Japan honors 47 samurai who chose death over dishonor in 1703
Every December, thousands gather at Tokyo's Sengaku-ji Temple to honor the forty-seven ronin, whose 1703 act of ritual suicide remains Japan's ultimate symbol of loyalty, sacrifice, and the samurai code.
In 1703, a group of leaderless samurai known as ronin carried out a legendary act of revenge that defined the concept of Bushido. After their master was forced to commit ritual suicide for attacking a corrupt official, these forty-seven men waited over a year to strike back. They successfully infiltrated the official's mansion and took his life to restore their master's honor.
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