One of Japan’s most famous murderesses took a very intimate souvenir from the lover she murdered. Was she the sex-crazed nymphomaniac portrayed in the media? Was she the symbol of female empowerment described by her supporters? Or was she an abuse victim who broke down after making one terrible mistake?
Content notes for this episode: Sexual assault, sexual exploitation of young girls, murder, genital mutilation, suicide.
Featured image: The most famous portrait of Abe Sada. (Image source)
The scene of the Abe Sada Incident, photographed in 1936. (Image source)
Abe Sade photographed in 1947, years after her imprisonment and release. (Image source)
Sources
Isaac has lost some of the source notes for this episode since we recorded it. Sources mentioned in this episode:
- Geisha, Harlot, Strangler, Star: A Woman, Sex, and Morality in Modern Japan
- In the Realm of the Senses