Database: Crime and Punishment

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In the feudal society of Azuchi-Momoyama, not everyone was equal before the law. Each person was judged according to their social status, and sentences were determined per case. Multiple institutions might operate in parallel depending on jurisdiction, whether they be monasteries, fiefs, autonomous bodies such as leagues (ikki), communes, or villages. In the 16th century, each lord tended to create a "constitution" (bunkoku-hō) and laws for his domain which might differ from territory to territory, though many shared common legal grounds. Generally, a police investigation in medieval Japan required an official complaint. Prisons did not exist, though warriors committing relatively minor offenses were sometimes confined to their homes.

Warriors found guilty of a crime were typically deprived of property, in part or entirely, by the official authority. Banishment was also common. For serious crimes, a warrior could be executed or compelled to commit suicide. In disputes between two warriors, both parties were punished, regardless of the reason for the fight. Public insults, particularly in the court, were prohibited and could increase the sentence of the convicted offender. For commoners, punishments were more degrading, such as head brandings, and death sentences could escalate from a simple execution to crucifixion or their severed head on public display. In village communities (soson), robbery was harshly punished, ranging from banishment of the offender and their family (murahachibu) to a sentence of death.