The site of the first French Legation

In 1858 the TOKUGAWA Shogunate concluded a Commercial Treaty with Western European Countries including United States. In next year under this treaty, residences and legations for delegations of foreign countries began to be located in temples in current Minato City. The first French legation established in Saikai-ji Temple, De Bellecourt and Roches, a French Minister were stationed here. In those days, as Shoin (reception room) and Kuri (priest's living quarters or kitchen of the temple) were used for French legation, the condition of temple's life of being became difficult. So temple's building was added the extension by the money received from Shogunate. Saikai-ji Temple has the record of "Gaikoku-sho Negaidome" which is designated for the cultural property of Minato City.

As Sonno-Joi Movement (the Movement advocating reverence for Emperor and the expulsion of foreigners) was increasingly more intensified, there were several incidents of foreigners being killed or stabbed. In Saikai-ji Temple, an Italian official of French legation, Natale was killed on September 17 in 1860.