The Culling Game just got personal. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Episode 9, titled “Tokyo No. 1 Colony, Part 3,” delivers one of the most emotionally charged confrontations of the entire arc. Instead of a flashy brawl, we get a courtroom drama wrapped inside a Domain Expansion — and the ending will leave you questioning justice, guilt, and redemption.
If you’re searching for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Episode 9 ending explained, Yuji vs Higuruma explained, or Tokyo No. 1 Colony Part 3 spoilers, you’re in the right place. We’re breaking down every trial, the shocking confession, the Executioner’s Sword moment, and what the new Culling Game rule means for the future.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for Jujutsu Kaisen S03E09
(You’ve been warned — proceed only if you’ve watched the episode!)
Quick Episode Recap:
The SetupYuji Itadori enters the Tokyo No. 1 Colony searching for allies and points. He runs into Hiromi Higuruma, a former defense attorney turned sorcerer with a deadly Domain Expansion called Deadly Sentencing. What starts as a simple request for help quickly turns into a life-or-death trial.
Higuruma refuses to join Yuji’s side and activates his Domain, trapping Yuji inside a courtroom where Judgeman — a giant shikigami judge — presides over the case. Violence is forbidden inside the Domain… until the verdict is delivered.
Higuruma domain expansion explained (Deadly Sentencing Explained)Higuruma’s technique turns every fight into a literal trial:
Judgeman charges the target with a crime.
The defendant can confess, deny, or stay silent.
Verdicts result in punishments: Confiscation (loss of cursed energy) or Death Penalty (via the Executioner’s Sword).
The Domain guarantees a guilty verdict 99% of the time — just like real Japanese criminal trials.
This setup is pure genius and forces Yuji (and the audience) to confront morality head-on.
The First Trial: Pachinko Parlor Mischief
Yuji is charged with entering a pachinko parlor while underage (2017). He tries the “I just needed to use the bathroom” defense… and gets caught in a lie.
Verdict: Guilty.
Sentence: Confiscation.
Yuji loses access to his cursed energy. Higuruma overwhelms him with physical strikes and his gavel-shikigami. But Yuji refuses to give up — he demands a retrial (allowed up to twice) and survives long enough to force round two.
The Second Trial: Shibuya Massacre
Judgeman hits Yuji with the real charge — mass murder during the Shibuya Incident.
Everyone expects Yuji to deny it or blame Sukuna. Instead, Yuji immediately confesses.
He accepts full responsibility, saying the deaths happened because he was too weak to stop Sukuna. No excuses. No shifting blame. Just raw, painful honesty.
Verdict: Guilty.
Sentence: Confiscation + Death Penalty.
Higuruma receives the Executioner’s Sword — one cut and it’s over.
The Ending Explained: Why Higuruma Spares Yuji
This is where Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Episode 9 becomes legendary.
As Higuruma raises the sword, Yuji’s genuine confession shatters him. Flashbacks show Higuruma’s own disillusionment with the justice system — he once turned down a judgeship because he saw how the system destroys people.
Yuji’s admission reveals a soul that is neither weak nor ugly (Higuruma’s words for humanity). It’s a soul burdened by empathy and accountability.
Higuruma deactivates the Executioner’s Sword. Yuji lands a clean uppercut. The Domain collapses.In the aftermath, the two broken men sit down for a raw conversation about guilt:
Yuji still blames himself for Shibuya.
Higuruma admits he killed two people (a corrupt judge and prosecutor) before entering the Culling Game.
Higuruma declares Yuji legally and morally innocent — Sukuna was in control; Yuji never surrendered willingly. But Yuji refuses to accept absolution. He carries the weight anyway.
The Game-Changing Rule & Higuruma’s Final Act
Instead of killing Yuji, Higuruma uses his points to add a brand-new rule to the Culling Game:
“Players may transfer points to one another.”
This single rule could save hundreds of lives by letting strong players protect weaker ones. Higuruma then gives Yuji one point to make the rule functional and walks away.
In his final line, Higuruma says he’ll turn himself in for his own crimes once the Culling Game ends.
Conclusion
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Episode 9 isn’t just an ending — it’s a masterclass in emotional storytelling. Yuji’s confession and Higuruma’s redemption turn a simple fight into something profound. If you thought the Culling Game was only about survival, this episode proves it’s about who we choose to become when no one is watching.