Saito Hiroemon
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Saito Hiroemon | |
|---|---|
 Saito Hiroemon stabs a homeless with a spear. [1] | |
| Born | 1768 or 1769 |
| Died | (aged 37) Suzugamori execution grounds, Edo, Tokugawa Shogunate |
| Other name | Yaritsuki (槍突き/Spear Thrust) |
Criminal status | Executed by Decapitation |
| Motive | Thrill, Sadism, Curiosity |
| Conviction | Murder |
Criminal penalty | Hikimawashi, death, and gokumon |
| Details | |
Span of crimes | 21 January 21 – 6 March 1806 |
| Country | Tokugawa Shogunate |
| State | Edo |
| Targets | Homeless and Disableds |
| Killed | 7 |
| Injured | 7 |
| Weapons | Spear |
Date apprehended | 18 April 1806 |
Saito Hiroemon (斎藤 広右衛門, Saitō Hirouemon; c. 1769 – 24 April 1806) was Japanese serial killer during the Edo period. Using a spear, Saito targeted homeless and disabled people in the streets of Edo between January and March 1806, killing seven and injuring seven others. He confessed to the crimes in April of the same year following arrest for an unrelated theft and was executed a week later.[2]
Biography
[edit]Little is known about Saito's upbringing. According to him, he served in a samurai residence and learned how to use a spear during that time.[3][4] At the time of his execution, he was described as a 37-year-old foot soldier (Japanese: 徒士, romanized: kachi) for a daimyo.[5]
Crime
[edit]The attacks took place from 21 January to 6 March 1806.[3] Since the beginning of February, the tokugawa shogunate has increased its vigilance, but incidents have continued one after another. From the beginning of March, a large-scale fire called the "Great Fire of Bunka" occurred around the same time, but the crimes continued.[3] Saito's crime was characterized by the fact that there was no evidence that he stole money, and that his purpose was to kill someone.[3]
On 18 April, he was arrested on suspicion of stealing two zukin clothing from a store. He was arrested and confessed to the incident, saying, "I wanted to stab a living person with a spear.". According to him, he developed a twisted curiosity after learning how to use a spear while working at a samurai residence.[3][4] On 24 April, aafter being dragged through town as a shame display, he was executed by beheading, with the head displayed at the prison gate for public viewing afterwards.[5]
Copycat crimes
[edit]After Saito's execution, people in Edo were able to walk around with peace of mind at night, but on the day of Saito's execution, another person was stabbed to death in Asakusa, and four days later, three people were killed or injured in Kagurazaka, one of whom was a 17-year-old blind masseuse, who was stabbed from the ribs to the back while returning from receiving medicine from a doctor for his suddenly ill mother.[3][4] On 2 May, a blind man was stabbed to death in Ushigome. Similar incidents continued in November and December, including people being stabbed in Kagurazaka.[3][4] These murders are not considered to be serial murders, but are believed to have been the work of multiple independent copycat killers. Machi-bugyō immediately began a search, but the culprit was never caught.[3][4] In September of the following year, the former swordsmanship instructor was arrested and confessed to having committed crimes in 22 locations. the man died in prison.[3][4]
Victims
[edit]Murder victims
[edit]| Number | Name | Status | Age | Date of Murder | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unknown[6] | Homeless | 40s | 21 January 1806 | |
| 2 | Unknown[6] | Blind monk | 60 | 23 January 1806 | Kiridoshi, Yushima |
| 3 | Unknown[6] | 38-39 | 25 January 1806 | Niōmon, Asakusa | |
| 4 | Unknown[6] | Visually impaired person | 40 | 31 January 1806 | Kaminarimon |
| 5 | Kyoan[6] | Blind homeless | 32 | 1 March 1806 | Edomizaka |
| 6 | Chosuke[6] | Freeloader[clarification needed] | 50 | 6 March 1806 | Sanno-cho, Kōjimachi |
| 7 | Usuke[6] | Doctor's apprentice | 25 | 6 March 1806 | Higashinaka-cho, Asakusa |
Survivor
[edit]| Number | Name | Status | Age | Date of Murder | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unknown[6] | Blind Homeless | 23 January 1806 | ||
| 2 | Tohachi[6] | 57 | 4 February 1806 | Makiki | |
| 3 | Ichisuke[6] | 16 February 1806 | |||
| 4 | Sabei[6] | Servant | 16 February 1806 | ||
| 5 | Unknown[6] | Mid-February 1806 | |||
| 6 | Teishin[6] | Homeless | 26 | 27 February 1806 | |
| 7 | Gesei[6] | Blind Masseuse | 45 | 6 March 1806 | Kōjimachi |
In popular culture
[edit]Pop Culture
[edit]- Kido Okamoto "hanshichitorimonocho" 1986
Books
[edit]- Kato Ebian "Wagakoromo"
- Sudo Yoshizo "Fujiokaya Diary"
- Takizawa Bakin "Toen Shōsetsu"
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Ishizuka, Hokaishi 随筆文学選集 續 第6, 361 pages. ndldm:1883767
- ↑ Unno, Hiroshi 江戸の盛り場, 432 pages.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Nagai, Yoshio (18 July 2006). "第19話 通り魔殺人". 江戸の愚行. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ujiie, Mikito (2016). 古文書に見る江戸犯罪 (in Japanese). Shodensha. pp. 14–16. ISBN 978-4-396-11484-8. Retrieved 18 July 2006.
- 1 2 Fujiokaya, Yoshizo. 藤岡屋日記. Vol. 1. p. 49.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Ishizuka, Hokaishi 随筆文学選集 續 第6, 363-365 pages. ndldm:1883767