Shinagawa

Sengaku-ji
nearest station is Sengakuji on the Toei Asakusa line

A temple most famous as the resting place of the 47 Ronin, a famous group of samurai who banded together to avenge their unfairly slain master. Having obtained the head of the offender, they brought it to this very temple and then were condemned to commit ritual suicide, like their master. The story is told in Chushingura, the best-known of all Kabuki plays. History aside, the temple isn't much to look at, but the small museum has artifacts from the event and after, including wooden statues of all the ronin, the banner that the ronin posted during their raid, original letters, and the receipt that the priests wrote out for the head.

Hara Museum of Contemporary Art
4-7-25 Kitashinagawa
+81 03-3445-0651
¥1000 adults, ¥700 students
Closed M; T,Th-Su 11AM-5PM, W 11AM-8PM
15 minutes walk from JR Shinagawa Station, near La Foret Hotel

This small museum hosts a variety of interesting exhibitions in a 1930's house which is a great example of modern architecture in pre-war Japan. There is a very nice indoor/outdoor cafe.