Sada Abe

Sada Abe
Abe portrait, c. 1935
Born(1905-05-28)May 28, 1905[1]
Kanda, Tokyo, Japan[1]
Diedafter 1971 (age 66+)
Occupations
  • Geisha
  • prostitute
  • maid
  • author
  • actress
  • waitress
Criminal charge(s)Murder
Mutilation of a corpse[2]
Criminal penalty6 years imprisonment (commuted)
Parent(s)Shigeyoshi and Katsu Abe[3]

Sada Abe (阿部 定, Abe Sada, May 28, 1905 – after 1971) was a Japanese geisha and prostitute who murdered her lover, Kichizō Ishida (石田 吉蔵), via strangulation on May 18, 1936, before cutting off his penis and testicles and carrying them around with her in her kimono. The story became a national sensation in Japan, acquiring mythic overtones, and has been interpreted by artists, philosophers, novelists and filmmakers.[4] Abe was released after serving five years in prison and went on to write an autobiography.

  1. ^ a b Johnston 2005, p. 25
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Schreiber-188 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Johnston 2005, p. 20
  4. ^ Thompson 1985, p. 1570