Original subtitles

I appear before you again.

Our saga "Aoi" has reached its 44th episode.

Thank you, viewers, for your many kind letters.

And to your many questions and objections,

we now respectfully respond.

Sukesaburo...

Where is the magnificent cherry blossom tree...

seen in the credits?

And where are those beautiful falls?

Here is your answer.

The beautiful falls are the Fukiware Falls...

found in Tonemura, Gunma Prefecture.

They are 7 meters high and 30 meters wide,

even called the "Niagara of the East."

The beautiful cherry tree is the Taki Cherry...

in Ura-cho, Nara Prefecture.

It is the famed "Ouda Matabei Cherry Tree"...

in the legend of warlord Goto Matabei.

Kakubei!

What are the real names of "Suke-dan" and "Kaku-san,"

who appear in the introduction to the show?

Yes, it's not common knowledge.

Introduce yourselves, then.

I am Sassa Munekiyo, known as Sukesaburo.

I was formerly a priest at Myoshinji Kyoto,

but I was discovered by Lord Mitsukuni,

and accompanied him to various parts of Japan...

on a fact-finding trip for his Great History of Japan.

In the story, Travels of Mito Komon,

his character was Sasaki Sukesaburo.

Kakubei's character was Atsumi Kakunoshin, right?

My true name is Asaka Tanpaku, also known as Kakubei.

I was a Mito vassal in Hitachi,

but Lord Mitsukuni saw promise in me,

and I became the director...

of the Shokokan Research Institute.

What? I'm the one who's director of the institute!

I came from a samurai family!

I studied Zen for 20 years since the age of fifteen!

Don't fight!

Who made it possible for you two to be famous?

If only we could have been remembered by our real names.

We have appeared before you again.

AOI Tokugawa Three Generations

Episode 44 "A Prince is Born"

Original Story and Screenplay: James Miki

Music: Iwashiro Taro

Original Subtitles JN Productions, Inc

Transcribed and Edited Subtitles Kame Fansubs

CAST

Tokugawa Hidetada NISHIDA TOSHIYUKI

Tokugawa Iemitsu ONOE TATSUNOSUKE

Osen OKOUCHI NANAKO

Inoue Masanari AMAMIYA RYO

Sanjonishi Saneeda MORITA JUNPEI

Sakai Tadakatsu TANBA YOSHITAKA

Mito Mitsukuni/Narrator NAKAMURA BAIJAKU

Jokoin NAMINO KURIKO

Doi Toshikatsu HAYASHI RYUZO

Ogou IWASHITA SHIMA

Producer: Kawaii Junshi

Director: Shigemitsu Yukihiko

Mother...!

The sad news reached Nijo Castle on September 18.

Father...

We offer our deepest condolences...

on the death of Her Ladyship, Lady Ogou.

When will you return to Edo?

We await your orders as to the funeral arrangements.

I leave it to Iemitsu.

October 18, 1626.

Lady Ogou's body was cremated at Azabu-no...

and buried at Zpjoji in Shiba.

That year she was 54 years old.

Her posthumous name was Sugen-in.

Hidetada returned to Edo...

three days after a grand funeral had been held.

We must all die.

But Ogou bequeathed her life to you children.

She lives within you, Iemitsu.

And within you, Tadanaga.

You must also have children...

and bequeath your lives to them.

Then Ogou will rest in peace reassured.

Remember, Iemitsu...

it is the duty of man to procreate,

that they may live on in their children.

Remember, Tadanaga.

Yes, Father.

Joy and sorrow weave rich into the fabric of history.

When one live ends, another joyously begins

November 13, 1626...

Imperial Consort Masako gave birth to a prince.

She did it!

Congratulations, Sire!

Masanari!

My grandson is heir to the Emperor.

Yes, Sire!

If Ogou were alive, she would be so happy!

To celebrate Prince Sukehito's birth,

Shogun Iemitsu gave the Emperor a sword...

and 1,000 silver pieces.

To the Consort, he gave 300 silver pieces.

Then in December...

Your Excellency...

A report from Wakayama.

On December 11, a son was born to Lord Yorinobu of Kii.

Joyous news!

His name is Lord Nagatomimaru.

What will you do, Your Excellency?

I'll move my knight.

Forget chess! What about the heir?

Owari has Gorohachimaru. Kishu has Nagatomimaru.

Both are in line for Shogun.

Now...

Will the 4th Shogun be from Owari or Kishu?

According to the Tosho Dai-Gongen's will...

I, Yorifusa of Mito, must make the decision.

Don't be hasty.

The 4th Shogun will be my son.

How can you have a child with a page?

Ofuri is a woman.

On April 14, 1627...

3rd Shogun Iemitsu received the Samurai Intermediaries.

For your generous gifts...

celebrating the birth of the Young Prince,

we thank you, Your Excellency.

Raise your heads.

Thank you for coming.

I understand the Emperor has sent you with an order?

We have come with an informal notification from the Emperor.

He asks the opinions of you and Lord Hidetada.

I will hear it.

His Majesty wishes to abdicate the throne...

in favor of Prince Sukehito.

Abdicate?

We ask that you respond to this announcement.

Please repeat the notification.

The Emperor will retire from office,

and order that Prince Sukehito become Emperor.

Retire? That's absurd.

Prince Sukehito is only four months old.

We cannot understand the Emperor's true intentions.

What is the problem?

From what I can gather,

the forced visit to Nijo so offended the Emperor,

that he is retaliating by abdicating.

Retaliating?

Or could our rules for visits to the Consort Palace...

have angered him?

Masanari...

Send a secret message to the Kyoto Deputy.

Learn the true intentions of the Court.

Yes, Sire.

Tadayo...

Entertain the Envoys courteously...

and learn the truth behind the informal notification.

Yes, Sire.

Toshikatsu...

Tell Iemitsu...

It is the Court's common device...

to hint at the Emperor's abdication...

and wait for the shogunate to attempt to dissuade him.

Iemitsu must not readily believe it.

Yes, My Lord.

Now then...

April 28...

Hidetada invited the two Samurai Intermediaries...

to the West Compound of Edo Castle.

Please raise your heads.

I have heard...

the Emperor is ill and desires an acupuncture treatment.

But since the August body must remain unmarred,

he is forced to retire.

If he is ill, it cannot be helped.

I, Hidetada, and Shogun Iemitsu have no objection...

to His Majesty's abdication.

Yes, My Lord.

Therefore, Prince Sukehito must be formally installed...

as Crown Prince at once.

Please wait!

His Majesty only stated his personal wishes.

His abdication is not necessarily deemed definite.

The shogunate has stated that it has no objections to it.

But there is much disagreement in the Court.

Both Lady Chuwamon-in and the Chancellor...

strongly urge His Majesty not to abdicate.

How strange.

Doesn't the Samurai Intermediary relay the Court's wishes?

The Emperor's informal notification is different.

That's unacceptable!

Your words are exceedingly insulting to the shogunate.

Though the Envoys returned to Kyoto,

no more was heard from the Court about the abdication.

July 17

Regulations for temples are blatantly broken.

Major temples have grown rich,

including Daitokuji and Myoshinji.

The Jodo Sect has nominated many to sainthood.

All indiscriminately and without control.

These disobey the ban on Purple-Robe appointments...

and the 1615 restrictions on Court and nobles.

What should we do?

Last night, after a meeting at Sir Doi's home,

we concluded that lawbreakers should be punished severely.

How severely?

To rescind all Purple-Robe appointments made after 1615.

The appointments made by the Emperor?!

A rather extreme measure perhaps,

but it will warn the Court as well as the temples.

The Emperor will probably be furious.

Please build a strong order befitting the Shogun's name.

Shigemune...

In the name of the Shogun, inform all temples...

all Purple-Robes conferred after 1615 are rescinded.

Yes, Sire.

Be firm!

High priests formerly appointed to the highest order...

of the Purple-Robe were thrown into panic.

And, having issued 70 or 80 such appointments,

the Emperor completely lost face.

This was the infamous "Purple-Robe Incident."

The shogunate clamped down even harder.

On August 24,

they announced a strengthening of the rules for nobles.

Why were they so harsh?

Don't you know?

It was to anger the Emperor and drive him to abdicate!

Ieyasu's strength seems to have possessed Lord Hidetada!

There's still more.

On September 1,

rules for meals were imposed at the Consort Mansion.

Rules for meals?

Infant Prince Sukehito had fallen ill.

Perhaps...

He could have been poisoned.

Suspicious, the shogunate even controlled...

all meals at the Consort Mansion.

Frightening.

I do not think it likely, though.

Furious, the Court sent former Chancellor Kujo Tadahide to Edo.

The Court issued the Emperor's wish to abdicate.

The shogunate merely responded respectfully.

It is outrageous that we have heard nothing more.

Yes, but His Majesty now realizes...

that to abdicate in favor of a prince less than a year old...

goes against the wishes of his Imperial ancestors.

How very strange.

His Majesty has decided not to abdicate?

His Majesty's heart is as troubled as stormy waves...

or leaves in the wind!

We beg you wait calmly until he can come to a decision.

The shogunate has its name to protect!

We are aware of that,

but the Emperor is extremely distressed.

His Majesty practically insinuated...

that an emperor so easily controlled by the shogunate...

might as well be an infant. Am I wrong?

I do not know the details,

but if we offended you, we apologize profusely.

Please! We beg you...

do not cause the Emperor more suffering!

The ancients say, "The Emperor never goes back on his word."

His Majesty is revered by the people.

He must always act with resolve!

But Your Excellency...

Thank you for coming!

So they finally apologized.

The Dai-Gongen must be really pleased.

What do we do next?

Let's begin building a 'Sentogosho' for the Emperor.

A retirement palace?

That should set the Emperor's mind at ease.

Suden...

Isn't that being too straightforward?

Sire, we must not loosen our grip now.

It will cause more distress for the Emperor.

It is for the shogunate!

I know.

Chancellor Konoe Nobuhiro has asked to resign.

Resign?

The Kyoto Deputy has so informed us.

His reason?

I do not know.

He is probably disgusted...

with the furor surrounding the abdication.

Perhaps the construction of the Sentogosho angered him.

In any case, we cannot allow his resignation.

He cannot resign of his own will,

without first consulting the shogunate.

What should we do?

Report to the Throne...

that the Chancellor's resignation is not accepted.

Masakatsu!

Tell the Kyoto Deputy the Chancellor may not resign...

without consent from the Shogun!

Yes, Sire.

Next.

Nagasaki Magistrate Mizuno Yorinobu asks what to do...

with the Christians captured by the lord of Shimabara.

Burn them at the stake.

They number 340!

Christianity is forbidden!

Sire, let's ask the Ogosho for his opinion...

No!

I am not a child!

On January 15, 1628, Kyoto Deputy Itakura Shigemune...

rejected the resignation of Chancellor Konoe Nobuhiro.

And in March...

This year is the 13th death anniversary...

of the Tosho Dai-Gongen.

3rd Shogun Iemitsu and I will visit the Nikko mausoleum...

to pray for peace in the land...

and petition for the Emperor's retirement.

Has the Emperor expressed his wish to retire?

He will have to.

An Imperial Envoy will probably be sent to Nikko.

Congratulations, Sire!

Don't be hasty, rash one.

Anything could happen. So we must take precautions.

I shall visit Nikko on the death anniversary.

The Shogun will set out when I return.

Go in two groups?

Right.

Yorinobu and Yorifusa will come with me.

Yoshinao, too, will come on the Kiso Road.

Yes, Sire.

My Lord...

Tadanaga will go with the Shogun.

I wish to go with you, Father.

Tadanaga...

You are Iemitsu's vassal.

Takuan of Daitokuji Temple and two others...

have submitted their opinions about restrictions on temples.

Opinions?

They claim restrictions on Daitokuji and Myoshinji are so strict,

successors to temple heads are hard to find.

Strict in what ways?

Advancement at Daitokuji and Myoshinji requires...

30 years of training...

and presenting 1,700 questions for meditation.

30 years in training and 1,700 questions?

If one enters the order at 15,

he is 45 when his training is ended.

He is then allowed to train disciples.

But by the time they finish training for 30 years,

the teacher will be 75 years old.

One cannot train disciples unless he is blessed with long life.

I see.

And since it is impossible...

to devise 1,700 questions for meditation,

they ask merely to master the teachings of the sect.

Their request is quite reasonable.

We cannot use reason to solve this.

The Rules for Military Houses state...

reason may be broken by law,

but laws may not be broken by reason.

True.

This writ of opinion criticizes shogunate law...

and harms the Shogun's authority.

The priests must be punished for this.

We could punish them, but if a law is impossible to obey,

shouldn't it be changed?

What do you say, Suden?

I presume that when Takuan wrote his opinions,

he was resigned to being punished.

As one would expect of him.

Then we must ask Archbishop Tenkai for his opinion.

Please don't do that!

Daitokuji and Myoshinji belong to the Rinzai Sect.

But Archbishop Tenkai is of the Tendai Sect.

Intervention by another sect is humiliating for a temple!

Due to Ieyasu's 13th death anniversary,

the shogunate made allowances for broken temple restrictions.

But hardliner Takuan and the others were punished harshly.

Supporting the hardliners...

was Emperor Go-Mizuno-o, to whom they were close.

This is Hidetada's first daughter, ill-fated Sen.

She had even lost her second husband, Honda Tadatoki,

and returned to Edo to live in Takebashi Palace.

Silk pongee, 10 yards, 2 feet long,

and width of 3 yards, 4 inches. To make one roll.

Length, 10 yards, 2 feet. Width, 3 yards, 4 inches.

The cotton cloth?

Length, 10 yards, 4 feet. Width, 3 yards, 3 inches.

Now...

in Kyoto, Osaka, or even in the farthest reaches of Kyushu,

one roll will always be the same measurement.

The people will be really happy.

I'll not stop with cloth, Sister-in-law.

Laws and their enforcement form the basis of governance.

So I, Hidetada, will make laws to govern the land.

A net of laws stretching over all Japan.

Will the Court obey them?

If not, they will be punished.

The same will hold true for samurai, priests, and commoners.

All flags and even all loincloths will be uniform.

Loincloths?

Laws cannot regulate all things.

What would they be?

People's lives, people's souls.

Nothing can change Heaven's will.

Even those you cherish must die when fate decrees.

And those you wish would die live a very long time.

Are you referring to me?

Don't be absurd!

Osen...

Do you like the Takebashi Palace?

Thank you, it is very comfortable, Father.

Is that so?

Osen, come to see me sometimes.

We have both lost our spouses.

Let's reminisce together.

Thank you, Father.

I have also lost my spouse.

Oh, that's true.

Ogosho Hidetada visited the Nikko Toshosha on April 17.

Emperor Go-Mizuno-o sent many nobles and priest-princes,

and an envoy with an Imperial poem.

Catalpa bow, calming the land of Japan.

Guarding still the world today.

What does it mean?

Don't you know?

It praises Ieyasu for pacifying Japan,

and says his influence still protects us.

But a deeper meaning is that samurai still rule Japan,

so samurai can do whatever the hell they want.

Sarcasm, Sire?

He's probably thrown up his hands.

I truly believe the poem reflects...

the Emperor's wish to retire.

June 2

Before returning to Sunpu, his home fief,

Tadanaga visited Hidetada in the West Compound.

Tadanaga, you say you have a protest to make?

Not a protest, Father. A request.

Fine. State it.

At a recent banquet,

the Shogun received a drink from you...

and first offered the cup to the lord of Mito...

before offering it to me.

Yorifusa is your uncle.

If he is my elder, he is Brother's as well!

Your brother is Shogun!

I am the Shogun's younger brother!

Yes, the "younger" brother.

The lords of Owari and Kii...

are younger brothers of the 2nd Shogun!

Tadanaga, what are you trying to say?

Brother is always cordial to the lord of Mito,

but has no regard for me.

I doubt that.

I beg to differ.

Ever since Mother's death he has treated me coldly.

Your thinking is biased.

It is not!

Please speak to the Shogun.

Regardless of how he deals with the lords of Kii and Owari,

I cannot accept the fact...

that I am beneath Mito in importance.

Tadanaga...

At Iemitsu's tea party, instead of doing it yourself,

you made a vassal straighten the Shogun's footwear.

I am the Shogun's brother.

Moreover...

At the last feast, you spoke boastfully, didn't you?

You said one who couldn't sire children...

should not be Shogun.

I don't remember.

There's more.

You said, since you were born to the Shogun's wife,

you should be lord of Osaka Castle.

I only repeated what Mother said.

Are you dissatisfied with Sunpu?

Not at all.

If you are, I can take it from you.

I say once more...

You are Iemitsu's vassal!

It is entirely in Iemitsu's hands...

whether you live or die!

If you don't wish to be hated, keep silent.

Then I must tell you something.

Brother laments the fact...

that you will not retire to Odawara.

Silence!

Don't call him "Brother!" Not "Brother!"

He is the Shogun.

I don't wish to hear your tattling!

You will only incur Iemitsu's anger!

Be more respectful...

so that he will like you!

Who cares about Odawara?! Fool!

Now forlorn without Lady Ogou's steadfast protection,

Tadanaga was now 23 years old.

And on June 10, at a certain mansion in Mito,

Yorifusa's third son was born!

The mother was concubine Ohisa.

Look, look.

That intelligent-looking face.

Those elegant little fists!

To tell the truth,

this child was the future Mito Mitsukuni.

It was I!

Mother!

Feed me!

I need milk!

A child was born to you?

You heard, Sir?

I hear you have others as well.

My word...

Why did you hide it?

Why did you keep it from me?

Each time, I ordered that they be killed.

Out of deference to me?

It was, wasn't it?

But children were born to Owari and Kii.

That is why the Mito need no children.

A child is precious. Pity him!

Is it a boy or girl?

A boy.

Have you named him?

No.

Call him "Chiyomatsu."

Chiyomatsu?!

A fine name, isn't it?

Thank you very much!

Yorifusa, don't worry.

I shall have children, too.

Chiyomatsu!

Just at that time,

an earthshaking tragedy occurred in the Palace!

Are you feverish?

No, it's not very serious.

Is it a hangover?

No.

The great Shogun is so sickly,

I can't retire in peace.

Never mind. You needn't get up.

Lie abed and listen.

If the Emperor retires within the year,

Prince Sukehito will ascend to the Throne next year.

Iemitsu, you must lead a great army and go to Kyoto.

Yes.

The Shogun is my son,

and the next Emperor is my grandson.

What greater glory could there be for the Tokugawa?

Yes.

So...

in order to keep the shogunate secure forever,

the daimyo must be controlled.

What do you say?

Yes!

There are three ways to control the daimyo without using force.

The first is deprivation of samurai privileges.

The second is fief transfer.

The Tosho Dai-Gongen said...

to keep daimyo small, like potted plants.

The third way is to hold their families hostage...

and make daimyo serve alternate years in Edo.

Isn't that already practiced?

Not only the outside daimyo, but the hereditary as well.

If we are to be fair, we must write orderly laws.

Divide all daimyo into two groups,

having each group serve every other year in Edo.

Then half of the daimyo will always be in Edo.

Are you listening?

I shall draw up the law.

You tell the senior vassals and modify it as you will.

My Lord...

Toshikatsu? Come in.

What's wrong?

A messenger has come from the Court.

What is it?

On the 11th,

Prince Sukehito passed away in the Palace.

What did you just say?

Prince Sukehito has passed away!

Is that true?!

Medicines had little effect. He passed away.

Lord Ogosho!

He wasn't poisoned...?

To be continued.

To be continued.