(Voice actor) Mr.Chris Koprowski

On March 14, 1701, Takuminokami Asano, the domain lord of Ako in Harima province, slashed at Kozukenosuke Kira, a leading Koke (*noble vassal of Shogun), in the hallway of Edo castle. This happened on a ceremonial day of the imperial envoy’s (messenger from the emperor) visit to Edo castle to meet with Tsunayoshi Tokugawa, the head of the Tokugawa administration. Asano was assigned to host the imperial envoy, and Kira was in the position to coach the hosts. Somehow they came to a dispute and Asano attacked Kira. The reason is still unknown to this day. Some say Kira had been harassing Asano for refusing to pay a bribe. Others say Asano turned down Kira’s request to share his business tactics of salt production for which the Ako domain had been successful. But we don’t know the truth. Outraged by the incident, Tsunayoshi Tokugawa, the Shogun, ordered Asano to commit seppuku (*ritual suicide by disembowelment. a.k.a. hara-kiri.) on the same day without sufficient investigation. Samurai believed both parties were at fault in a fight. In other words, both involved in a fight should be penalized equally. According to their belief, it was unfair that Kira went unpunished. Many quietly disagreed with Tsunayoshi’s judgement because of that. But no one openly criticized the authority. The Ako domain was disbanded by this incident, and all of Asano’s vassals became ronin (samurai without a lord to serve). Kuranosuke Oishi, the advisor of the Ako domain (equivalent to a prime minister within the domain) became the leader of the Akoroshi (ronin of Ako domain). Oishi started working to revive the Ako domain. But the Tokugawa administration sentenced Asano’s brother and successor, Daigaku Asano to house arrest, crushing his hope for the domain’s redemption forever. That was how Oishi and the rest of Akoroshi changed their goal to taking Kira’s life in revenge for their lord, Takuminokami Asano. This is how the story of Chushingura (*The Treasury of Loyal Vassals), that is said to portray the samurai way, unfolds. And the blood shedding incident at the Great Pine Corridor was what started it all. Enjoy the professional storytelling about the Incident in the Great Pine Corridor.