47

It's only 250 meters
from the hotel to the temple,
from the commercial bustle of Cargo River
to the graveyard, but
the drop in decibels is astounding.
A little uphill to the original wooden gate
of the Asano estate, and then
the graves. So many. So few.
Visitors place fistfuls of burning incense,
so smoke and fragrance swirl everywhere.

People still care.

In a world of betrayals and compromises,
it helps to know
that loyalty can be more important than life,
that justice can be more important than death.
That when one no longer clings to survival,
one can grasp something greater,
see with absolute clarity.

They saw something needed doing.
They did it.
They died for it.
They didn't mind.
No more needs be said.


Senkakuji, Shinagawa 2023/11/26