Introducing Chushingura (47 Ronin)
Chūshingura is a fictionalized retelling of a series of real historical events known as the Genroku Akō Incident, which took place between 1701 and 1703 and involved Lord Asano Takumi-no-kami and the rōnin of Akō. These events were dramatized and re-created in various forms of performing arts such as jōruri puppet theater, kabuki, films, and television dramas.
The incident began when Asano Takumi-no-kami, lord of Akō Domain, suddenly attacked Kira Kōzuke-no-suke in the Pine Corridor of Edo Castle. Kira had been instructing court etiquette for an upcoming ceremony. Shouting, “Do you remember this grudge?” Asano struck him from behind and also cut his forehead when Kira turned around in shock.
Drawing a sword inside Edo Castle was strictly forbidden. Moreover, that day was an important ceremony in which the shogun was to receive imperial envoys. Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was enraged by the violence within the castle and ordered Asano to commit seppuku the same day. Kira, however, who had not fought back, received no punishment.
Asano was not treated with the dignity normally granted to a daimyo. He was regarded as a criminal and was not allowed to receive alcohol or tobacco, to write a will, or even to use his own sword. This unequal judgment later led the retainers of Akō Domain to resolve to avenge their lord, thus setting the stage for what became known as the Akō Incident.
Among the ukiyo-e prints kindly sold to us, we would especially like to introduce the following work.
Utagawa Kuniteru – “Kanadehon Chūshingura” (Complete set of 12 prints), circa 1848
About Kanadehon Chūshingura
Kanadehon Chūshingura is one of the kabuki plays based on the Chūshingura story.
In Kuniteru’s prints, each act of the play is depicted through dramatic scenes and principal characters. The series can also be appreciated as an illustrated script that conveys the atmosphere of the stage.
Interestingly, the term “Chūshingura” itself first became widely used when Kanadehon Chūshingura premiered in 1748, 47 years after Asano’s seppuku in 1701. This ukiyo-e series was created exactly 100 years after that premiere.
The phrase “Kanadehon” refers to a primer used in Edo-period temple schools (terakoya), where children learned reading and writing (and sometimes arithmetic). By the time of the play’s first performance, the forty-seven retainers were already widely regarded as loyal samurai, and the revenge of the Akō rōnin came to be known as Chūshingura. It is no exaggeration to say that the story has been passed down to the present day largely because it continued to be performed in kabuki and jōruri under the title Kanadehon Chūshingura.
Side Note
As a side note, there is also an American live-action film inspired by Chūshingura. The fantasy adventure movie “47 Ronin” (2013) is loosely based on the Akō Incident. While drawing from the Japanese tale of Chūshingura, it adds original elements, such as a fictional character named Kai—played by Keanu Reeves—joining the forty-seven rōnin. Although Chūshingura itself is not widely known overseas, the English term “47 Ronin” became well known through this film.
Furthermore, the graves of the Akō rōnin and their lord Asano Takumi-no-kami are located at Sengaku-ji Temple in Takanawa, Minato City, Tokyo. Sengaku-ji is known as a sacred site associated with Chūshingura. The Akō Gishi Festival, honoring the loyalty and spirit of the forty-seven rōnin, is held twice each year, in December and April.
See more example of work through which you can experience the world of Chushingura here.
- J