Sword cuts scar the pillars. Bullet holes mark the wood. This is Tōzen-ji. This unassuming temple in Tokyo’s Minato ward witnessed history unfold. It played a pivotal role in Japan’s tumultuous opening to the West.
Tōzen-ji a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple holds a unique place in Japanese history. It’s one of Edo’s four great Zen temples. More importantly it served as the first British legation in Japan. This wasn’t just any temple. It was strategically located near the Tōkaidō Japan’s busiest highway. This made it highly vulnerable to attacks. Little did anyone know this would be its legacy.
Rutherford Alcock the British Consul-General chose Tōzen-ji in 1859. The Tokugawa Shogunate typically commandeered temples for foreign dignitaries. Alcock thought Tōzen-ji was suitably grand. Japanese authorities strongly suggested Yokohama instead. They foresaw the danger of its location. Alcock though remained firm. He insisted on Edo.
The first incident occurred in January 1860. Kobayashi Denkichi Alcock’s interpreter was murdered at the temple gate. This was a chilling precursor to the violence to come. Then in May 1861 Alcock returned from Nagasaki. He defied the Shogunate’s advice to travel by sea. He chose the overland route upholding treaty provisions. This infuriated the pro-sonnō jōi samurai.
On July 5 1861 at 10 PM the attack began. Mito rōnin led by Ariga Hanya stormed the legation. Japanese sentries from Nishio and Yamato-Kōriyama Domains fought back fiercely. Three rōnin were killed. Three were captured. Two defenders died. Ten were wounded. Alcock himself fired his revolver. The surviving attackers faced harsh consequences. One was executed. Two committed seppuku. Others met similar fates in later incidents.
The attack shocked Alcock. He initially belittled the Japanese guards. He accused them of being Shogunate spies. After the attack he understood the depth of anti-foreign sentiment. He demanded a British garrison. He insisted on more guards. He also requested $10 000 in compensation. The Shogunate conceded. Alcock however later minimized the Japanese guards’ role in his memoirs. He exaggerated his own heroism.
The second incident happened in 1862. Lieutenant Colonel Neale ordered the legation back to Tōzen-ji. A contingent of Royal Marines guarded the legation. Itō Gunbei a guard from Matsumoto Domain attempted to assassinate Neale. He was subdued but not before killing two men. He then committed seppuku. The British finally abandoned Tōzen-ji for Yokohama. This marked the end of Tōzen-ji’s role as a British legation. However the scars of this history remain. Look closely at the temple’s main hall. You’ll see the marks of conflict. These scars are a haunting reminder of Tōzen-ji’s tumultuous past. A past that shaped the relationship between Japan and the West.