東明寺

Gazing at Tōzen-ji, can you hear the whispers of history? This seemingly tranquil Buddhist temple, nestled in Takanawa, Tokyo, holds a dramatic past. Tōzen-ji, belonging to the Myōshin-ji branch of Rinzai Zen, isn’t just any temple. It’s a key player in Japan’s turbulent Bakumatsu period. Established in 1610, Tōzen-ji was initially located in Akasaka. Its name honors the Dharma name of Itō Sukenori, a prominent daimyo. Later, in 1636, it was moved to its current location overlooking Edo Bay. This earned it the nickname Kaijō Zenrin, “the Zen forest above the sea”. Tōzen-ji served as the bodaiji temple for numerous powerful clans, including the Date, Ikeda, Suwa, Matsudaira, Oda, Inaba, and Mōri. Imagine Tōzen-ji in 1859. It was chosen as the site of the first British legation in Japan. This decision, part of the 1858 Anglo-Japanese Treaty, was met with resistance. The Shogunate preferred Yokohama, fearing attacks due to Tōzen-ji’s location near the Tōkaidō, Japan’s most vital highway. Rutherford Alcock, the British Consul-General, insisted on Tōzen-ji. This led to a series of violent incidents. The First Tōzen-ji Incident in 1861 saw rōnin, masterless samurai, attack the legation. Despite the presence of guards, several were injured, including Laurence Oliphant, a writer later sent back to England. The Second Tōzen-ji Incident followed in 1862. A guard, Itō Gunbei, attempted to assassinate Lieutenant Colonel Edward St. John Neale. He killed two Royal Marines before being subdued. These attacks at Tōzen-ji forced the British legation to relocate to Yokohama. The incidents also led to a permanent British military presence in Japan. Look closely at the pillars of Tōzen-ji’s main hall. You can still see the marks of sword cuts and bullets, silent witnesses to a tumultuous era. Tōzen-ji stands as a testament to a pivotal moment in Japanese history. It’s a place where the clash of cultures left a lasting mark, a reminder of the turbulent path to international relations.