Shōgun (2024) Trivia
Whilst this is a remake of Shogun (1980) both these mini-series are based on the real life exploits of William Adams, a ship's pilot who was shipwrecked on the shores of Japan in 1600, and became the first Englishman to make contact with Japan. William and his second mate were eventually made western Samurai, and became advisors to the Shogun of the time.
Based on the novel Shogun (1975) written by James Clavell, which was first adapted into a miniseries Shogun (1980) starring Richard Chamberlain and broadcast in 1980.
The Samurai would shave the middle part of his head, called a chonmage, where the remaining hair was oiled and waxed before being tied into a small tail folded onto the top of the head in the characteristic topknot, so that his helmet (kabuto) fit tightly onto the head when donning his armor for battle. With less hair, the samurai would also not suffer from the buildup of heat on the head when wearing the helmet.
Vocabulary:
Samurai - A warrior class (equivalent to a Knight in Medieval Europe), bound to a code of conduct and a sworn duty
Shogun (pronounced sho-goon) - Supreme Military Commander (equivalent to a Duke in Medieval Europe) and ruler of Feudal Japan
Taiko - Grand Chancellor of the Emperor (equivalent to a Prime Minister in the United Kingdom, especially the relationship over the Royal Council of Advisors, Privy Council). Technically, it was the role of the Kanpaku, translated as Regent or Chief Advisor to the Emperor of Japan, who was the real power behind the throne, at least during the Heian Era (794 AD - 1185 AD). The Kanpaku, therefore, was the de facto ruler of Japan. The kampaku is the most esteemed of all the regents and is considered the Emperor's most trusted advisor. Kampaku was the highest rank allowable for someone who did not have the necessary bloodline to claim the Shogun title. Sometimes, he would appoint a successor to ensure the regime's stability and retire, taking on the title of Taiko (translated as Retired Regent or Elder Statesman).In fact, the Taiko would continue to rule through the Kanpaku, being the power behind "the power behind the throne".
Busho - A great feudal lord (Daimyo in Japanese) possessing vast hereditary land holdings. Five Busho compose the Council of Regents. They are essentially the Taiko,or Kampaku, split into five parts who share the same title.
Karo - (Japanese for house elder) A high-ranking samurai official and advisor to the daimyos. The karo were part of a collegial system with two to a few members in the clan administration.
Shoji in Japanese architecture refers to the sliding doors and windows made of a latticed wooden frame covered in translucent white paper. In summer, Shoji doors are often completely removed to open up the house to help alleviate the humidity of the season
Magellan's Pass refers to Strait of Magellan is a 350-mile navigable passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It's located in the southernmost part of South America, between Chilean Patagonia and the the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. It was named after Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer who led the first successful attempt to circumnavigate the world. He planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the East Indies across the Pacific Ocean to open a maritime trade route, and achieved the first European navigation to Asia via the Pacific. He died during the expedition, but his crew picked up the mantle.
The wife of a Samurai would receive a small tanto called a kaiken, a small dagger, as a wedding gift.
The Samurai carried two swords: Katana (long sword) and Wakizashi (mid sword). The Katana was used by foot soldiers, and provided a longer reach to initiate and prevent attacks, while the Wakizashi (pronounced wa-ka-za-she) is a shorter sword that is primarily used in close combat situations, especially indoors.Moreover, Wakizashi was used as a backup in case the katana became unusable, and to commit seppuku if necessary. A third worn weapon, the Tanto (dagger) was employed for combat and seppuku as well. The generic names for the Katana and Wakizashi are called Daito (long sword) and Shoto (short sword), and worn together they are called Daisho (long and short).
From FX mini-documentary, The World of Shogun: History & Backstory: The unprecedented rise of the samurai severely diminished the emperor's authority, unleashing an insurrection that established a new commanding ruler atop the social structure, the Shogun. The dominance of the Shogun furnished peace for a period, but unrest slowly simmered ever greater as nobles continued the battle to expand their fiefdoms. Conflict reignited as warring states threatened to drive the country apart, ultimately plunging Japan into hundreds of years of turmoil and civil war.
Council of Regents:
Yoshii Toranaga - Kanto (centered around Edo or Modern-day Tokyo). Also, President of Foreign Relations for The Council.
Sugiyama Josui - Northern Regions of Hokushu. Also, a Descendant of the richest samurai family in Japan
Ohno Harunobu - Bungo (Christian / Leper)
Kiyama Ukon Sadanaga - Higo (Christian)
Ishido Kazunari - Goshu. Also, Lord General, Caretaker of Osaka Castle and Toranaga's chief rival.
Anjin is Japanese for Pilot, which was the nickname given to Pilot-Major John Blackthorne. John Blackthorne himself was modeled on English navigator William Adams, who would be the second foreigner (and first European) to become a samurai. His Japanese name was Miura Anjin, as in the Pilot of Miura (pronounced me-o-ra), city 50 miles south of Tokyo. Pilot is also the name of the first episode of the series.
Cathay is an older name for China.
Nautical Terms:
Alee - on the side of a ship that is sheltered from the wind
Rutters - a mariner's handbook of written sailing directions. Before nautical charts, rutters were the primary source of geographic information for maritime navigation. The word "rutters" comes from the French word routier, which comes from the Portuguese word roteiro, meaning "route" or "road".
Swell - a series of ocean surface waves that are not caused by local winds. Swells are caused by distant weather systems and can travel thousands of miles. As they travel, they lengthen and decrease in height
The Treaty of Tordesillas was an agreement between Spain and Portugal that was signed in 1494, in the namesake town in Spain. In this treaty, Spain and Portugal agreed to divide the New World between themselves for colonization, conversion, and administration by setting a line of demarcation that had ran from north to south at a meridian about 370 leagues (one league is equal to three miles) west of the Cape Verde islands. Spain would be granted everything to the west of this line, while Portugal would receive everything to the east. This corresponded roughly to most of eastern modern Brazil and Africa being conceded to Portugal, while Spain would take the rest of the New World. It would later be revised by the Treaty of Zaragoza (1529), which included Asia, since neither party had considered the world's spherical shape at the time of drawing the line of demarcation, and they quickly realized they would need a second line to divide the world into two hemispheres. The Portuguese hemisphere included Japan, as well as the rest of Asia to the west, leaving Spain with most of the Pacific Ocean but none of mainland Asia, with the exception of Spain given the right to trade in the Philippines. Though the treaty was largely ignored by other European powers, particularly when the Protestant Reformation took root, Spain and Portugal followed it fairly faithfully, though it did require some amendments as more of the world was charted.
The armored generals (called "busho" in Japanese) of the Sengoku period (Warring States period) of Japanese history fought valiantly. The major civil wars fought around the middle of the 15th century in and around Kyoto triggered a long period of almost constant warring in Japan. This period, during which the generals defended their domains with ingenuity and military might, lasted around 130 years, until the end of the 16th century, when Japan was finally united under one leader. This period of warring is known as the Sengoku period, a time when constant battling produced many generals, known as "Sengoku busho." The outstanding generals of this age were not only brave, but also very skilled at strategy. They had superior decisiveness, were skilled leaders, and were experts at assigning their underlings to necessary positions as well as governing their domains. These generals have become models for a wide range of modern-day Japanese males, including politicians, business leaders, and company employees.
A naginata is a long pole with a sharp, curved sword blade on one end. It is a traditional Japanese blade and polearm that was originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan,especially among woman. The word "naginata" means "reaping sword" or "mowing down sword". The blade can be 1-3 feet long and is sharpened on one side. The naginata is commonly believed to have evolved from a farming tool used for chopping.
Daimyos are feudal lords and landowners who own fiefdoms in Shogun, such as Lord Kashigi Yabushige and Kashigi Omi. They are effectively vassals of the shogun and the council of regents. Daimyos are also leaders of warrior clans known as samurai. Every daimyo was given a fief, or an estate of land contingent on loyal feudal service, and was devoted to their regent or shogun, depending on the political landscape of Japan at any given time. A Karo, like Hiromatsu who is Toranaga's right-hand man and closest ally acting as his second in command, is an esteemed rank for a samurai and is considered a top-ranking samurai official. Karos also act as advisors who are in service to the daimyos of feudal Japan. Samuari are the working-class warriors in Shogun and are considered a hereditary-based military nobility class. Samurai eventually became the highest-ranking social caste of the Edo Period and were known for their advanced skills in battle and weaponry. They were a very honorable and established class of feudal Japanese warriors.
Traditionally, family names come first in Japanese, as they do in China and Korea. But beginning in the late 19th century, Japanese began adopting the Western custom of putting the given name first and family name second, at least when writing their names in English. Also, in 1875, the government enacted the Family Register Law, when it became compulsory for all Japanese to register a family name for tax purposes.
