Sengaku-ji

[ . BACK to Worldkigo TOP . ]
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Sengaku-ji and the 47 Ronin (Chushingura)
泉岳寺と４７浪人　/ 忠臣蔵　

Sengakuji is a small temple in Minato-ku, Tokyo, famous for its graveyard where the "47 Ronin" (also known as Akorooshi, the "masterless samurai from Ako") are buried.

The story of the 47 loyal roonin (see below) remains one of the most popular historical stories in Japan, and many people visit the temple in order to pay respect to the Akoroshi by burning incense sticks (senko) in the graveyard. A small museum commemorating the 47 ronin can also be found at Sengakuji.

December 14 is the anniversary of the 47 ronin's avenge. A festival is held annually at Sengakuji to commemorate the event, attracting thousands of visitors. The small graveyard becomes very crowded and smoky during the festival, and many typical festival foods such as Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki can be enjoyed at temporarily constructed food stands.



The Story of the 47 Ronin

In March 1701, lord Asano Takuminokami of Ako (today's Hyogo Prefecture) attacked lord Kira Kozukenosuke at Edo castle. Asano lost patience after repeatedly being provoked and treated arrogantly by Kira, but failed to kill him in the attack. On the same day, Asano was sentenced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide), while Kira was not punished at all, despite the contemporary custom of punishing both parties in similar incidents. In addition, the whole Asano family was removed from power, leaving Asano's samurai without a job and a strong will to avenge their unfairly punished master.

For over one and a half year, the samurai prepared the avenge under difficult circumstances. On December 14, 1702, the remaining group of 47 ronin under their leader Oishi Kuranosuke finally succeeded to avenge their master by killing lord Kita in his mansion. Afterwards, they carried Kira's head to Sengakuji, and were later sentenced to commit seppuku.

The story of the 47 ronin became highly popular as a kabuki play during the Edo Period, and remains very popular today in Japan where loyalty, endurance and will power are some of the most respected characteristics.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3000.html

Read the story of the Kabuki play "Chushingura"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Darumasan-Japan/message/618


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::




"Sengakuji temple in the rain"
Asano Takeji (1900 - 1999) 浅野竹二

- Reference : www.sarugallery.com


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


On this LINK you find more material to the Ronin-Story:
http://www.clas.ufl.edu/mems/virtueveng.htm


And here is a great picture of Dolls
http://web.clas.ufl.edu/users/jshoaf/Jdolls/chushingura.html

It has a label in English reading "Wakayama, Island of Honshu, Oct. 11945"--presumably it was owned by a member of the occupying militaryright after the war. It would be interesting to know what it meant tohim and to the dollmaker who made it.
Judy (McNamara) Shoaf
... groups.yahoo.com/group/Darumasan-Japan/

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Doll of Oishi Kuranosuke on a float in a parade at Mikuni.




山車人形保存会：大石内蔵助

More Warrior Dolls on this link:
http://www.kuni-net.com/event/020520.html

Here is Oishi on the float on the right
Festival in Esashi, Hokkaido.
http://www.hokkaido-esashi.jp/ubagami/dashi05.htm#homare

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Statue of Oishi Kuranosuke in the Azalea Park in Kasama



夏の新緑，秋の紅葉，数百種の植物が繁茂する佐白山（182m）はまさに自然の宝庫です。その西のふもとにあるのが，笠間藩の下屋敷跡に作られた佐白山麓公園。園内には，「忠臣蔵」で有名な大石内蔵助像があります。春になると桜の大樹が一面に美しい花を咲かせます。また，山麓公園を起点にして佐白山を巡るハイキングコースもおすすめです。
http://www.nakaminato-ta.com/hana-kasama-1.htm

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Litoghraphs of the Story of the Kabuki Story

Scenes From the Chiushingura and the Story of Forty-Seven Ronin,
Collotyes by Kazumasa Ogawa



Each plate is preceded by descriptive text explaining the image in the plate and how it relates to the story of the Forty-Seven Ronin. The book recreates a very famous incident in 1701 in which Asano Naganori (Lord Asano) was required to commit harakiri. His forty-seven samurai bodyguards, then reduced to the status of ronin, or masterless samurai, took revenge two years later by assassinating Lord Kira Yoshinaka, the individual responsible for Naganori's death. The ronin were then required by the Shogun to commit harakiri and buried with their master. The 17 collotype plates depict key events and settings in the story. Images involving actual characters are reenacted for the photographs.
.. http://www.baxleystamps.com/litho/

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Many pictures of the Temple Sengakuji　泉岳寺の写真
http://www.flyingczechman.org/gallery/sengakuji/
http://www.togfl.org/gallery/sengakuji



Japanese Links
泉岳寺は慶長１７年（１６１２）徳川家康が外神田の地に創立した寺である。 寛永の大火により焼失、毛利・浅野・朽木・水野・水谷の五大名の尽力により　現在の高輪の地に移転しました。寺号「泉岳寺」は、徳川に因み「源の泉、 海岳に溢るる」の意から付けられたそうです。
http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~ra_mo/rekisi/rekisi.htm


Pictures of the Graves of the 47 Ronin
http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~ra_mo/rekisi/bosho.htm
http://japan.chez.tiscali.fr/Tokyo/Japan/Sengakuji.htm

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::





Tales of Old Japan
by Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford, Lord Redesdale

THE FORTY-SEVEN RÔNINS
. Tales of Old Japan .
The Project Gutenberg eBook


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::




Ooishi manjuu 大石饅頭 Oishi manju rice cakes
made from wasanbon sugar
Sold in the tea shops near the temple.


. WASHOKU
manjuu まんじゅう (饅頭) steamed buns



It was the novelist Ozaki Shirô ― a native of Kira-chô ― who first proposed in 1949 that the incident had its origins in a salt rivalry between Asano, whose Akô salt was of superior quality, and Kira, who had easier access to the Edo market.
. Salt from Ako, called Chushingura .
赤穂塩　忠臣蔵


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


. Regional Horse Toys from Japan .




Kira no Akauma 吉良の赤馬
The Red Horse of Kira Kozukenosuke






In the town of Nishio 西尾市 in Aichi prefecture, Kira Kozukenosuke 吉良上野介 is a hero.
He used to sit on a red horse and ride around in his domain, to see that the water drainage work was done properly and the farmers be safe from flooding.
This legend later became a simple wooden toy for children, nowadays a plastic version as a strap.




赤馬まつり. 吉良の赤馬牧場
There is even a festival at the Kira Akauma Ranch.

In May 2011 it was held as a charity event for the victims of Tohoku.

. Japan after the BIG earthquake March 11, 2011　.


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


.......... H A I K U and KIGO


Ooishi Ki 大石忌 (おおいしき)
Memorial Day for Oishi Kuranosuke

February 4


Gishi-Sai 義士祭 , gishi no hi　義士の日
Memorial Ceremony for the 47 Samurai

kigo for spring



Reference: Gishisai


.................................................................................


Gishi Kai 義士会 (ぎしかい)
Memorial Meeting for the 47 Samurai
Gishi uchi-iri no hi 義士討入の日（ぎしうちいりのひ）
Day of the 47 Samurai beginning their revenge

kigo for mid-winter


.................................................................................



義士の日の　傘を並べて　墓のまへ
gishi no hi no kasa o narabete haka no mae

memorial day of the 47 samurai -
all the umbrellas in line
in front of the graves

©　azusa-kei
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::　

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO　　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::