The 47 Rōnin Incident
Public DomainA ukiyo-e style print depicting the 47 rōnin incident.
In April 1701, imperial envoys from Kyoto arrived in Edo (modern-day Tokyo), the capital of the shogunate. Three daimyo — feudal lords who served as vassals of the shogun — were selected to receive Emperor Higashiyama’s envoys as part of their service to the shogun. One of the daimyo in charge of the reception was the young lord of the Akō Domain, Asano Naganori.
In preparation for the envoys’ arrival, Asano and the other daimyo were to be given instructions in etiquette by one of the shogun’s retainers, Kira Yoshinaka.
It was customary at the time to offer a gift — or, really, a bribe — to a man like Kira in such circumstances, and so the other daimyo did just that. Asano’s gift, however, was not considered sufficient, and Kira tormented him during his instruction.
On April 21, Asano’s rage reached a boiling point, and he lunged at Kira with his dirk in the audience hall of the shogun’s palace. Kira sustained only minor wounds, but the breach of etiquette sent shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi into a rage — and he ordered Asano to commit seppuku, or “self-disembowelment.”
Five days later, Asano’s retainers in Akō heard of the terrible news and held a meeting to determine what should be done. Without a lord, the shogun would confiscate their domain, and the men had unwittingly become rōnin, samurai without a master.
A number of options were considered, including fighting back or committing seppuku at the castle gate, but one among them urged caution: Ōishi Yoshio. Ōishi’s words were heeded, and the castle was surrendered on May 26.
A year went by, and Ōishi seemed to have retired. He spent most of his time in Kyoto’s leisure quarters and had convinced Kira’s spies that he did not entertain any notions of revenge. But they were wrong.
On Jan. 30, 1703, Ōishi and 46 other rōnin gathered in Edo, forced their way into Kira’s mansion and murdered him. That same night, they delivered Ōishi’s head to Asano’s grave, a final offering for their fallen lord.
The shogun quickly learned of the incident and, although he was sympathetic to Ōishi’s cause, he ordered all 47 rōnin to commit seppuku.
