Sengakuji temple

This is the family temple of the Asano family, descendants of the ill-fated feudal lord Asano Takuminokami, lord of Ako Castle in Banshu. Lord Ako, as Asano was called, was the central figure in the historical episode known as Chu-shin-gura (The Story of the Loyal Retainers), which is very well-known by Japanese people even today. After Lord Ako was stripped of his status and compelled to commit a disrespectful form of hari-kiri (ritual suicide) as punishment for drawing his sword on another samurai in Edo Castle, 47 loyal retainers avenged his death by killing his adversary and presenting the severed head to Lord Ako’s grave, before turning themselves in for the punishment of ritual suicide themselves.

There are a number of historical sites in this area related to the episode, including the spot where Asano Takuminokami performed hari-kiri (4-31 Shinbashi), the spot where his faithful retainer Oishi Yoshio and 16 others committed hari-kiri (located inside the grounds of Takamatsu Junior High School, 1-16-25 Takanawa), and the Asano Tosanokami Mansion site (Hikawa Shrine, 6-10-12 Akasaka).