The Demon in the Teahouse #3

Investigator

Punishment in Japan
During the Edo Period, Japan used various punishments against criminals. These can be categorized as follows:
-Death Penalty
-Incarceration and Exile
-Penal Labor
-Confiscation of property
-Corporal Punishment

Death Penalty-
Serious crimes such as murder and arson were punished by death. The shogun maintained execution grounds for Edo at Kozukappara, Suzugamori and Itabashi.
The shogun executed criminals in various ways:
-Boiling
-Burning
-Crucifixion for killing a parent, husband and so on
-Decapitation by sword
-Sawing
-Cutting the person in half

Incarceration and Exile-
"Depending on the seriousness of the crime, magistrates could sentence convicts to incarceration in various forms."
-Exile to an island. (Criminals in Edo often confined on Hachiojima or Miyakekima. Tattoos were received by the criminals.
-Imprisonment. (A jail called Kodenma-cho was maintained by the government of Edo.)

Penal Labor-
For crimes requiring punishment, convicts could be sent to work at labor camps such as the one in Ishikawa-jima in Edo Bay.

Confiscation of property-
The government would punish certain criminals by taking away their land, homes, or several other things they owned. Sometimes, they also confiscated one's business or job.

Corporal Punishment-
Handcuffing allowed the government to punish the criminal while the criminal lived at home. Depending on the severity of the crime, the sentence might last 30, 50 or 100 days.

By Fabi

Discussion Director Questions and Reactions

How do you feel about these chapters?
-So much happened - we can't really decide.

In chapter 10, do you think that Seikei has the right to be humiliated?
-No, because he was innocent and he didn't commit the crime.

How do you feel about Nui in these chapters?
She is a bit mean to Seikei, and she is very self-centered.

How do you feel about Umae's choice?
-We think it's good because she stands up for what she believes and she is brave and not scared.

By Viktor

Connector to History

A tea house or tearoom is a venue centered on drinking tea. Its function varies widely depending on the culture, and some cultures have a variety of distinct tea-centered houses or parlors that all qualify under the English language term "tea house" or "tea room."

Mon (紋^?)(plural mon), also monshō (紋章), mondokoro (紋所^?), and kamon (家紋), are Japanese heraldic symbols. Mon may refer to any symbol, whilekamon and mondokoro refer specifically to family symbols. Mon serve roughly similar functions to badges, crests, and coats of arms in European heraldry.

By Vance

Summary

After Umae gets a present from the old samurai, who calls himself revenge, she tells Seikei to burn the beautiful kimono she got as a gift. Umae said that that it wasn’t Seikei’s fault that the old samurai gave her this gift. The two other geishas, Odori and Maiko, think that Seikei is the demon and that he caused Umae to feel the way she did, but they are wrong. Later, when Seikei is ordered to walk to walk them home he discovers many things for Judge Ooka. He walks a frightening walk back to the teahouse and comes in time for a fire. Seikei’s “stolen” clothes magically appear back and then he thinks this is the demon’s doing. Then, three drunken samurai accuse Seikei of the fire which occurred in the Teahouse of the Falling Cherry Blossoms. They accuse him of this fire because the actual person who lit the fire, took Seikei’s clothes and dressed up in them in the morning. Judge Odozo comes to examine seikei once again. This time he considers Seikei guilty and so he puts him in a cell where Seikei awaits a torturer. Instead of an unfamiliar and unknown torturer appearing, Bunzo appears and saves Seikei. Bunzo reminds Judge Odozo that seikei is safe and then Seikei returns to the teahouse. In the meantime, During Seikei’s absence, Oba Koko’s other nephew, Kiru, replaces Seikei. Seikei discovers that Kiru was the one who stole his clothes the other morning, and he notices that Kiru is dressed in the outfit that the person who lit the fire was dressed in. That same day Kiru is kicked out and doesn’t come back because Umae visited the teahouse again. This time she gets many gifts and chooses samurai Jugoro’s gift first.

By Iva

Gnat-any of certain small flies, esp. the biting flies-like a mosquito

Kago-a small basketwork strung from a pole, each end on which rests on the shoulder of a bearer

Doshin-the magistrate’s patrol

Fugu-a fish with a great delicacy but a poisonous liver

By Iva