Have you ever wondered how someone could escape from one of the toughest prisons in Japan using something as simple as miso soup? This is the incredible story of Yoshi Shiritori, a man who managed to break free from prison not once, but four times! Let’s dive into his fascinating tale of survival and ingenuity.
Yoshi Shiritori was born in 1907 in the northern part of Japan. He had a difficult childhood and turned to petty crime at a young age. As a result, he spent much of his life in prison. Between 1933 and 1947, he escaped from prison four times, with his most famous escape happening in 1944 during World War II.
During Shiritori’s time, Japanese prisons were known for their harsh conditions. The focus was on punishment, and prisoners often faced brutal treatment from guards. Shiritori, frustrated by the unfairness, decided to take matters into his own hands.
In 1936, during a stormy night, Shiritori made his first escape from prison. He used a piece of wire from a water bucket to pick the lock on his cell door. He cleverly arranged his bed to make it look like he was still there. Although he was recaptured after three days, this was just the beginning of his escape adventures.
In 1944, Shiritori was held in Abashiri Prison, known for its severe conditions. Determined to escape, he came up with a unique plan. He began spitting his miso soup onto the metal doorframe of his cell. The high salt content in the soup slowly corroded the metal screws and bolts. On a dark night, he took advantage of a blackout, squeezed through the weakened feeding slot, and escaped once again.
After his escape, Shiritori lived in the wilderness for two years, surviving by hunting for food. Unfortunately, he was recaptured after an altercation with a farmer, which led to the farmer’s death. Although Shiritori claimed it was an accident, he was sentenced to death.
While awaiting execution, Shiritori managed to escape one last time by digging a tunnel using his food bowl. However, he eventually turned himself in, tired of life on the run. The court recognized that he had never used violence in his escapes and changed his death sentence to twenty years in prison. He became a model prisoner and was released on parole in 1961.
After his release, Shiritori never returned to crime. He reunited briefly with his daughter and worked in construction until his death in 1979. Today, part of Abashiri Prison is a museum, showcasing Shiritori’s remarkable escape story. His tale remains a testament to human ingenuity and the desire for freedom.
Yoshi Shiritori’s story is a fascinating example of how determination and creativity can lead to extraordinary outcomes. His escapes from prison, especially using something as simple as miso soup, continue to captivate and inspire people around the world.
Imagine you are Yoshi Shiritori planning your escape. Create a short skit with your classmates to reenact the miso soup escape. Focus on the planning, the challenges faced, and the moment of escape. This will help you understand the creativity and determination required for such a feat.
Using your knowledge of Yoshi Shiritori’s escapes, design your own fictional prison break plan. Consider the materials you would use, the obstacles you might face, and how you would overcome them. Present your plan to the class and discuss its feasibility.
Research the prison systems in Japan during Shiritori’s time and compare them to modern-day prison systems in your country. Create a presentation highlighting the differences and similarities, focusing on conditions, treatment of prisoners, and security measures.
Draw a comic strip that illustrates one of Yoshi Shiritori’s escapes. Use your creativity to depict the key moments and emotions involved in the escape. Share your comic strip with the class and explain your artistic choices.
Participate in a class debate about whether Yoshi Shiritori was justified in his escapes. Consider the harsh conditions he faced and the ethical implications of his actions. Prepare arguments for both sides and engage in a respectful discussion with your peers.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
—
This episode is brought to you by Last Day on Earth Survival. Create your character and become a survivalist in a post-apocalyptic zombie wasteland. Rebuild civilization and construct a sanctuary out of the rubble to protect yourself from the undead and hostile raiders. Collect resources and craft new weapons, armor, and traps, starting with basic spears and upgrading to automatic rifles. Take them into battle against the deadly threats that lurk around the wasteland. Explore bunkers where you can face bosses, but remember to prepare by gathering the right amount of weapons, clothing, and first-aid kits. In Last Day on Earth, you can also take on the challenge of building vehicles like a fast motorbike and find a German Shepherd puppy to watch him grow into a big dog for companionship. Download Last Day on Earth using our link in the description below and play now!
Now, speaking of survival in difficult situations, let’s see how Yoshi Shiritori survived one of the toughest prisons in Japan and escaped into the freezing Hokkaido Prefecture. Yoshi Shiritori was a convict who escaped from Abashiri Prison in Hokkaido, Japan, which opened during the Meiji era in 1890. It was one of the new prisons built to accommodate the growing number of criminals following the abolition of the death penalty in 1882. In winter, it’s a bitterly cold place, with local lakes freezing over and thick fog regularly engulfing the area.
In its entire history, only one man has ever escaped, and that was Yoshi Shiritori. He was born in 1907 in the northernmost part of the Tohoku region. Shiritori was the product of a broken home and fell into a life of petty crime at a young age. He spent much of his adult life in prison, escaping from prison no less than four times between 1933 and 1947. His most famous escape was from Abashiri Prison in 1944, during a time when Japan was facing significant challenges in World War II.
Life inside Japanese prisons at that time was harsh, focusing solely on punishment without any attempts at reform. Brutal beatings and sadistic punishments by the guards for the smallest infractions were common. Shiritori quickly grew to hate the unfairness of the prison system. On a particularly stormy night in 1936, he managed to escape by picking his cell door with a piece of wire he had obtained from a wooden water bucket. He arranged several floorboards to give the impression that he was still lying in bed. He was on the run for three days before being recaptured and sentenced to life imprisonment for escaping and stealing supplies from a hospital.
In 1942, during World War II, he was transferred to Akita Prison and placed in solitary confinement. The brutal treatment continued, and he kept secret his ability to escape from his handcuffs and his climbing skills. While in solitary confinement, he noticed that the vent in the ceiling was rotting away. Every night, he would roll up a futon and scale the walls to weaken the rotting wooden frame holding the vent. One night, using a storm to disguise the noise, he managed to escape by climbing up his cell wall and loosening the air vent.
However, he was recaptured a few months later. After being turned in by a kind guard, he was transferred to the isolated Abashiri Prison, where the worst prisoners were held. The conditions there were severe, and Shiritori was placed in more sophisticated handcuffs due to his previous escape attempts. The next two years went by slowly for him, especially as he knew he would be spending the rest of his life in prison if he didn’t act.
In the summer of 1944, his behavior became unusual. He was placed in solitary confinement and fed in his cell. He began to spit his prison breakfast of miso soup all over the metal doorframe of his cell, particularly at the food tray slot. This odd behavior was part of a clever escape plan, as the high salt concentration in the miso soup slowly weakened the metal screws and bolts in the feeding slot. By the night of August 26th, the screws and bolts had started to warp, allowing Shiritori to take advantage of the blackout and make his escape. He stripped down to his underwear and squeezed himself through the feeding slot, dislocating both shoulders in the process.
He managed to stay on the run, living in the wilderness and hunting for food for the next two years. Eventually, he was recaptured after a scuffle with a farmer over food, which ended with the farmer’s death. Shiritori claimed it was an accident, but he was found guilty of murder and his life sentence was changed to the death penalty.
While awaiting execution, he was placed in a specially designed cell with reinforced walls and constant surveillance. The days passed slowly as he awaited his fate. By 1947, the guards had become complacent, convinced that his cell was escape-proof. This allowed Shiritori to make his fourth escape by unlocking the bolts of his cell’s floorboards and digging a tunnel to freedom using his food bowl.
The following year, Shiritori decided he didn’t want to live on the run anymore and handed himself over to the police. The court recognized that in all four of his prison escapes, he had never used violence, so they changed his death sentence to twenty years of imprisonment. They also agreed to his request to be imprisoned in Tokyo. He became a model prisoner and, 14 years later, in 1961, he was given parole and released.
Shiritori never returned to crime. He briefly reunited with his daughter and then traveled the country in search of work, mostly in the construction industry. He passed away from a heart attack in 1979 at the age of 72. Today, part of the prison is a museum dedicated to its history, featuring a display showing how Shiritori escaped in 1944—an enduring memory of a man who could not be contained.
Big thanks to our sponsor for this episode, Last Day on Earth Survival. Download Last Day on Earth using our link in the description below and play now!
—
Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Escape – To break free from confinement or control. – During the American Civil War, many enslaved people sought to escape to the North where they could live freely.
Prison – A building where people are legally held as a punishment for crimes they have committed or while awaiting trial. – Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years for his fight against apartheid in South Africa.
Japan – An island country in East Asia known for its rich history and culture. – Japan’s Meiji Restoration in 1868 marked a significant turning point in its modernization and industrialization.
Yoshi – A common Japanese given name, often associated with historical figures or cultural references. – Yoshi was a samurai who played a crucial role in the unification of Japan during the Sengoku period.
Shiritori – A Japanese word game in which players must say a word that begins with the final kana of the previous word. – Shiritori was a popular pastime among students in Japan during the Edo period.
Miso – A traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans, often used in soups. – Miso soup is a staple in Japanese cuisine and has been enjoyed for centuries.
Soup – A liquid dish, typically made by boiling meat, fish, or vegetables in stock or water. – During the Great Depression, soup kitchens provided meals to those in need.
World – The earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features. – The world experienced significant changes after the end of World War II in 1945.
War – A state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country. – The Civil War in the United States was fought from 1861 to 1865 over issues including states’ rights and slavery.
Freedom – The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. – The Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 was a significant step towards freedom for enslaved people in the United States.
