The landscape of Sengakuzi temple , which is famous for that historical story, Chusingura, is in danger of break!

Please change the condominium construction, because of destroy the historical value of Sengakuzi temple.

The Sengakuzi temple has protected the place of Takanawa in Minato-Ku* for  about 400 years, ever since the reign of the Emperor Iemitsu. It becomes well known for graves of “47 ronin” samurai of Chusingura. Therefore, it is one of the important cultural assets in Minato-ku,Tokyo,and Japan, and it’s designated as a National Historical Site. 

Condominium construction which have 8 floors(under 24 meters high) is planned beside the temple just now.

This plan will be changed the history of Sengakuzi temple.

According to experts, historical assets, which continue to be article subject matter even now, are valuable from historical view. Also experts indicats, if European and American people will evaluate that universal value, it must be world heritage.

As local residents in Minato-ku, we strongly oppose to the construction,  building beside cultural assets for Japan and Minato-ku. Therefore we established the “Association of protecting historical and cultural assets of Sengakuzi temple, designed as a National Historic Site”.

*Minato-ku　:　Minato-ku is one administrative ward of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government

There is no effective measure existing without purchase the place, however we aren’t able to pay such a large amount of money, so we are collecting signatures of purchase the place with Minato-ku（Minato-ku is one administrative ward of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government）.

We strongly hope to protect and be passed down to posterity the historical value.

Please give me a hand for our movement.

■About the Petition Form■

In Japan, a personally signed petition is still more forceful than an Internet-based signature. Therefore, please print out the English petition form (pdf file) and send it to us by postal mail.

Here are some instructions:

1. The petition consists of two pages which have to be submitted together. Please staple the 1st page with the petition text and the 2nd page with your signatures together.

2. The English petition is addressed to the Mayer of Minato-ku. It is valid even in case the Mayer of Minato-ku changes. When our organization will submit the petitions, we make sure that the legal requirements for a valid petition are observed.

3. Please send the petition by postal mail (fax is not valid) to the following address:

’The association of protecting historical and cultural assets, Sengakuzi temple, 

c/o Sengakuji-Temple, 2-11-1 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0074,JAPAN

4. The final deadline of this petition is February 28, 2015. 

5. Some further notes:

 You can write your name and address in your native language.

 Petitions from foreign citizens living outside Japan are valid as long as the petition is addressed to the Mayer of Minato-ku, Minato-ku assembly, 

 There is no age limit. Signatures from children are also valid.

 In principle, a petition has to be signed personally. In case of children or disabled persons, it is accepted if someone signs the petition on the person’s behalf.

 1.    From an educational point of view

It is very important to leave the landscape of Sengakuzi temple for telling the history to future generation. If an apartment will be build beside the gate of temple, which will hide the sky of temple, we can easily image the difficulty of telling history.

It will block education for apposite historical knowledge and protecting cultural value, and it also ignore moral education, “protecting and leaving valuable things”.

2.    From an economic point of view

According to research of industrial development of Minato-ku, Sengakuzi temple is the second most visitors in Minato-ku, and the most popular sightseeing spot. Minato-ku declares that the population will increase for 6 years in Minato-ku, however, depopulation is absolutely important issue in Japan, so it is effective policy to rely not just a resident’s tax but also tourist attractions. If the value of landscape will depreciate, bland power of Sengakuzi temple and image will also go bad in these features.

We can not help but think that it must impact on tourist attractions, religious sides, and local infrastructure, so it must influence serious economic problems in the present and future.

3.    From a cultural point of view

Sengakuzi temple was build 400 years ago, Genroku period, and it became the stage of famous historical fact. The condominium constitution deny the cultural assets of Sengakuzi-temple. In the future, new station of Yamanote-line will build, so more tourists from all over the world will visit to the temple. The institution takes account of benefit for a company, and it must not bring good future.

From the historical fact, the story of Chusingura has long-loved by the people, and eulogized in Kabuki, books, playing, films in the world, and tourist from 42 countries visited in few months. It proves that Japanese virtue of loyalty and honor gets somebody’s sympathy, and according to experts, this loyalty and Bushido must be a world heritage.

We believe that historical, cultural assets must protect and leave for the ancestral effort.

The association of protecting historical and cultural assets, Sengakuzi temple, designated as a National Historic Site.

Representatives of association: Yoshiteru Nishisu

Supporter: Sengakuzi temple