The Sakai Incident

March 8, 1868 - Today was the day that some unlucky French sailors floated into the port of Sakai, near Osaka, Japan.

The port was off-limits to foreigners and as soon as the Frenchmen pulled up to the docks they were attacked by a bunch of samurai.

The deaths of the 11 Frenchmen set off a huge international incident. The French protested mightily and the Japanese agreed to pay a massive fine. In addition, 20 of the samurai were arrested and condemend to die by seppuku.

After 11 samurai performed the gruesome acts of disembowelment, the French were so freaked out that they begged them to stop. The remaining 9 samurai were pardoned and the French and Japanese began to repair their relations.