Hari kiri is a term that has been mistakenly used to describe the act of seppuku. However, hari kiri is actually an older term that dates back to the 17th century, which referred specifically to the act of beheading. When the English first arrived in Japan, they heard the term "hara-kiri" being used to describe the act of seppuku, and they misunderstood the word to mean "to cut the abdomen." Over time, the terms "seppuku" and "hara-kiri" became synonymous in Western culture, when in fact, "hara-kiri" is the older and more accurate term for beheading.
(more accurately romanized as Harakiri ) is the "Kun'yomi" (native Japanese) reading of the same characters. It is the vernacular, colloquial term. seppuku vs hari kiri
He would often write a jisei (death poem), reflecting on the transience of life. Hari kiri is a term that has been