The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-22
SCENES FROM
OLD JAPAN
Glimpses of a Great
Play For This
City.

Among the thousand and one stories
of valor and love which thrill the
hearts of the people of Japan that of
the forty seven Samurai stands very
near the front. ALL persons who have
read much about the Sunrise Empire
have heard how. some 200 years ago,
Asano, Lord of Takurni, was appoint
ed Master of Ceremonies at the Castle
of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, then the
Ruler of Japan. Lord Asano was a
brave high-spirited young man but he
had had no experience of the elaborate
details of the great Castle; so Kira,
Lord of Kozuke, one of the most pow
erful mobiles in the Empire was reques-
ed to teach him. Lord Kira hated Asano
and took pains to expose his inexperi-
ence to ridicule. This was mortal
offence in the code of honor of the
Samurai and was a direct challenge to
Asano. The young Lord knew that to
draw his sword and attack Kira in
the Castle of Shotgun, was a crime
punishable with death, but there was
no alternative. Brave man that he
was, he did not hesitate, but imme-
diately accepted Kira's insult as a
challenge to mortal combat. In few
moments the battle was over, Kira lay
apparently MORALLY wounded and Asa
no retired to his own estates to die.
He was allowed the privilege if expiat-
ing his crime by committing harakiri.
The appointed Gay came, the messen-
gers of the Shotgun arrived his best
beloved retainer stood behind with
drawn sword to complete the work if
death should not be instantaneous and
Asano with solemn ceremony took his
leave of life.
His retainers now became ronin,
knights without a lord. Strangely
enough Kira did not die but recovered
from his severe wounds, so Asano's
work was not complete. BY the code
of ethics in Old japan, the retainers
must finish the task or else their mas
ter would ever live in history dishon-
ored Lord Kira knew this we'll and
kept a strict watch upon these wand
ering knights. Their leader Oishi Ku-
ranosuke knew that while thus watch
ed he could do nothing. He therefore
advised his fellow samurai to separate
and pretend to be abandoned char
acters. For more than one year these
men, forty-seven in number, gave
themselves UP to riotors living until
Kira became satisfied that they were
worthless fellows lacking entirely the
spirit of the true knight. So the spies
were recalled.
Oishi had waited for this. Gathering
his forty-six comrades at dead of night
in Tokyo they attacked the stronghold
of Kira, overpowered the guards and
finally found the craven-hearted Lord
of Kozuke in closet where Oishi soon
dispatched him giving the death stroke
with the same sword with which Asa
no had taken his own life.
The whole Empire was profoundly
stirred by this event. Everywhere the
praise of these Al men was sung and
the strongest efforts were made to
pardon them because of their faithful
ness. But it was argued by Japan's
leading wise men that inasmuch as the
law against such attacks in the capital
city had been violated they must die.
When Tokugawa Tsunayoshi came to
sign the death warrant he was moved
to tears. At first the condemnation
was to execution as criminals but the
famous statesman Ogiu Sarai advised
that they be allowed the privilege Of
harakiri because they had been true
to the Samurai code of honor and
must ever be considered shining ex-
amples of chivalry. This advise was
followed One by one they took their
lives rejoicing to seal their faithfulness
to their lord by their death. Their
bodies were inferred beside that of
their master in the temple yard Of Sem
gakuji From that time to the present
this has been Japan's dearest shrine.
Millions visit it every year. No for
eigner thinks of leaving Tokyo with
out going to Sengakuji-
Out of this story the greatest drama
of the nation has been built. Facii-
ties for its presentation on the Boys
Field tonight are not available. Indeed
it requires a whole day to give the
entire play But in order to illustrate
certain features of the life of Old
japan company of young men has
been trained to exhibit in pantomime
the three most striking episodes of the
story. First the quarrel of Lords Asa
no and Kira will be exhibited. Second
the ceremony of harakiri will be shown
and third the gathering of the band of
avengers just previous to the attack
upon the house of Kira. This part of
the evenings performance is given by
young amateurs.