Ōishi Yoshio was the chamberlain (karō) of the Akō Domain in Harima Province (now Hyōgo Prefecture), Japan (1679 – 1701). He is known as the leader of the Forty-seven Rōnin in their 1703 vendetta and thus the hero of the Chūshingura. He is often referred to by his pseudonym (kemyō) Ōishi Kuranosuke. He served daimyō Asano Naganori as the head chamberlain. When Asano committed seppuku as punishment for his failed attempt to kill Kira Yoshinaka in Edo castle and the Tokugawa shogunate abolished the house of Asano of Akō, Ōishi was in Akō and managed all its administrative issues. He persuaded other samurai to peacefully yield control of the castle to the agents of the Shogunate. During the next two years many people wondered what Ōishi would do as he had a reputation as an honourable and capable man. He attempted to get the permission to re-establish the house of Asano of Akō but failed. He then began a careful plot to kill Lord Kira, but to throw off suspicion, first spent time (and money) in the geisha houses of Kyoto. This type of ruse is referred to as hiru andon (昼行灯, daylight lantern) – appearing to be serving no useful purposes, and this term is frequently applied to Ōishi. He carried out his role well – and secretly coordinated the movements of the remaining loyal Asano samurai. Nearly two years passed before the attack was launched. In January 1703 (by the old Japanese calendar, the 12th month, 14th day) he, with 46 other Akō rōnin, attacked Kira at his residence in the Honjo neighborhood of Edo. Kira was killed and decapitated. After Ōishi dispatched Terasaka Kichiemon to inform Asano’s widow Yōzeiin of the deed, he and the remaining 45 rōnin went to Sengaku-ji in Shinagawa where Naganori was buried and there they were arrested. He and the other rōnin were ordered to commit seppuku.
First Appearance Historical figure (b. 1659 – d. 1703)
First Publisher ○
Appearance List Kanadehon Chūshingura (1748) — bunraku/kabuki source; Mayama Seika’s Genroku Chūshingura (1934–41) — modern kabuki cycle. Film: Chūkon giretsu: Jitsuroku Chūshingura (aka Chūshingura: The Truth, silent epic, 1928); The 47 Ronin (1941–42); Chūshingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki (1954) — Shochiku super-production; Akō Rōshi: Ten no Maki, Chi no Maki (1956); The Loyal 47 Ronin (1958); Akō Rōshi (1961); Chūshingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki (Toho, 1962); Ninpō-Chūshingura (Toei, 1965); The Fall of Akō Castle (Akō-jō danzetsu, 1978).
Sample Read Chushingura, or the Treasury Loyal Retainers (1910) [Internet Archive]
Description Ōishi Yoshio was the chamberlain (karō) of the Akō Domain in Harima Province (now Hyōgo Prefecture), Japan (1679 – 1701). He is known as the leader of the Forty-seven Rōnin in their 1703 vendetta and thus the hero of the Chūshingura. He is often referred to by his pseudonym (kemyō) Ōishi Kuranosuke. He served daimyō Asano Naganori as the head chamberlain. When Asano committed seppuku as punishment for his failed attempt to kill Kira Yoshinaka in Edo castle and the Tokugawa shogunate abolished the house of Asano of Akō, Ōishi was in Akō and managed all its administrative issues. He persuaded other samurai to peacefully yield control of the castle to the agents of the Shogunate. During the next two years many people wondered what Ōishi would do as he had a reputation as an honourable and capable man. He attempted to get the permission to re-establish the house of Asano of Akō but failed. He then began a careful plot to kill Lord Kira, but to throw off suspicion, first spent time (and money) in the geisha houses of Kyoto. This type of ruse is referred to as hiru andon (昼行灯, daylight lantern) – appearing to be serving no useful purposes, and this term is frequently applied to Ōishi. He carried out his role well – and secretly coordinated the movements of the remaining loyal Asano samurai. Nearly two years passed before the attack was launched. In January 1703 (by the old Japanese calendar, the 12th month, 14th day) he, with 46 other Akō rōnin, attacked Kira at his residence in the Honjo neighborhood of Edo. Kira was killed and decapitated. After Ōishi dispatched Terasaka Kichiemon to inform Asano’s widow Yōzeiin of the deed, he and the remaining 45 rōnin went to Sengaku-ji in Shinagawa where Naganori was buried and there they were arrested. He and the other rōnin were ordered to commit seppuku.
