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People at Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days #18: Exemplary Punishments #1; Hanging Spider
1958 - 1963

Mukashi Yama no Hitobito #18: Miseshime #1; Sagarigumo
[People at Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days #18: Exemplary Punishments #1; Hanging Spider]
20.6 x 29.1 cm Ink Painting

Most coal pits in the middle of the Meiji era (1868-1912) were oppressive and personnel bosses or torishimaris (regulators) controlled miners by force from morning till night. Therefore, all of the regulators were strong men.
This was the softest torture called "sagarigumo." Almost every day these regulators beat rule breakers as if they were cleaning old tatami mats. This was done under the leadership of their chiefs (chief regulators: torishimaricho) in check houses called kaikobas or kurikomibas in front of pit mouths.
All petty criminals, such as robbers or runaways, were beaten by them, and those who were found to have come from other pits to try and hire miners away were the most cruelly punished and left half alive. Adulterers/adulteresses and lazy people were also tortured very cruelly.

Torishimaricho: "Koitsu wa zubuteezo. Mochitto doyase (nagure) !"
Torishimari: "Haa! Kono yaro!"

Chief Regulator: "This man has a lot of nerve. Beat him harder!"
Regulator: "Yes, sir! You bastard!"


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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