Sengaku-ji, Tokyo

Sengaku-ji is a humble Buddhist temple located in Tokyo, known for its rich historical significance and revered as a symbol of Samurai loyalty and dedication. This temple holds a special place in the hearts of the people because it is the final resting place of 47 loyal Ronin or Samurai. These Ronin are celebrated for their courageous act of avenging the unjust death of their master during the Edo era.

Sengaku-ji was originally constructed in the year 1612. The graves of the Ronin can be found in a small cemetery near the temple. Their master, Asano Takuminokami from Hyogo Prefecture, was unable to tolerate the insults he endured and launched an attack on Kira Hozukenozuke at Edo Castle, all during the rule of Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. This incident resulted in Asano's Seppuku and his loyal Samurai-turned-Ronin carefully plotted their revenge, deeming his suicide unjust.

In the year 1702, they successfully executed their plan by killing Kira and beheading him. They brought Kira's head to Sengaku-ji, where their master and his wife were buried, and then they too committed Seppuku. This historic event is immortalized in the renowned Kabuki play known as Chushingura.

The Sengaku-ji temple itself is a modest wooden structure. A stone pathway leads to the cemetery where the Ronin, Asano, his wife, Oishi, and Kira are interred. Each gravestone consists of a stone slab with their names inscribed and a stone basin where incense sticks can be placed in their memory. Moreover, there is a museum on the premises featuring a video recounting the story in various languages to accommodate foreign visitors, as well as mannequins dressed as the 47 Ronin.