Elsewhere in the world, the heart lies pretty much in its correct anatomical place. But in Japan, it has traditionally been located mid-torso, or more precisely in the hara(腹, belly). For the Japanese, the belly has always been the vessel of emotions. It's where rage festers, love burns or fades away; it is where we keep the best and worst of ourselves — the innermost secrets of the soul. You might have noticed that in times of severe stress, Westerners put their hands over their hearts in a protective gesture; well, most Japanese find themselves clutching their stomachs.
Coincidentally, in this country more people die from igan (胃癌, stomach cancer) than any other illness. Stomach-related medications are far bigger sellers than any other pharmaceutical drug. The Japanese know, with gut-level conviction, that if one takes care of the stomach, life takes care of itself.
On the other hand, no discussion of the Japanese belly can avoid the issue of seppuku (切腹, ritual suicide by slitting the stomach) — viewed as the most honorable form of death for the bushi (武士, samurai warrior) as recently as six decades ago.
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