The World of the Samurai
 

Chushingura:
Introduction & Links

The Tale of the 47 Ronin

Cast of Characters

Visit the Graves
 
 

A Resource Page by Nancy Leek
 

 A Visit to Sengaku-ji

The Graves of Lord Asano and the 47 Loyal Retainers
 
 

This statue of Oishi Kuranosuke stands at the entrance to Sengaku-ji Temple in Tokyo. In his hand he holds a scroll listing the names of the forty-seven loyal samurai.
 
 

My Pictures     Other Sengaku-ji Sites

The entrance gate to Sengaku-ji is just a short walk from Shinagawa subway station. Sengaku-ji Temple is a Buddhist temple founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu, belonging to the Soto-Zen sect.
As you enter the cemetery you can buy incense in a bamboo container to place before the graves. Note the incense seller's jacket---the Forty-Seven Ronin are often shown wearing the same pattern. The graves of the Forty-Seven Ronin in rows surrounding the tomb of Oishi.
The tomb of Lord Asano. Another view of the graves of the Famous Forty-Seven. 
The grave of Oishi Kuranosuke.  A statue of Jizo, the Buddha who watches over travelers and children, stands near the graves.
Another view of Oishi's grave. His mon, or family crest, is on the cup and on the front of the stone for burning incense. A souvenir shop outside Sengaku-ji. Hanging in front are drums in various sizes with Oishi's crest on them.

Visit other Sengaku-ji Sites

Sengakuji:  One of many sites to visit at Edo Japan: A Virtual Tour, where you can read the story of the 47 ronin accompanied by a series of prints.

Sengaku-ji, 47 Ronin:  The photos here are very good, but the text is in German.

The World of the Samurai Chushingura: Introduction & Links The Tale of the 47 Ronin Cast of Characters Visit the Graves

A Web Resource Page by Nancy Leek   These pages were created as a project in conjunction with the Fulbright Memorial Fund program.