About
Stepping away from the bustle of Tokyo and into a corner of Minami-Oi in Shinagawa Ward, one finds a place where the flow of time quietly lingers. Once known as the “Suzugamori Execution Grounds,” this site is one of the few historical landmarks that still conveys the atmosphere of the Edo period.
In 1651 (Keian 4), the Edo Shogunate established an execution ground here. Facing the Tokaido Road and serving as the southern gateway to Edo, it was a place where many travelers passed by. For this reason, it is said that public executions were carried out here to deter crime. The execution ground at the time boasted a vast area, about 74 meters wide and 16 meters deep, and over 220 years, countless people met their end here.
Upon entering the execution ground site, the first thing that catches the eye is the “Daimoku Memorial Tower,” which stands over three meters tall. The stone tower is inscribed with the words “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo” and is said to have been erected in 1698 (Genroku 11). Behind it, the execution platform stone and the well where the heads of the executed were washed stand quietly. These remnants convey the harsh penal system of the time and the lingering regrets of those who lost their lives under it.
Among those executed here were several figures who left their names in history and literature. For example, Chuya Marubashi, the ringleader of the Keian Uprising, and Yaoya Oshichi, who was burned at the stake for arson, are among them. Their stories have been passed down through kabuki and storytelling, reflecting the social conditions and passions of the people of Edo.
In one corner of the execution ground site stands Daikyoji, a Nichiren Buddhist temple. This temple is said to have been built to console the spirits of those executed, and within its grounds stand many memorial towers and stone monuments. Visitors can join their hands in prayer here and reflect on the tragedies of the past.
Also, Hamakawa Bridge, which spans the nearby Tachiaigawa River, was once known as “Namida-bashi” or “Bridge of Tears.” It is said that the name comes from the families and friends of the condemned, who would bid their final farewells and shed tears at this bridge as the prisoners made their way to the execution ground. The sky reflected on the river’s surface beneath the present-day bridge is as blue as ever, but thinking of the many sorrows that once flowed beneath it is heart-wrenching.
The Suzugamori Execution Grounds, quietly standing amidst the modern bustle, gently speak of the past. By visiting here, one can come into contact with the lives and deaths of people in the Edo period, and the stories behind them. In this place that transcends time, perhaps we can draw closer to the thread that connects past and present.