On location for TV Aichi. The story of Chushingura, or the Loyal 47 Ronin (masterless Samurai) is well known in Japan. In 1701 the chief of Protocol, Edo castle, the evil Lord Kira provoked a younger lord into attacking him, causing the younger lord, Asano to commit seppuku (ritual suicide). Asano's men sought revenge by attacking Kira in his Edo (Tokyo) home. For my TV Aichi program, we went to Kira Town in Aichi Prefecture, former home land to the "Evil" Lord Kira. There at the Kagakuji Temple, we met he current head priest who showed us a letter written by Kira to the temple head...
According to the priest, the letter and most people in Kira Town, Lord Kira wasn't the evil, corrupt person he's been made out to be. It seems he was a generous and thoughtful lord, who ruled his domain fairly and well. He contributed to the well being of his people with public works and support too. Kira was a well trusted vassal of the shogun, and chief of the protocol.
It seems that Asano may have been somewhat of a hothead, according to some scholars, even mentally unbalanced, as he had slashed at and killed some of his own retainers in fits of anger. This wooden carving of Lord Kira at the Kagakuji shows a calm face, rather than the evil, malicious face shown in art and on film adaptations of the story.
After a days filming in and around Kira Town, meeting various people and hearing more about Lord Kira, I'm beginning to have my doubts about the history books too. Finally we paid our respects at Kira's grave
Further proof of Kira's benevolence can be found in the Kira Diaries, accounting for some 300 years of the Kira family. The program goes to air Dec. 14, the anniversary of the attack by the masterless samurai on Kira's mansion.
On location for TV Aichi. The story of Chushingura, or the Loyal 47 Ronin (masterless Samurai) is well known in Japan. In 1701 the chief of Protocol, Edo castle, the evil Lord Kira provoked a younger lord into attacking him, causing the younger lord, Asano to commit seppuku (ritual suicide). Asano's men sought revenge by attacking Kira in his Edo (Tokyo) home. For my TV Aichi program, we went to Kira Town in Aichi Prefecture, former home land to the "Evil" Lord Kira. There at the Kagakuji Temple, we met he current head priest who showed us a letter written by Kira to the temple head...
According to the priest, the letter and most people in Kira Town, Lord Kira wasn't the evil, corrupt person he's been made out to be. It seems he was a generous and thoughtful lord, who ruled his domain fairly and well. He contributed to the well being of his people with public works and support too. Kira was a well trusted vassal of the shogun, and chief of the protocol.
It seems that Asano may have been somewhat of a hothead, according to some scholars, even mentally unbalanced, as he had slashed at and killed some of his own retainers in fits of anger. This wooden carving of Lord Kira at the Kagakuji shows a calm face, rather than the evil, malicious face shown in art and on film adaptations of the story.
After a days filming in and around Kira Town, meeting various people and hearing more about Lord Kira, I'm beginning to have my doubts about the history books too. Finally we paid our respects at Kira's grave
Further proof of Kira's benevolence can be found in the Kira Diaries, accounting for some 300 years of the Kira family. The program goes to air Dec. 14, the anniversary of the attack by the masterless samurai on Kira's mansion.
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