2005年03月07日
Sengakuji Temple (Resting Place of the 47 Ronin)
Sengakuji temple houses the graves of the 47 Ronin (and their lord, Asano Takumi-no-Kami Naganori). The story is fairly well known in the west, and is very famous here in Japan. It is considered a lesson on bushido (the warriors code).
If you aren't interested in the story, you can jump straight to the photos.
History in a Nutshell
As the story goes, lord Asano was insulted by Kira (Kira Kozuke-no-Suke Yoshinaka), another of the myriad of Japanese lords, and Asano attacked Kira. Oddly enough, the actual attack wasn't, it seems, as important as where the attack took place; Edo castle, the home of the Shogun. Asano was ordered to commit seppaku (ritual suicide).
Asano's samurai retainers planned to step down quietly, as to enable the succession of another member of the family. Unfortunately, this was impossible due to some political maneuvering. The current leader of the samurai (now, technically ronin), Oishi Kuranosuke Yoshio decided to plan revenge! On December 15th, 1702, Oishi and 46 other ronin (including Oishi's son) stormed Kira's mansion and, after a brief discussion, decapitated Kira, and took his head to Sengakuji temple. Apparently some people think that the true villan was the shogun, as this question is brought up in the entertaining, yet poorly produced video playing at the temple.
A month and a half later, on February 4th 1703, forty-six of the ronin committed seppaku as ordered by the shogun. Their graves can still be seen today at Sengakuji temple.
The Temple Today
After looking at the plaque listing the names of the 47 ronin at Sengakuji station, proceed quickly to the temple (about a 1 min walk). When you get to the temple from the station the first thing you will see is a large wood gate. This is called the middle (or second) gate constructed in 1836. Passing through this you come to the sacred gift shop. Next, across a very small stone bridge is the bronze statue of Oisji Kuranosuke, built in 1921. After this is the main (or third) gate, rebuilt in 1832. On the celling of the ground-floor can be seen a bronze dragon. Next is the wholly unimpressive main hall, rebuilt after WWII. To the left of the main hall is a statue of Sawaki Kodo Roshi, a 20th century Zen master. Just past him is the temple bell, constructed in 1913. Next is a series of plum trees given to and from people involved in the story. Among these trees is 'the blood stained stone,' from where Asano committed seppaku. Upon returning from decapitating Kira, the ronin, for some reason, washed his head in the well. The well is named Kubi-Arai well, meaning the head washing well. I assume that this was a later modification. Next, proceed through the gate that was originally at Asano's house, and come upon the Graves of the 47 ronin.
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Getting There
First, get to Japan. Specifically Tokyo. After that, it's a piece of cake. The temple is a 2 minute walk from the aptly named Sengakuji station. This is very close to Shinagawa station on the subway Toei Asakusa Line. Admission is free for the graveyard and ¥500 for the museum.
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good story and nice pics
Posted by: matt at 2005年03月10日 07:33Hi, I found your blog from a slashdot thread where you linked to our article about dialectics. Very nice website you have got here. I appreciate all the effort that must have gone into it. Take care.
Posted by: Nordica at 2005年05月15日 04:19great site. I found it in researching the name Ronin. A name my wife and I are considering for our boy whos due any day now. Any thoughts... Being a martial artist who enjoys the rewards of training, I understand and respect Bushido; however, I am not sure how well an american would be looked at with the name Ronin, or if it would be looked at negatively?
Posted by: scott at 2005年07月29日 07:23hmmm... I think that it might be a little strange. Ronin has some negative connotations. have a look at http://japanese.about.com/blhiraculture43.htm
It would probably be a bit odd, but no one would be rude enough to point it out (unless they were drinking)
Posted by: joe at 2005年07月29日 11:25It sounds like a good name. I know i wouldn't make fun of a respected word like ronin.
Posted by: Cody Wilcox at 2005年10月27日 01:30I know being a american makes it where I don't know anything about the way of the samurai. You are probly right but, the things I have learn have made me see that the 47 Ronin are the most incredible people I have ever heard about. I wish that one day I could go to japan and pay some repect for the most heroic men the world has ever known or ever know. So even though im a 17 year old american boy I see that the samurai of old were or rather are the most Honorful men that should be seen as they were "Heros". Thank you for putting this site here for I have seen the pictures of the place from my childhood dreams. If you know other good places for info and history of all of the samurai of old. please let me know. thank you and goodbye.
Posted by: Cash Phillips at 2005年11月08日 18:59I really don't know all that much about samurai either. They are a staple in Japanese media and I don't think you can go a day without seeing some advertisement with a happy samurai and his friends selling toothpaste or some such. I am, however, interested in history (more as a dilettante than anything else).
As with most things, history (and the media) has colored our perception of what we generally see as "the way it was." While some samurai, like the 47 ronin, were undoubtedly men of honor, this honor was defined by the time in which they lived. Take, for example, Serizawa Kamo. He is considered a great samurai leader (of the Shinsengumi), but would never pass for a great man (although beheading 3 people at once is impressive).
Japanese media don’t like to portray their heroes as despots and tyrants anymore than their American counterparts.
(btw, i updated the stylesheet to make these comments a little more readable)
hi, great site, found it while looking up wikipedia for the 47 ronin.
i was wondering if you knew of any site or could point me to any of your pictures above that might contain the kanji(japanese symbols/characters) for Ako Gishi?
Posted by: Ciarán at 2005年11月10日 11:40Ciarán: I'm not Japanese, so this is my best guess. If you look in the first picture you can see it. Far right side (top to bottom)-> 赤穂義士
Please have it double checked if you plan to get a tattoo or something.
Posted by: joe at 2005年11月10日 15:34Despotism and tyranny aside, what makes these 47 men heroes is not so much the way in which they lived, but the fact that they so adhered to their beliefs that it cost every one of them their lives. I suppose that's a sort of martyrdom, as we'd call it in the States. The fact that they're still not only remembered but revered is equally impressive.
Posted by: Wanderer at 2006年01月14日 12:20
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushido
Extremely shaken by the story of the 47 Ronin... it makes me think about the values that are carried by men of 21st century
Posted by: Haddood at 2006年03月16日 19:14I respect any man who is willing to die for the code he chose to live by, wether is is Busido, or the Gospel. It shows a sense of honor and faithfullness. Pat
Posted by: Pat Krentz at 2006年03月28日 02:48such a heroic deed is impossible in todays world
Posted by: pushkraj at 2006年04月18日 17:13Hi, i am from Holland so sorry for my bad english. I was there in november 2005 and it is a beatufull place to be. I dont think that whe, westren people fully can understand the feeling off onner of those people.
Posted by: Chi at 2006年06月04日 19:10A useful site thank you. I am going to Japan very soon and this is highest on my list of places to visit, along with the cave where Miyamoto Musashi wrote Go Rin No Sho. I think what is important with this story is more how they waited, suffing taunts, verbal abuse, even physical abuse until the spies of Kira were convinced they were no longer a threat. Patience is the moral of this story.
Posted by: Peter Wilson at 2006年06月21日 01:27