'Forty-Seven Samurai': A paradoxical account of bloody revenge and haiku poetry www.japantimes.co.jp

Forty-Seven Samurai: A Tale of Vengeance and Death in Haiku and Letters, by Hiroaki Sato.
The bare historical facts of the 47 samurai saga are incredible and thrilling.
Hiroaki Sato | COURTESY OF HIROAKI SATOThe bigger question was: How could they avenge the sudden downfall of their master and the entire clan?
Satisfied in the execution of their revenge, the samurai handed themselves over to the shogunate authorities without a fight, fully expecting to die.
Others, connected to Kira and close to the shogunate, argued that they should be executed as common criminals.