Commemoration Day of 47 rōnin in Japan

The legend of the 47 rōnin, or the events of Genroku Akō, is a semi-legendary historical event in ancient Japan, considered a national legend in that country by various scholars. This event took place approximately between 1701 and 1703 and is the most famous legend exemplifying the samurai code of honor, the bushidō. Despite this, the Hagakure, the book describing the code, was not written until a few years later.

The story goes that a group of samurai were forced to become rōnin (浪人) (lordless samurai), after their daimyō (feudal lord) Asano Naganori was forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide), for assaulting a high-ranking government official named Kira Yoshihisa (titled Kōzuke no suke, 上野介) at the Edo Castle grand mansion of the Shōgun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. The vassals, their lord dead, devised a plan to avenge him, which was to assassinate mainly Kira Yoshihisa. But Kira, suspecting a plan to end his life, hired guards. Thus, for him to let his guard down, they had to wait for about a year and a half. When the agreed day and hour arrived, only 47 of the clan's vassals showed up. But they did not give up, they assaulted Kira's house, killed him and took his head to the Sengaku temple, where their lord was buried. And after presenting it in front of his tomb and praying, they surrendered to the authorities, who sentenced them to commit seppuku. This story spread like wildfire throughout the land of the rising sun, and everyone everywhere admired the loyalty, sacrifice and perseverance of the loyal vassals, at a time when wars and violent acts in general were a thing of the past.