Sada Abe's Infamous Crime

Date: May 18, 1936 • Location: Tokyo, Japan

In a crime that captivated Japan, Sada Abe strangled her lover, cut off his genitals, and carried them around with her for several days until her arrest.

Sada Abe was a Japanese geisha and prostitute who murdered her lover, Kichizō Ishida , 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; it has also been interpreted by artists, philosophers, novelists and filmmakers. Abe was released after serving five years in prison and went on to write an autobiography.