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Nickname Flower of Evil (呼び名は悪の花): The Abe Sada Story
When Japan transitioned from 264 years of rule under the military-led Tokugawa Shogunate to the restoration of imperial power during the Meiji era, it embarked on a path of rapid modernization. This modernization came at an enormous cost, a cost that was borne primarily by the already repressed members of Japan's society – the impoverished rural women, the female factory laborers, and the sex industry workers.
Born during the latter part of the Meiji era, a former geisha and prostitute, Abe Sada was elevated to celebrity status after committing the most heinous crime in 20th century Japan. After being convicted and imprisoned for strangling and emasculating her lover with a kitchen knife, she became the subject of countless articles, books, and movies. Although she remains very famous in Japan, not much is known about her life outside of Japan except for what was depicted in the sexploitation film In the Realm of the Senses. Of the countless works produced about her, very few have dared to faithfully examine her life or to discuss the series of tragic events which pushed her to commit the crime.
In Nickname: Flower of Evil, you are invited to travel back to the newly modernized, male-dominated, misogynistic, post-Tokugawa era in Japan, where women were deprived of their economic independence, subjected to the will of the household heads, and sold into the sex industry. This was the world into which Abe Sada was born, raised, and forced to survive.
Born during the latter part of the Meiji era, a former geisha and prostitute, Abe Sada was elevated to celebrity status after committing the most heinous crime in 20th century Japan. After being convicted and imprisoned for strangling and emasculating her lover with a kitchen knife, she became the subject of countless articles, books, and movies. Although she remains very famous in Japan, not much is known about her life outside of Japan except for what was depicted in the sexploitation film In the Realm of the Senses. Of the countless works produced about her, very few have dared to faithfully examine her life or to discuss the series of tragic events which pushed her to commit the crime.
In Nickname: Flower of Evil, you are invited to travel back to the newly modernized, male-dominated, misogynistic, post-Tokugawa era in Japan, where women were deprived of their economic independence, subjected to the will of the household heads, and sold into the sex industry. This was the world into which Abe Sada was born, raised, and forced to survive.
- GenresTrue CrimeBiography
162 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2019
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71 people want to read
About the author
Kristine Ohkubo
13 books24 followersKRISTINE OHKUBO is a Los Angeles-based author and editor whose work emphasizes topics related to Japan and Japanese culture. While growing up in Chicago, she developed a deep love and appreciation for Japanese culture, people, and history. Her extensive travels in Japan have enabled her to gain insight into this fascinating country, which she shares with you through her work.
Her first book, a compilation of numerous travel blog articles about Japan, was published in 2016 (revised edition issued in 2022). In 2017, she released a historical study of the Pacific War written from the perspective of the Japanese people, both those who were living in Japan and in the United States, when the war broke out. Two years later, she supplemented her earlier releases with the story of an infamous twentieth century geisha, who was both a victim and an aggressor, struggling amidst a strict patriarchal culture and a rapidly changing social system. In 2019, she followed up her 2017 release, The Sun Will Rise Again, with a book titled Sakhalin. The work examines the far-reaching impact the island changing hands had on its inhabitants and resources and culminates with the tragic events which took place in August 1945.
Beginning in 2020, Kristine turned her attention to rakugo, Japan’s 400-year-old art of storytelling. She released two books, Talking About Rakugo 1: the Japanese Art of Storytelling followed by Talking About Rakugo 2: The Stories Behind the Storytellers. Through a succession of biographical information, anecdotes, interviews, and rakugo scripts, the author explains why this traditional art form has endured for centuries.
In 2022, Kristine contributed her editing skills to yet another rakugo book—this one authored by English rakugo storyteller Kanariya Eiraku entitled Eiraku's 100 English Rakugo Scripts (Volume 1). Following its release in August, she revisited a work she had first published three years earlier.
Originally released in January 2019, Asia's Masonic Reformation: Freemasonry's Impact on the Westernization and Subsequent Modernization of Asia examines how Freemasons have historically been the catalysts for change throughout Asia and the rest of the world. Utilizing careful research and setting aside the misinformation and various conspiracy theories that have emerged throughout the decades, the revised second edition presents the details and irrefutable historical facts demonstrating how Freemasons have notably been at the forefront of history, ushering in rapid change, modernization, and enlightenment.
An avid rakugo fan, Kristine once again shifted her attention to the art of rakugo in 2023. She compiled and released a collection of her own original English rakugo stories. Where applicable, the book also includes detailed historical information from which the author drew her inspiration for the stories.
As an author, Kristine believes that writing from other cultural perspectives encourages empathy and understanding, and at the same time it broadens our knowledge of the events that have unfolded over the years.
Her first book, a compilation of numerous travel blog articles about Japan, was published in 2016 (revised edition issued in 2022). In 2017, she released a historical study of the Pacific War written from the perspective of the Japanese people, both those who were living in Japan and in the United States, when the war broke out. Two years later, she supplemented her earlier releases with the story of an infamous twentieth century geisha, who was both a victim and an aggressor, struggling amidst a strict patriarchal culture and a rapidly changing social system. In 2019, she followed up her 2017 release, The Sun Will Rise Again, with a book titled Sakhalin. The work examines the far-reaching impact the island changing hands had on its inhabitants and resources and culminates with the tragic events which took place in August 1945.
Beginning in 2020, Kristine turned her attention to rakugo, Japan’s 400-year-old art of storytelling. She released two books, Talking About Rakugo 1: the Japanese Art of Storytelling followed by Talking About Rakugo 2: The Stories Behind the Storytellers. Through a succession of biographical information, anecdotes, interviews, and rakugo scripts, the author explains why this traditional art form has endured for centuries.
In 2022, Kristine contributed her editing skills to yet another rakugo book—this one authored by English rakugo storyteller Kanariya Eiraku entitled Eiraku's 100 English Rakugo Scripts (Volume 1). Following its release in August, she revisited a work she had first published three years earlier.
Originally released in January 2019, Asia's Masonic Reformation: Freemasonry's Impact on the Westernization and Subsequent Modernization of Asia examines how Freemasons have historically been the catalysts for change throughout Asia and the rest of the world. Utilizing careful research and setting aside the misinformation and various conspiracy theories that have emerged throughout the decades, the revised second edition presents the details and irrefutable historical facts demonstrating how Freemasons have notably been at the forefront of history, ushering in rapid change, modernization, and enlightenment.
An avid rakugo fan, Kristine once again shifted her attention to the art of rakugo in 2023. She compiled and released a collection of her own original English rakugo stories. Where applicable, the book also includes detailed historical information from which the author drew her inspiration for the stories.
As an author, Kristine believes that writing from other cultural perspectives encourages empathy and understanding, and at the same time it broadens our knowledge of the events that have unfolded over the years.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 10, 2019
Women often have been (and in some instances, still are) regarded as the underclass in various cultures around the world, and Japan is no exception.
Although Japan's populace is well educated and its economy is highly developed, the country’s adherence to outdated principles and traditions create an environment that is less favorable for women overall. The author uses the 83-year-old Abe Sada incident as a jumping off point to discuss Japan’s past and present social settings where women are often placed at a considerable disadvantage both socially and economically. She paints a clear picture of what life was like for Abe Sada and discusses in great detail the social patterns which contributed to what became the most “heinous crime of the 20th century in Japan.” In the end, the reader is left asking, “How much have we changed?”
Overall, the book is an easy read and provides a very good overview of Japanese history and culture as it encourages us to think about social responsibility.
Although Japan's populace is well educated and its economy is highly developed, the country’s adherence to outdated principles and traditions create an environment that is less favorable for women overall. The author uses the 83-year-old Abe Sada incident as a jumping off point to discuss Japan’s past and present social settings where women are often placed at a considerable disadvantage both socially and economically. She paints a clear picture of what life was like for Abe Sada and discusses in great detail the social patterns which contributed to what became the most “heinous crime of the 20th century in Japan.” In the end, the reader is left asking, “How much have we changed?”
Overall, the book is an easy read and provides a very good overview of Japanese history and culture as it encourages us to think about social responsibility.
May 5, 2024
“My heart hurts. My heart hurts,” Abe Sada said.
Raped at 15 and believing that losing her virginity made pursuing a path to a respectable marriage pointless, Sada was sold into prostitution by her father in Kristine Ohkubo’s “Nickname: Flower of Evil, The Abe Sada Story,” a riveting story that seems impossible yet is true.
Call Sada a prostitute, Geisha, mistress, murderer, but “Sada and her actions represent the repressed emotions of countless Japanese women who have found themselves hindered and exploited. In a society where the law does little to protect women against exploitation and where there is significant cultural pressure to accept and bear hardship, many young women who felt vulnerable might have perceived Sada and her actions as empowering. Their support of her, both as a victim and an aggressor, may be viewed as a silent protest against a society that has treated them unfairly,” Ohkubo eloquently said.
It is both unfair and irresponsible to merely focus on Sada as a sex industry worker. Time and time again, Sada’s trust was betrayed and her sense of self-worth stripped away. In reading this book, her actions come across as a powerful commentary against repression and exploitation.
“There was nothing about Sada that made her seem common,” according to a police officer interrogating Sada for the murder of her lover. Amen.
Ohkubo’s book, “Nickname: Flower of Evil, The Abe Sada Story” was chosen as a finalist in the 2024 American Legacy Book Awards, True Crime category.
Raped at 15 and believing that losing her virginity made pursuing a path to a respectable marriage pointless, Sada was sold into prostitution by her father in Kristine Ohkubo’s “Nickname: Flower of Evil, The Abe Sada Story,” a riveting story that seems impossible yet is true.
Call Sada a prostitute, Geisha, mistress, murderer, but “Sada and her actions represent the repressed emotions of countless Japanese women who have found themselves hindered and exploited. In a society where the law does little to protect women against exploitation and where there is significant cultural pressure to accept and bear hardship, many young women who felt vulnerable might have perceived Sada and her actions as empowering. Their support of her, both as a victim and an aggressor, may be viewed as a silent protest against a society that has treated them unfairly,” Ohkubo eloquently said.
It is both unfair and irresponsible to merely focus on Sada as a sex industry worker. Time and time again, Sada’s trust was betrayed and her sense of self-worth stripped away. In reading this book, her actions come across as a powerful commentary against repression and exploitation.
“There was nothing about Sada that made her seem common,” according to a police officer interrogating Sada for the murder of her lover. Amen.
Ohkubo’s book, “Nickname: Flower of Evil, The Abe Sada Story” was chosen as a finalist in the 2024 American Legacy Book Awards, True Crime category.
September 24, 2025
The writing needs polish, the analysis is at times overly simplistic, and some of the sources cited are of dubious quality, but on a whole the book offers an entertaining and concise account of Sada Abe's fascinating and tragic life.
September 30, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of Kristine Ohkubo's latest book, "Nickname: Flower of Evil" as a thank you gift for purchasing and reviewing her earlier publications. Intrigued by the topic, I finished reading the book in just one night.
Of all the books that have been written about Sada Abe over the years, none (other than Sada's own memoirs) were written from a female perspective. Kristine Ohkubo just changed that!
A well written and well researched piece, it examines the darker aspects of Japanese society.
There is a quote attributed to author and illustrator, Jasmin Kaur, which reads, "Scream so that one day a hundred years from now another sister will not have to dry her tears wondering where in history she lost her voice." I believe that quote is very fitting when describing Kristine's approach to a topic that has been exhaustively covered over the years.
I would highly recommend this book to both women and men alike!
Of all the books that have been written about Sada Abe over the years, none (other than Sada's own memoirs) were written from a female perspective. Kristine Ohkubo just changed that!
A well written and well researched piece, it examines the darker aspects of Japanese society.
There is a quote attributed to author and illustrator, Jasmin Kaur, which reads, "Scream so that one day a hundred years from now another sister will not have to dry her tears wondering where in history she lost her voice." I believe that quote is very fitting when describing Kristine's approach to a topic that has been exhaustively covered over the years.
I would highly recommend this book to both women and men alike!
December 8, 2020
Years ago when I was still a college student, my aunt mentioned Sada Abe to me in passing. At the time, I thought it was a barbaric act to emasculate someone and had very little sympathy for Sada. After reading Kristine Ohkubo’s book, I have a better understanding of Sada as a person and the circumstances of her crime. I also appreciate how the author wove in the stories of crimes committed by other Japanese women over the years for comparative purposes. The book is very educational, and at the same time easy to read and understand.
I look forward to reading other works by this author.
I look forward to reading other works by this author.
January 8, 2021
The authors introduction of the social caste system during Sada’s time was helpful to understand what a woman’s choices were if not properly educated and eligible for marriage. Although Japan is modern, the country’s adherence to outdated traditions create an environment that is less favorable for women both socially and economically She paints a clear picture of what life was like for Abe being dependent on male intermediaries to earn a living in an Okiya and the sex industry. What I found fascinating was Kristine’s ability to trace Sada’s movement from one okiya to another and the circumstances of each move.
The fathers business is destroyed when the son and his wife leave with the Tatami business money. And this is the beginning of her troubles. It’s a shocking story of a young girl who loved music and beautiful things. She was psychologically damaged by her vulnerable position in a male dominated society, raped as a teenager, sold into prostitution by her own father, manipulated and taken advantage by men until her story reaches its terrible conclusion to what became the most “heinous crime of the 20th century in Japan. Only 2 men in her life really cared for Sada. One was a Professor who really encouraged her to learn and establish a business to provide financial freedom and escape the life she was living. The other was a restaurant owner where she worked who was madly in love with her and is the subject of this case. I believe this quote from an interview sums up the reason
“I loved him so much, I wanted him all to myself. But since we were not husband and wife, as long as he lived he could be embraced by other women. I knew that if I killed him no other woman could ever touch him again, so I killed him …”
This book is exciting to read and you continue to want to know more about Sada circumstances as you turn each page.. I believe that the author has taken Sada life story and presents it from a women’s perspective of the fate that women must endure. Sada’s journey from working to escaping from the Okiya and being brought back and punished is so sad to read. You want to help her escape and be free from this persecution. In the end, the reader is left asking, about the disempowerment of women in Japanese society even today and what alternatives are there for repressed women in a man’s world.
The fathers business is destroyed when the son and his wife leave with the Tatami business money. And this is the beginning of her troubles. It’s a shocking story of a young girl who loved music and beautiful things. She was psychologically damaged by her vulnerable position in a male dominated society, raped as a teenager, sold into prostitution by her own father, manipulated and taken advantage by men until her story reaches its terrible conclusion to what became the most “heinous crime of the 20th century in Japan. Only 2 men in her life really cared for Sada. One was a Professor who really encouraged her to learn and establish a business to provide financial freedom and escape the life she was living. The other was a restaurant owner where she worked who was madly in love with her and is the subject of this case. I believe this quote from an interview sums up the reason
“I loved him so much, I wanted him all to myself. But since we were not husband and wife, as long as he lived he could be embraced by other women. I knew that if I killed him no other woman could ever touch him again, so I killed him …”
This book is exciting to read and you continue to want to know more about Sada circumstances as you turn each page.. I believe that the author has taken Sada life story and presents it from a women’s perspective of the fate that women must endure. Sada’s journey from working to escaping from the Okiya and being brought back and punished is so sad to read. You want to help her escape and be free from this persecution. In the end, the reader is left asking, about the disempowerment of women in Japanese society even today and what alternatives are there for repressed women in a man’s world.
February 15, 2020
Author Kristine Ohkubo has a gift for uncovering long-ago buried historical facts and bringing them to light with freshness and zeal. Her ability for superb storytelling is unmatched, and those stories she tells are steeped in well-researched truths.
In her latest book about a woman repeatedly sold into sexual slavery, Ohkubo reveals what it was like for one of Japan’s most infamous murderers to commit such an atrocious act. Ohkubo delves deep into Abe Sada’s psyche—a woman who suffered immeasurable abuse because of her gender—and gives readers thought-provoking information that lingers long after the last page has been turned.
A champion for women’s rights, Ohkubo breaks down Japan’s complicated patriarchal system in easy-to-understand language while never lessening the impact of emotion that permeates her every word.
In her latest book about a woman repeatedly sold into sexual slavery, Ohkubo reveals what it was like for one of Japan’s most infamous murderers to commit such an atrocious act. Ohkubo delves deep into Abe Sada’s psyche—a woman who suffered immeasurable abuse because of her gender—and gives readers thought-provoking information that lingers long after the last page has been turned.
A champion for women’s rights, Ohkubo breaks down Japan’s complicated patriarchal system in easy-to-understand language while never lessening the impact of emotion that permeates her every word.
March 2, 2021
Abe Sada was a Japanese Geisha and prostitute primary before WWII. She had many clients and jobs in cities across Japan. Through her ill treatment during childhood and her work in the sex industry, Abe eventually became murderous and killed her lover in fear that he would leave her, even temporarily. She was obsessively jealous of her lovers wife and children and wanted to be with him forever. Her murder was accompanied by castration of her lover after which she carried his genitals in her coinpurse.
Quite a story and a look into the Japanese male-female relations of the 20th century.
Quite a story and a look into the Japanese male-female relations of the 20th century.
April 19, 2021
Very good read, broaden my perspective on life in Japan for women. Being a Sansei in America you never hear about stories like the one you have written. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to reading more of your work.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews