47 Rōnin, Shi-jū-shichi-shi (四十七士 - also known as Chūshingura 忠臣蔵) associated

sites in Tōkyō

With tensions between the two rising on the 14th day of the 3rd Month of Genroku 14 (21st
April 1701) in the Matsu no Ōrōka, The Great Pine Corridor (松之大廊下) of Edo Castle,
Asano Takumi-no-kami Naganori (浅野 長矩内匠頭), the Lord of Akō Domain, drew his short
sword and attacked the senior most official responsible for protocol, Kira Kōzuke-no-suke
Yoshinaka (吉良 義央上野介) wounding him on his forehead. Kira had been appointed by the
Shōgun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (徳川 綱吉) to instruct Asano in the protocol involved in
receiving envoys from Kyōto for which Asano had been put in charge.

Site of the Matsu no Ōrōka in the Imperial Palace East Gardens

Reconstruction of the Matsu no Ōrōka and its decoration of pine trees and plover in the Edo
Museum, Tōkyō

As drawing a sword in the precincts of Edo Castle was a capital offence Asano was removed
from the castle via the Hirakawa-mon Gate reserved for criminals and the deceased.
 Hirakawa-mon Gate, Edo Castle

He was taken to the mansion of Lord Tamura Tatsuaki (田村建顕) where his sentence to
commit seppuku (hara-kiri) was carried out after Asano had written his death poem…

風さそふ花よりも kaze sasofu hana yori mo More than the cherry blossoms,
なほ我はまた naho ware ha mata Inviting a wind to blow them away,
春の名残を haru no nagori wo I am wondering what to do,
いかにやとせん ika ni yatosen With the remaining springtime.

The site of Asano Naganori’s seppuku marked in 1924 by the ‘Obake Icho’ Pine (大化け-銀
杏松). Hibiya Dori near 4-31 Shimbashi at the intersection of Shintora-dori Avenue and
Hibiya Street This was the site of the residence of Tamura Tatsuaki (田村建顕) Ukyo-
dayu the Lord Steward of the domain of Ichinoseki in Mutsu Province.

His family were moved out of their Teppozu Mansion which was confiscated. They moved
to…
…the site of Asano’s Shimoyashiki in Akasaka which was handed over to the Lord of
Hitoyoshi Domain Nagaari Sagara. It was here that Terasaka Kichiemon Nobuyuki delivered
the news to Asano’s wife Yōzein about their success in finding and beheading Kira. However
it is also recorded that this was the Edo mansion of the family of Asano Naganori’s wife
Yōzein (aka Akuri 1674-1714) the Asano Daimyō of Miyoshi, not that it was a property
belonging to her husband, and that it was exchanged for property belonging to the Daimyō
of the Nambu family of the Morioka clan who lived there until the end of the Edo period. The
property was 92,560 square metres in size. 6-10-12 Akasaka; Hikawa-jinja. This is where the
name of the adjacent slope called Nambu-zaka comes from.

Nambuzaka, between 2-22 Akasaka and Roppongi 2-Chome; Minato-ku

Nambuzaka is a narrow steep alleyway around 3 meters wide which runs towards Roppongi
from Ark Hills not far from Hikawa-jinja. It is also referred to as ‘Nanpozaka (hard to climb
slope). The day before the attack on Kira’s residence Ōishi Kuranosuke visited Yōzei-in at
the residence at Hikawa-Jinja to say farewell. However, worried that word of the raid might
leak he left without saying anything about it. This has become one of the most famous
scenes from the story of the vendetta called ‘Snowy Farewell at Nambuzaka’. Though it is a
short walk between Hikawa-jinja and Nambuzaka in winter it would have been awkward
walking in the snow in wooden sandals which is probably the source of the chant “Sighing
Yōzei-in, suffering Kuranosuke”

Asano was buried in Sengakuji Temple (泉岳寺). The Chizume Blood Stained Plum Tree
and Stone nearby which were splattered with his blood as his second decapitated him was
also moved to Sengakuji Temple where it can still be seen today. His domain lands and
property were confiscated and his retainers dispossessed becoming rōnin, masterless
samurai. Kira remained unpunished.
The incident triggered probably the most famous revenge vendetta in Japanese history
usually known as the story of the 47 Rōnin, Shi-jū-shichi-shi (四十七士, also known as
Chūshingura 忠臣蔵)…

On the basis of the Confucian principle of Bushido that ‘No man shall live under the same
heavens nor tread the same earth as the enemy of lord or father’ they plotted in great
secrecy under the leadership of Ōishi Kuranosuke (大石内蔵助) for two years to revenge
their Lord.

On the snowy night of the 14th day of the 12th month of Genroku 15 (30th January 1703) they
broke into Kira’s mansion and decapitated Kira who had been found hiding in the coal shed.

Prior to the attack they posted several copies of their declaration of intent around the
mansion, one of which (a bequest from the estate of the Kabuki actor Onoe Kikugorō VI) is
on display in the Ako Gishi Memorial Hall at Sengakuji Temple which reads…

"Last year, in the third month, Asano Takumi no Kami, upon the occasion of the
entertainment of the Imperial ambassador, was driven, by the force of circumstances, to
attack and wound my Lord Kōtsuke no Suke in the castle, in order to avenge an insult
offered to him. Having done this without considering the dignity of the place, and having thus
disregarded all rules of propriety, he was condemned to hara-kiri, and his property and
castle of Akō were forfeited to the State, and were delivered up by his retainers to the
officers deputed by the Shogun to receive them. After this his followers were all dispersed.
At the time of the quarrel the high officials present prevented Asano Takumi no Kami from
carrying out his intention of killing his enemy, my Lord Kōtsuke no Suke. So Asano Takumi
no Kami died without having avenged himself, and this was more than his retainers could
endure. It is impossible to remain under the same heaven with the enemy of lord or father;
for this reason we have dared to declare enmity against a personage of so exalted rank. This
day we shall attack Kira Kōtsuke no Suke, in order to finish the deed of vengeance which
was begun by our dead lord. If any honourable person should find our bodies after death, he
is respectfully requested to open and read this document.
"15th year of Genroku. 12th month.
"Signed, OISHI KURANOSUKÉ, Retainer of Asano Takumi no Kami, and forty-six others."

They also planted a placard stating that…

"We, the ronin serving Asano Takumi no Kami, this night will break into the mansion of Kira
Kōtsuke no Suke to avenge our master. Please be assured that we are neither robbers nor
ruffians and no harm will befall the neighbouring property."

Site of Kira’s former residence and a statue of Kira in Ryogoku’s Honjō Matsuzaka-chō (本所
松坂町公園)
They then marched across Edo stopping briefly at the site of the former Edo residence,
Tepposhu Kamiyashiki (上屋敷), of Lord Asano

The site of Lord Asano’s Edo residence in an area that was known as Teppozu and the gate
from the residence which was moved to Sengakuji Temple. The site marker is adjacent to St.
Luke’s Hospital, Akashi-cho, Chuo Ward, Tōkyō

During their march word had spread of their action and people gathered along their route to
offer them food and support. They eventually reached Sengakuji Temple where Asano was
interred.

The gate to the Sengakuji Temple in Shinagawa and Lord Asano’s grave

They paused briefly to wash Kira’s head at the Kubi Arai Well and laid it before Asano’s
tomb along with the following statement.
 The Kubi Arai Well at Sengakuji Temple

"The 15th year of Genroku, the 12th month, and 15th day. We have come this day to do
homage here, forty-seven men in all, from Oishi Kuranosuké down to the foot-soldier,
Terasaka Kichiemon, all cheerfully about to lay down our lives on your behalf. We reverently
announce this to the honoured spirit of our dead master. On the 14th day of the third month
of last year our honoured master was pleased to attack Kira Kōtsuke no Suke, for what
reason we know not. Our honoured master put an end to his own life, but Kira Kōtsuke no
Suke lived. Although we fear that after the decree issued by the Government this plot of ours
will be displeasing to our honoured master, still we, who have eaten of your food, could not
without blushing repeat the verse, 'Thou shalt not live under the same heaven nor tread the
same earth with the enemy of thy father or lord,' nor could we have dared to leave hell and
present ourselves before you in paradise, unless we had carried out the vengeance which
you began. Every day that we waited seemed as three autumns to us. Verily, we have
trodden the snow for one day, nay, for two days, and have tasted food but once. The old and
decrepit, the sick and ailing, have come forth gladly to lay down their lives. Men might laugh
at us, as at grasshoppers trusting in the strength of their arms, and thus shame our
honoured lord; but we could not halt in our deed of vengeance. Having taken counsel
together last night, we have escorted my Lord Kōtsuke no Suke hither to your tomb. This
dirk, by which our honoured lord set great store last year, and entrusted to our care, we now
bring back. If your noble spirit be now present before this tomb, we pray you, as a sign, to
take the dirk, and, striking the head of your enemy with it a second time, to dispel your
hatred for ever. This is the respectful statement of forty-seven men."

After washing the head and presenting it in front of the grave of Asano it was collected by
two of Kira’s colleagues who signed the receipt for it along with the temple priests. It was
returned to Kira’s son.
 The receipt for Kira’s head (Sengakuji Temple)

"MEMORANDUM:—
ITEM. ONE HEAD.
ITEM. ONE PAPER PARCEL.
The above articles are acknowledged to have been received.
Signed, {SAYADA MAGOBELI.(Loc. sigill.)
{ SAITÔ KUNAI.(Loc. sigill.)
"To the priests deputed from the Temple Sengakuji,
His Reverence SEKISHI,
His Reverence ICHIDON."

Kira’s head had been presented to their Lord’s grave and they had been arrested at
Sengakuji the remainder of the group submitted themselves at the residence of Sengoku
Hoki-no-Kami Hisanao. They were divided up into four groups and taken into custody by four
families and transported to their various residences until sentence had been passed. The
four families were Hosokawa, Mouri, Matsudaira and Mizuno.

The site of the residence of Sengoku Hoki-no-Kami Hisanao is now the Nissho Hall (ニ
ッショーホール) where a monument commemorates the moment when they washed
their feet before entering the residence. 2-9-16 Toranomon; Nissho Hall
As revenge vendettas were illegal but they had followed the code of Bushido they were
sentenced by the Shōgun to seppuku (hara-kiri). On the 4th day of the 2nd month of Genroku
16 (20th March 1703) they committed seppuku and their remains were interred at Sengakuji
Temple.

Wooden statue of Chikara Kuranosuke by the sculptor Sekiran (Sengakuji Temple)

Ōishi Chikara Yoshikane’s grave at Sengakuji

Chikara was Oishi Kuranosuke’s son who was 15 at the time of the attack and 16 when he
committed seppuku. Oishi had given his son the choice whether to join the attack on Kira’s
mansion or to look after his mother. Chikara’s reply was…

"I have lived my entire life for this moment. One's life weighs lightly against duty."

Oishi Chikara's final statement before committing seppuku at the residence of Matsudaira
Oki no Kami. Lord Matsudaira had offered to deliver a message to Chikara's mother, but he
politely declined.

“I humbly thank your lordship for what you have been pleased to say. My father warned me
from the first that our crime was so great that, even were we to be pardoned by a gracious
judgment upon one count, I must not forget that there would be a hundred million counts
against us for which we must commit suicide: and that if I disregarded his words his hatred
would pursue me after death. My father impressed this upon me at the temple called
Sengakuji, and again when I was separated from him to be taken to the palace of Prince
Sengoku. Now my father and myself have been condemned to perform hara-kiri, according
to the wish of our hearts. Still I cannot forget to think of my mother. When we parted at
Kiyoto, she told me that our separation would be for long, and she bade me not to play the
coward when I thought of her. As I took a long leave of her then, I have no message to send
to her now.”

Wooden statue of Oishi Kuranosuke by the sculptor Sekiran (Sengakuji Temple)

 The seppuku of Oishi Kuranosuke at the Hosokawa Tsunatoshi Mansion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Cishi_Yoshio#/media/File:Kuranosuke_Harakiri_no_zu.j
pg

Remains of the Hosokawa Tsunatoshi Mansion near Sengakuji, It is now surrounded by

part of the fence of Takamatsu Middle School. 1-16-25 Takanawa. The site of the
seppuku of…

Ōishi Kuranosuke Yoshio/Yoshitaka (大石 内蔵助 良雄)

Hara Sōemon Mototoki (原 惣右衛門 元辰)
Kataoka Gengoemon Takafusa (片岡 源五右衛門 高房)
Horibe Yahyōe/Yahe Kanamaru (堀部 弥兵衛 金丸)
Yoshida Chūzaemon Fujiwara Kanesuke (吉田 忠左衛門 兼亮)
Chikamatsu Kanroku Yukishige (近松 勘六 行重)
Mase Kyudayū Masaaki (間瀬 久太夫 正明)
Akagaki/Akabane Genzō Shigekata (赤埴 源蔵 重賢)
Ushioda Matanojō Takanori (潮田 又之丞 高教)
Tomimori Sukeemon Masayori (富森 助右衛門 正因)
Onodera Jūnai Hidekazu (小野寺 十内 秀和)
Okuda Magodayū Shigemori (奥田 孫太夫 重盛)
Hayamizu/Hayami Tōzaemon Mitsutaka (早水 藤左衛門 満尭)
Yada Gorōemon Suketake (矢田 五郎右衛門 助武)
Ōishi Sezaemon Nobukiyo (大石 瀬左衛門 信清)
Isogai Jūrōzaemon Masahisa (礒貝 十郎左衛門 正久)
Hazama Kihyōe Mitsunobu (間 喜兵衛 光延)
Italian Embassy the former residential mansion of Hisamatsu Matsudaira Sadanao at 2-5-4
Mita and the site of the seppuku of…

Ōishi Chikara Yoshikane (大石 主税 良金)

Horibe Yasubyōe Taketsune (堀部 安兵衛 武庸)
Fuwa/Fuha Kazuemon Masatane (不破 数右衛門 正種)
Okano Kinemon Fukiwara Kanehide (岡野 金右衛門 包秀)
Kimura Okaemon Sadayuki (木村 岡右衛門 貞行)
Nakamura Kansuke Masatoki (中村 勘助 正辰)
Chiba Saburobē Mitsutada (千馬 三郎兵衛 光忠)
Sugaya Hannojō Masatoshi (菅谷 半之丞 政利)
Ōtaka Gengo Tadao/Tadatake (大高 源五 忠雄)
Kaiga Yazaemon Tomonobu (貝賀 弥左衛門 友信)

Mita Kenmotsu - Tadayuki Mizuno Kenmotsu residence. Today, a stone lantern remains,
but the residence at that time was located about 50 meters to the north of this site. It
is also where Itakura Shūri, the assassin of Hosokawa Etchū no Kami, committed seppuku.
5-20-20 Shiba, Keio Naka-dori nr exit A3 of Mita Station (designated Tokyo Metropolitan
historical site). Site of the seppuku of…

Mase Magokurō Masatoki (間瀬 孫九郎 正辰)

Hazama Jūjirō Mitsuoki (間 十次郎 光興)
Muramatsu Sandayū Takanao (村松 三太夫 高直)
Yatō Emoshichi Norikane (矢頭 右衛門七 教兼)
Kanzaki Yogorō Noriyuki/Noriyasu (神崎 与五郎 則休)
Kayano Wasuke Tsunenari (茅野 和助 常成)
Okuda Sadaemon Yukitaka (奥田 貞右衛門 行高)
Yokogawa Kambei/Kanpei Fujiwara no Munetoshi (横川 勘平 宗利)
Minomura Jirōzaemon Kanetsune (三村 次郎左衛門 包常)
Mōri Tsunamoto Mansion now the Mori Teien Garden in Roppongi Hills. Mōri Tsunamoto
was third Lord of Chōfu Domain (毛利綱元). It would seem that he treated the ten Gishi as
ordinary criminals and as a precaution the doors and windows were boarded up, and they
were shut away so to speak. Mōri Tsunamoto was taken aback at the heavy criticism of this
action by the people of Edo. Taking into account the honour of the Gishi the Hosokawa
family revised its treatment of them. There is a plaque in Mori Teien Gardens marking the
location of the mansion where the ten Gishi stayed and subsequently committed seppuku. 6
Chome-11-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku. Site of the seppuku of…

Hazama Shinrokurō Mitsukaze (間 新六郎 光風)

Muramatsu Kihyōe/Kihei Hidenao (村松 喜兵衛 秀直)
Kurahashi Densuke Takeyuki (倉橋 伝助 武幸)
Okajima Yasoemon Tsuneki/Tsuneshige (岡嶋 八十右衛門 常樹)
Katsuta Shinzaemon Taketaka (勝田 新左衛門 武尭)
Takebayashi Tadashichi Takashige (武林 唯七 隆重)
Maebara Isuke Munefusa (前原 伊助 宗房)
Sugino Jūheiji Tsugifusa (杉野 十平次 次房)
Yoshida Sawaemon Kanesada (吉田 沢右衛門 兼貞)
Onodera Kōemon Hidetomi (小野寺 幸右衛門 秀富)

The graves of the 47 Rōnin and the grave of Oishi Kuranosuke at Sengakuji Temple
Old photograph of some of the (about one third life size) dolls of the 47 Rōnin in the Museum
at Sengakuji Temple

The Shōgun sentenced Kira’s son to death for being unable, as a samurai should, to protect
his family and they were dispossessed. Asano’s wife became a nun by the name of Yozeiin
who on her death was also interred at Sengakukiji Temple. The younger brother of Naganori,
Asano Daigaku Nagahiro, was allowed by the Shōgun to re-establish has clan and, though
much reduced, the clan domains.

A screen painting of Yozeiin (Sengakuji Temple) and Yozeiin’s grave

Note: All translations were by Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford, 1st Baron Redesdale who
was Second Secretary to the British Legation in Japan during the last days of the Edo period
and the first days of the Meiji Era.
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Final_Statement_of_the_47_Ronin

Horibe Yasubyōe Taketsune (堀部 安兵衛 武庸) was originally named Nakayama Yasubei
he was the eldest son and a rōnin from the age of 13 when his father, Nakayama Yajiemon (
中山 弥次右衛門), lost his position in Shibata Domain and died shortly afterwards. His
mother had died in childbirth and he had been sent to live with his maternal grandfather who
died two years later making him an orphan. He eventually became an expert swordsman
living in Edo and teaching swordsmanship. The location of his dōjō is now Yasubei Park at
3-15-6 Tatekawa, Sumida-ku, Tōkyō.

He became famous for a duel at fought at Takada-no-baba on the 11th day of the 2nd month
of Genroku 7 (6th March 1694) when he killed three men, an event referred to as
‘Assassination 18’ (18人斬り – 18 hitokiri) which was the talk of Edo. He married the
daughter of Horibe Yahyōe/Yahe Kanamaru (堀部 弥兵衛 金丸) of Akō Domain and became
one of its retainers, an umamawari (cavalryman) with a 200 koku stipend.

Kannonji Temple, Yanaka

Maebara Isuke Munefusa (前原 伊助 宗房) 3 Chome-2-4 Ryōgoku, Sumida-ku, Tōkyō-to

130-0026

The location of the shop at Shin Kojimachi 4-chōme which belonged to Maebara Isuke
Munefusa (前原 伊助 宗房) who had disguised himself as a merchant and taken the
assumed name of lzumiya Gorobei. Mase Magokurō Masatoki , Yoshida Sawaemon
Kanesada (吉田 沢右衛門 兼貞) and Fuwa Kazuemon Masatane (不破 数右衛門 正種)
travelled to Edo where they stayed at the shop. Magokurō also disguised himself as a
merchant and lived at the shop with his father, Kyudayū, from where they spied on Kira.

Monument to Ōtaka Gengo (Ōtaka Gengo Kuhi - 大高源五句碑) in Ryōgokubashi Warabe

Yūen (Ryōgoku Bridge Children’s Park - 両国橋児童遊園, 1 Chome-11 Ryōgoku, Sumida-ku,
Tōkyō-to 130-0026) Ryogoku, Tōkyō which is purportedly a haiku written by him…
「日の恩やたちまちくだく厚氷」
‘Hi no on ya tachimachi kudaku atsugōri’
‘Suddenly, with the benefit of daybreak, thick ice’

The location of the main gate of Kira’s residence (吉良邸正門跡)

Site of the back gate of Kira’s residence (吉良邸裏門跡)

Site of the house of Maebara Isuke Munefusa (前原 伊助 宗房), 3 Chome-2-4 Ryōgoku,
Sumida-ku, Tōkyō-to 130-0026

The site of Kira’s Mansion (吉良邸跡)