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Edutainment > The 47 Ronin

Scene from Chushingura, Act II

The story of the 47 ronin is probably one of the best known samurai stories in and outside of Japan. The books, movies, TV films and theater performances are more than numerous. The first form of popularity was by the kabuki performance Chushingura.

Ukiyo-e printmaker soon picked up the popular subject. Prints with scenes from Chushingura are probably more frequent than any other subjects from the world of Japanese history and legends.

The story of the 47 ronin is closely based on real events that took place at the beginning of the eighteenth century in Japan. The leitmotiv of the story is revenge as in some other of the great Japanese stories transforemd into kabuki plays like the story of the Soga brotehrs. From today's view the actions of the 47 ronin samurai seem to be somewhat strange. But in feudal Japan, the 47 ronin were regarded as the epitome of loyalty to the lord who had to commit unjustified suicide.

The 47 Ronin - Historical Wrap Up

The actual events started on the 14th day of the 3rd month of 1701. Asano Naganori, attacked Lord Kira with his sword in the Edo Castle after Lord Kira had taunted the young, usually mild-mannered Asano. Although Lord Kira's wound was superficial, Asano was ordered by the Shogun to commit seppuku - suicide. Lord Kira, an important retainer of the imperial household, did not receive any reprimand. Asano's land and all the possessions of his family were confiscated. Thus, all his former retainers became Ronin (wave men who cast adrift in the sea of life), lordless samurai warriors.

On the 14th day of the 12th month of 1702, the 46 Ako Ronin (one was already dead) led by Oishi Kuranosuke (Asano's chief advisor) assaulted Lord Kira's estate at night. They eventually overpowered the estate guards and killed Lord Kira. In the cold morning sunshine, they dedicated Kira's head to their lord's grave.

The 46 Ronin were ordered to commit seppuku later by the Tokugawa Shogunate despite a huge out-cry from the sympathetic public.

The kabuki play, Kanadehon Chushingura was one of the most famous dramatizations of this event. When the play was written in the Edo period, the use of the real names of the participants was forbidden. So, all of the names of the people were changed. The date was reset to the period of the 14th century, the period of Kamakura Shogun Takauji. Asano became Enya, Kira became Moronao and Oishi Kuranosuke became Oboshi Yuranosuke.

Literature source

• Reference: Samuel L. Leiter: New Kabuki Encyclopedia, Greenwood Press, 1997

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