Japanese restraint terminology
Soroban (算盤)
In the context of historical Japanese restraint, a soroban board is a wooden platform made from parallel, triangular wooden beams. It was used during Ishidaki, an Edo-period torture method in which a restrained person knelt on the ridged surface while heavy stones were placed across their thighs.
Japanese: 算盤
Reading: soroban
Primary meaning: Japanese abacus
Historical context: Ishidaki (石抱き)
Related term: Soroban-zeme (算盤責め)
Note: In ordinary Japanese, soroban refers to an abacus. The term is associated with the torture board because its ridged construction resembles elements of the calculating instrument.
The wooden board
The historical soroban board consisted of several wooden beams with triangular cross-sections, arranged side by side to create a raised, ridged surface.
Unlike an ordinary flat board, its narrow upper edges concentrated pressure against the lower legs when a person knelt on it.
The board was an essential part of the historical Ishidaki method, rather than simply a platform used to support the person.
Soroban and Ishidaki
The term soroban-zeme (算盤責め) refers to the historical torture method also known as ishidaki (石抱き), meaning “stone embracing”.
During this practice, a restrained person was made to kneel on the ridged board while heavy stones were placed across the thighs.
For the history of the practice and its terminology, see Ishidaki.
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