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F. Did “Eta” and “Hinin” classes actually perform “tameshi” on corpses?



This is another area in which misconception is commonly perpetuated. Though by the late 1700's many higher ranking samurai had now stopped actually performing “o-tameshi” by themselves, “tameshi” practice itself was still the privilege and important cultural ritual limited only to the samurai class (Ujiie, 1999).

As far as the historical records indicate, even after the practice of “tameshi” had been considered uncivilized and inhumane, “tameshi” on corpses was still conducted and actually performed by the hands of none other than the samurai class professionals or executioners, but never by the hands of the lowest class “Eta” or “Hinin” (see Ujiie, 1999). Contrary to the widely spread misconception, eta and hinin were only employed as actual executioners to perform death penalty other than decapitation. Additionally, those in the lowest casts were merely used as assistance for “tameshi” to carry, move and set up the corpses on the stand for the samurai class “suemono-shi” to actually perform “tameshi” to test the quality of the swords owned by high ranking samurai (see, Fujita, 18xx; Hachiya, 1814 for detail).

Aside from the existing historical records, there were at least two obvious reasons that the samurai (who wanted their blades to be tested) would never have allowed the lowest casts of “eta” and “hinin” to actually test or even handle their precious blades. One is the existence of rather strict and detailed legal requirements imposed by the Shogunate and local governments for the proper procedure of “tameshi” rituals. Because “tameshi” was also performed as a part of legitimate criminal justice procedure (i.e., harsher punishment in addition to mere execution), these laws clearly designated the actual performer of test cutting only to the qualified samurai along with specific procedures of the ritual (Hachiya, 1814; Ujiie, 1999). Once again, those who actually performed decapitation of felons and “tameshi” were either a) doshin class samurai (i.e., the lowest ranking criminal justice officers) who were skilled in swordsmanship or b) professional “suemono-shi” (who were also samurai) commissioned by the appropriate magistrate office or by the owners of the swords being tested.

The other reason that eta and hinin could not have been allowed to test swords after executions of felons was the symbolic meaning of swords to the samurai class. Those swords being tested were private property of higher ranking samurai who requested their swords to be tested through the magistrate’s office. As many in the JSA community already know, the samurai of the past believed and actually treated their personal swords as though they were their own souls. As a matter of fact, those swords to be tested were first handed out to the bugyo (i.e., the chief magistrate officer), then to the yoriki (i.e., deputy chief), and finally to either doshin (i.e., the lowest ranking officer) performing executions or “suemono-shi” (i.e., samurai class professional sword testers); but never to be in the hands of the lowest class assistants who were literally regarded by samurai “less than humans.”

Another widespread misconception is that many of those who actually performed “tameshi” did not possess much sword skills. Existing historical records also tend to refute such a notion. Despite the fact that most of those sword testers were relatively lower in bureaucratic hierarchy, they often owned their own dojo of “suemono-giri” (i.e., specialized techniques of cutting stationary targets for the purpose of “tameshi”) and had several students entirely dedicated to perfect the skills of “suemono-giri” (see Ujiie, 1999 for detailed information on this). Since the swords being tested were the properties of higher ranking samurai, the owners of precious swords would not have trusted their family heirlooms in the hands of unskilled testers.