On the fourteenth day of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar in 1702 (15th year of Genroku) the raid of the Ako warriors took place. This is a work that depicts the main character of 'Kanadehon Chushingura' which is based on the still popular Ako incident.

The 47 retainers of Asano Takuminokami Naganori of the Ako fief slew the enemy of their old master Kira Kozukenosuke Yoshihisa in what became known as the 'Ako incident'.
The Ako incident has been used as the subject matter in many drama plays and in 1748 (1st year of Kanen), the Joruri puppet play of 'Kanadehon Chushingura (The Treasure of Loyal Retainers)' written by Izumo Takeda Ⅱ, Shoraku Miyoshi and Senryu Namiki was performed. Kanedehon Chushingura could be one of the most famous works in joruri puppet plays and kabuki.
On the illustration is one of the heroes Oboshi Yuranosuke (in the real incident it was the Ako clan's chief retainer Kuranosuke Oishi) played by Chojuro Sawamura, one of the martyrs Heiemon Teraoka played by Kyuzo Ichikawa and Yuranosuke's son Rikiya Oboshi played by Kumesaburo Iwai.