Historical Spots in Ako（1）

l. Ikitsugi Well

Ikitsugi Well

　It was before 5 p.m. March 14,1701 that Tozaemon Hayami and
Sanpei Kayano left Edo with information that "Asano Takumino
kami who was the head of Ako Han was been bloodshed in Edo
castle." And it was early morning, 6 p.m. March 19 that they went
a journey of 608 km and arrived around Ako castle in a hurry .
They rested at this well and they left for Ako castle, when they
knocked on the gate of Mr. Ohishi's residence . After that,this
well was called "Ikitsugi Well".
　Ako water works which was matched for Kanda water works.
Fukuyama water works was called the three best water works of
the power . This well is one of the well of water works that
supplied water for every house .

2. Kagakuji Temple

Kagakuji Temple

　Daiunzan kagakuji was bui Id as the grave of the Asanos in 1645,
when Naganao Asano was had to move his territory from the
domain of Kasama to the domain of Ako. In this temple there are
the graves of the loyal retainers, the treasure museum and so on.
A Iot of relics of the past are preserved in this treasure museum.
For example, a covenant under joint signatures of loyal retainers,
the farewel I Ietter of Gengoemon Kataoka to his mother, paintings
and cal I igraphic works, the involved papers, the swards etc, which
is involved in the loyal reta i ners.

graveyard in Kagakuji Tmple

　Needless to say, there are the graves of Hr.Asano and Hr.Mori
who were the leader of the domain. And there are also those of
the forty-seven men of interit (Kuranosuke Oishi). The frame of
Daruihi - a monument we never see without sheding tears - hang
on the gate of the grave. In the middle of the grave, there is the
Asano Tacumino Cami's tomb. In the right, there is the Kuranosuke
Oishi's In the left, there is Chikara Oishi's tomb. And the tomb of
forty- seven men of integrit surrounds these in the shape of "コ"
(Japanese katakana) It is said that the gate of this temple was buiId
by moving large gate which had been at the entrance in the west
of the castle town in 1873. This is designated cultual properties of
Ako city.