Sepukku & Ritual Suicide in Patriotism

February 15, 2026

Introduction to Patriotism

Patriotism, written by Yukio Mishima, is a short story that explores areas of loyalty, honour, ritual sacrifice and the samurai code of honour. The heart of the story is the Seppuku - ritual sacrifice committed by a Japanese Lieutenant named Shinji and his wife Reiko. Mishima dives harrowingly deep into the symbolism of the act, the aesthetics of the mortal act and the hopelessness that lives within the minds of the young couple. Mishima, in doing so, turns an act of despair committed on an individual level into a statement about national identity, personal integrity, and the loss of a pre-war Japan.

What Is Seppuku?

Firstly, to understand the story properly, we must first establish what exactly seppuku is. Seppuku is an act from ancient Japan that involves disembowelling oneself to retain dignity, warrior spirit and to avoid submission to the enemy (surrender). It was also used when a samurai felt it necessary to restore personal honour after a major failure, disgrace or dishonour. The act was contained deeply within the Samurai ethos, where the previously mentioned concepts were seen as more valuable than life itself. The story is set in the aftermath of the 1936 February 26 Incident, which was a failed coup by radical military officers aiming to restore Japan to a more traditional, nationalistic state. This historical backdrop provides a rich framework for Mishima to explore the themes of patriotism, sacrifice, and the notion of an idealised Japan that once existed before the war, and which was gradually fading away under Western influence.

Seppuku as a Symbol of Honour and Integrity

In Patriotism, seppuku is not just about dying; it’s about dying with honour. Shinji, the young army officer, chooses to end his life after a failed attempt to restore the country to its supposed former glory. The idea of honour in Mishima’s story is deeply rooted in the samurai tradition. For Shinji, to live in a world that no longer values the purity of the samurai code is a fate worse than death. He and his young wife, Reiko, share this belief, and together they choose to commit seppuku in a symbolic act of defiance against the corruption and moral decay they perceive in this new spiritless Japan. Mishima criticises post-war Japan in this way. After Japan's defeat in World War II, much of Japan's traditional culture was eradicated and forcefully replaced with Westernised tradition. Mishima himself was greatly disillusioned with Western ideals of consumerism and the loss of his country's national identity, viewing the “modern Japan” as a lie, forced upon his people in order to prevent his nation from prospering uniquely again. For him, seppuku wasn’t just about personal despair, it was a form of protest, a protest against the nation that was betraying its very own ideals.

Ritual Sacrifice: A Path to Purity

Beyond the idea of honour, Mishima elevates seppuku to the level of ritual sacrifice. This is a key part of the symbolism in Patriotism. Both Shinji and Reiko’s decision to end their lives together is an act of purification. They’re now free from the chains which bound their nation cruelly towards the Western world and their morals. Their act of sacrifice transcends individual despair, it becomes a statement of devotion to an ideal, an ideal which to the young couple matters more than any part of life without ever could. By setting their deaths in the intimate and warm space of their bedroom, Mishima emphasises the personal nature of their sacrifice. Their death is not a public spectacle, nor a performance, but a deeply private and intimate gesture of love for each other and their nation. Their choice to die alongside each other enforces the idea that true patriotism requires personal sacrifice, not militarily nor politically, but individually and spiritually. This is further exacerbated when Mishima shows the gruesomeness and painful death involved in sepukku, this death cannot be a façade, only an utmost truth.

Seppuku and Patriotism: A Deep Connection

At its core, Patriotism explores the connection between death and patriotism. In Mishima’s eyes, true patriotism is not about participating in national politics or waving flags in public. Rather, it is about the individual’s willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for one’s country and its ideals.

Mishima’s Personal Connection to Seppuku

Mishima’s own relationship with the idea of seppuku and ritual sacrifice is deeply personal. Mishima’s own death in 1970, when he committed seppuku after a failed coup attempt to restore the powers of the emperor, mirrored the very act of sacrifice portrayed in Patriotism. Through his novels and characters, Mishima expressed his sense of alienation from the modern world and his desire to return to a Japan of his idealised vision, a Japan where honour, duty, and loyalty to the emperor were paramount.

Conclusion

In Patriotism, Mishima uses the act of seppuku as a powerful symbol of both personal sacrifice and national disillusionment. Through the characters of Shinji and Reiko, Mishima explores the idea that true patriotism is not about following political movements or national trends but about holding onto personal integrity and devotion to an ideal, even if it means death. The brutal and intimate nature of their sacrifice reflects Mishima’s critique of post-war Japan, a nation he felt had abandoned its true values in favour of Westernisation and materialism. Ultimately, Patriotism is both a tragic exploration of the price of loyalty, and an expression of Mishima’s desire to restore Japan to its spiritual and moral roots.