because Edwards was given food while his hand was loose, Edwards survived 63 hours of crucifixion. He was eventually taken down, was released after the end of the war, and lived until 2000, but neither of his companions survived the ordeal. Nevil Shute later used Edwards as the inspiration for his book A Town Like Alice.
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