Chopping and collecting the head

  • Samurai usually had to chop of their enemy’s head to prove their master that they actually killed the right person, not a woman or child.
  • Additionally collecting more heads meant getting more stipend and promotion.
  • However, after chopping the head, the samurai would always clean and put some light make up to the face to pay their respect to the dead person.
  • At the same time, every samurai also usually put incense inside their helmets knowing that they may get killed and their head does not stink and does not bother their killer.
  • In situations when the samurai did not have time to chop the enemy’s head, they then used to cut the upper lip (to distinguish if the head is male or female).
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