Sengakuji Temple was originally built as one of the main temples of Edo, but over time has become known as the temple of the 47 Ronin. The current hondo dates back to the 1950s, as the original was destroyed in WWII. The Ronin are famous for avenging the death of their leader (Asano), which they believed was unjust and undignified. They killed the man responsible (Kira) and brought his head here, washed it in the well which is still here today, before presenting it to the grave of their lord to complete their mission.
The men, with the exception of one who was sent off as a messenger, were sentenced to seppuku and the graveyard here contains their graves, which are also the original graves from 300 years ago.
The Ako Gishi Memorial Hall contains artifacts related to the Ronin and the temple along with showing videos that tell the story of the Ronin. The temple grounds are free however, the Memorial Hall costs 500 yen to enter (and includes entrance to the adjacent building). If you have a genuine interest in the history, it's worth it to enter the hall. The videos have English versions, so you can learn a lot by watching them.
Sengakuji is a small temple in Minato-ku, Tokyo, famous for its graveyard where the "47 Ronin" (also known as Akoroshi, the "masterless samurai from Ako") are buried.
The story of the 47 loyal ronin 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.
Sengakuji is a small temple in Minatu-ku which is of major importance. It is the final resting place of the 47 Ronin (masterless Samurai. The story of the 47 Ronin is an essential part of understanding the Samurai Culture in Japan. I will let you google that story for yourself. But the story aside, the temple is one of those places most western tourists miss, but is one that should not be.
The smoke from the incense which is constantly being burned in honor of the 47 Ronin fills the air at any given time, and a major festival is held on December 14th in honor of their revenge.
Besides the graves of the 47 Ronin, there is a temple there, which I believe is better than the temple at Asakusa. It is more revered by the Japanese too, at least to appearances.
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