SENGAKUJI TEMPLE
THE RESTING PLACE OF THE 47 SAMURAI
THE 47 SAMURAI
What is generally known as ‘The Ako Incident’
occurred in 1701 in Ako in Western Japan and ended in Tokyo some two years
later.
Ako is located southwest of Osaka and Kobe.
The story, which is legendary in Japan describes how a group of
Ronin, or leaderless Samurai when their feudal Lord Asano Naganori was
compelled to perform seppuku (ritual suicide) for assaulting a court official
named Kira Yoshinaka took revenge. After waiting and planning for over a year
the ronin avenged their master’s honour by killing Kirra, cutting off his head
and displaying it in a bucket. They were then obliged to commit seppuku for
their deeds. The 47 and Asano are buried in Sengakuji Temple in Tokyo and on
December 14, each year a ceremony is held commemorating the event. Around
Tokyo, including Sengakuji you will find various memorial to the 47. There is
even a bucket (for any stray heads) and a washing area.
Asano's Grave In Sengauki
The Story in More Detail
In 1701, Asano Naganori a young Daimyo (or feudal lord of the
Ako Domain), a small fiefdom in Western Honshu (just west of Kobe) and one
other (Kamei) were ordered to arrange a reception for the envoys of Emperor
Higashiyama at the Edo Castle (present day Imperial Palace in Tokyo). Asano and
Kamei were to be given instructions in the necessary court etiquette by Kira
Kozuke-no-Suke Yoshinaka, a powerful official in the hierarchy of Tokugawa
Tsunayoshi’s shogunate. He allegedly became upset at Asano and Kamei, either
because of the insufficient presents they offered him as a time-honoured
compensation for his teachings or because they would not offer bribes that he
wanted. Other sources say that Kira was rude and arrogant and he was corrupt,
which offended Asano. Either way they did not get on and Asano may have not
shown the appropriate respect to Kira. Whatever the reason significant offense
was taken.
Asano was
relatively calm but Kamei was irate and was prepared to kill Kira but this was
averted and his advisors appropriately (by providing Kira with a large bribe)
and Kira then treated Kamei with normal respect but continued to treat Asano
badly, calling him names and Asano could hold it in no longer. In the main
grand corridor (Matsu no Oroka) connecting the meeting area with the residence
of the Palace, Asano attacked Kira with a dagger, wounding him in the face with
the first strike. Kira was not badly hurt but the attack on a shogunate
official was a grave offence and the drawing of any weapon in the shogun’s residence
a serious offence. He was accordingly ordered to kill himself by seppuku and
his lands were to be confiscated and his family ruined. His retainers would also
be leaderless and out of a job.
The stone memorial
Edo Casstle In the East Garden of Imperial Palace a short walk from the Corridor
Oishi
Kuranosuke Yoshio, Asano’s head of staff who took over and moved the Asano
family away and then surrended the castle to the government. Oishi and the
forty-seven swore a secret oath to avenge their master by killing Kira although
they knew the consequences.
Kira was well guarded,
however, and his residence had been fortified to prevent just such an event.
The Ronin saw that they would have to lull the suspicions of
Kira and other shogunate authorities, so they dispersed and became tradesmen
and monks. Kira still feared a trap and sent spies to watch Asano's former
retainers. Oishi was either very smart or was the way he acted as he became a
drunk, frequented brothels and did things uncharacteristic of a samurai, all of
which was reported to Kira as Oishi had hoped as he was attempting to rid
himself of spies. Kira was taken in. After a year and a half and thinking they
were harmless he let down his guard
Statue of Oishi in Sengakuji
The forty-seven, now back
in Tokyo as workmen and merchants studied Kira’s house (one of them actually
married the daughter of the builder of the
house to get information). After two
years on December 14, 1702 the ronin attacked the principal gate of Kira’s
house in Edo.
Kira's House in Ryoguku
The site where Oishi and 16 others did their thing.
Oishi’s part
broke into the rear of the house, killing sixteen of Kira’s men and wounding
22. There was no sign of Kira. A new search identified a secret courtyard where
two armed guards were found and killed. They then found Kira who refused to say
who he was but the scar on his faced proved it was Kira. They then killed Kira
and cut off his head.
They arrived
back in Sengakuji about ten kilometres on the other side of Tokyo and near
Shinagawa as the sun rose where they washed and cleaned the head of Kira. The
story spread quickly and everyone praised their action. They gave the head to
the man in charge of the temple (the receipt for the head still exists at the
temple), handed over all their money seeking a decent burial when they were
gone. They then turned themselves in and they were broken up into four
different groups. The Shogun ordered them to honourably commit seppuku rather
than have them executed as criminals. Even though there 47 at the raid of
Kira’s house only 46 committed seppuku on the 4th February 1703, the
47th returned from some mission and was pardoned probably because of
his youth. The youngest of those that committed seppuku was only 16. The 47th
ronin lived until he was 87 and was buried with his comrades at Sengakuji.
During the last visit to Tokyo we stayed at
SHERATON MIYAKO HOTEL TOKYO
It is a short walk to Sengakuji and even closer to the site where Oishi committeed Seppuku. See map.
In More Detail
