Sengaku-ji

泉岳寺

A temple most famous as the resting place of the 47 Rōnin, a famous group of samurai who banded together to avenge their unfairly slain master. Having obtained the head of the offender, they brought it to this very temple and then were condemned to commit ritual suicide, like their master. The story is told in Chūshingura, the best-known of all Kabuki plays. History aside, the temple isn't much to look at, but the small museum has artifacts from the event and after, including wooden statues of all the ronin, the banner that the ronin posted during their raid, original letters, and the receipt that the priests wrote out for the head. The graves are a popular site of pilgrimage to this day.

• museum
• history

Address

Takanawa 2-11-1

Getting there

Toei Asakusa Line Sengakuji station exit A2

Website

sengakuji.or.jp (opens in a new tab)