Original subtitles

Katakura Kojuro Kagetsuna.

Among the many chosen vassals,

the one Masamune believed the most...

...was this Kagetsuna.

Moving back...

And opening!

Just planing and not having confidence in success...

Do you admit the defeat already!?

Fearing the Imperial Court is sign of disloyalty!

Naivete in commander's orders is misconduct!

Destroying the house of ancestors shows an undutifulness!

In first year of Genna era Kagetsuna died in age of fifty-nine...

City Shiroishi

...and was buried in prefecture Miyagi, Joeizan-Kessanji temple...

...in town Shiroishi,

...where was his castle, together with his six vassals.

This is the mausoleum of...

...family Katakura that remained until today.

The grave of Katakura Kita, Kojuro Kagetsuna's older sister,

...lies one kilometer far away from the mausoleum.

From the beginning...

...all the visitors, trying to share her luck and get her fame,

had gradually taken her gravestone little by little, and that's why...

...now it looks like this.

Shiroishi castle folding screen (owned by Katakura family)

To her younger brother Kagetsuna she suggested...

...to give a form of temple bell on battle standard...

which shows an idea of him becoming a warlord whose name rings in heaven.

Her design was preserved...

City Shiroishi, town emblem

...and now it is an emblem of town Shiroshi.

Dokuganryu Masamune (One-eyed Dragon Masamune)

Episode 47: Vice Shogun

Screenplay by James Miki

Based on the novel "Date Masamune" by Sohachi Yamaoka

Music by Shinichiro Ikebe

Theme music performed by NHK Symphony Orchestra

CAST

Masamune Date: KEN WATANABE

Princess Mego: JUNKO SAKURADA

Princess Iroha: YASUKO SAWAGUCHI

Shigenobu Suzuki: MITSURU HIRATA

Hidemune Date: KOICHI TSUJINO Seibei Yanbe: RYOTA NAKANISHI

Sadamune Watarai: RYOTA SKANISHI Nunenao Shiroishi: ZENPAKU KATO

Shogen Ishida: HIROAKI IIYAMA Maid: MU-U

Tadateru Matsudaira: HIROYUKI SANADA

Hidetada Tokugawa: HIROSHI KATSUNO

Sokun Imai: KEI TANI

Munenori Yagyu: RENJI ISHIBASHI

Narrator SEIJI KASAI

Shigezane Date: TOMOKAZU MIURA

Ieyasu Tokugawa: MASAHIKO TSUGAWA

Ieyasu Tokugawa who fell ill in January 1616

knew that his end was near

because of his old age, and his worsening condition.

Sunpu Castle

I've arrested Priest Seikan of Tofukuji Temple on your orders.

He's been cursing me

since he carved the bell in Hokoji Temple.

Shall we kill him?

No. Imprison him in Sunpu.

Yes, sir.

Return Kariya in Mizuno to Tadakiyo.

Increase his income 20,000.

Tadafusa Ishikawa of Ogaki will succeed Ienari.

Oh, I have to show mercy to Okubo too.

Open up enough arable land

so he can make a living near Ogaki.

Tell Tadafusa that's what he should do.

Yes, sir.

That's done.

That's most of it.

What will you do with Sir Tadateru?

I will spare his life.

The rest is for the shogun to decide.

Yes, sir.

Reporting.

I'm afraid it's about Sir Tadateru.

Did something happen?

He's escaped from house arrest in Fukaya

and has disappeared.

What?

After drinking heavily he went to the toilet.

No one has seen him since.

That fool.

Where has he gone?

Perhaps he's on his way here to Sunpu to see you.

He will not be granted an audience.

Intruder!

Be careful.

Princess. Please flee.

Forgive me. It's Tadateru.

Why...

I'm sorry I broke in.

There was no other way.

You may go.

My lord.

I missed you.

Are you safe?

Iroha.

Where is Masamune?

Is he in Sunpu?

Yes.

I must go to Sunpu.

You mustn't.

Please return to Fukaya.

I won't cause you trouble.

You have been disowned.

If the shogun hears of this...

I'm well aware of that.

That's why I wanted to see Iroha.

Could you leave us alone for a while?

I can't.

Please.

Mother.

Please don't do anything rash.

Don't worry.

May I take your sword?

It was all for nothing.

What?

Why did I divorce you against my will?

Why did you serve divorce papers on me?

I wanted to see him before he died.

No matter what punishment I may receive

I wanted to see him before he died

and wanted to tell him how I felt.

He will not see you.

Why not?

If Hidetada is Ieyasu's son, I am too.

It's custom that we should both be at his death bed.

Sir Hidetada is the shogun. You were under house arrest.

I have nothing to lose.

If he will see me,

and we can talk candidly, I wish for nothing more.

If he won't see me and I'm arrested on the spot

I will commit seppuku.

Please return to Fukaya.

I can't.

Then I will report that you broke into the Date mansion.

What?

If we don't, Date will also be punished.

Are you shopping me to the shogunate?

Are you saying you want nothing to do with me

now that we're divorced?

We're not divorced.

As long as God is in heaven I am your wife for life.

Then why?

Because I'm your wife, I fear for your safety.

Iroha.

Do you love your father?

Yes.

I love my father too.

I've always disobeyed my father.

I've acted like a ruffian all my life.

I wanted Father to scold me.

I wanted him to take notice of me.

My lord.

I didn't know how else to act with him

other than in this belligerent way.

That's why I want to go to Sunpu and apologize.

Even if he won't see me

and I'm order to commit seppuku.

I'm sure he will understand how much I love him.

Iroha.

We were fated not to be.

Don't forget me.

Let's be husband and wife in heaven.

Yes.

Many lords had gathered in Sunpu

to inquire after Ieyasu's health.

Hidemune Date from Uwajima was among them.

How is Neko?

She's fine.

She loves fish. Make sure she gets enough.

How old is Senmatsu now?

He's five. Jugaku, a learned monk is his tutor.

That's good. Lords in this day and age

need knowledge more that martial arts,

refinement rather than military strategy.

That's not like you.

Reporting.

Sadamune Watari is here from Edo.

Sadamune?

I'm glad to see you are in good spirits.

What is it? Is it urgent?

I bring a letter from your wife.

Bring it here.

I can't believe it.

What's wrong?

Sadamune, you accompanied Sir Tadateru here?

That's right.

- Sir Tadateru? - Where is he?

He's waiting for you at Seikenji Temple.

Damn Mego. What has she done?

It's such refinement...

to enjoy the flowers as I depart this world.

Don't tempt fate.

You are getting better.

Don't talk rot.

The doctor said so.

A warrior must know how to die.

Like these cherry blossoms.

Aren't they magnificent?

The Date lord is here.

I know. The Iyo tangerines were very good.

I'm glad.

Masamune.

What do you think about Hidetada?

Do you think he lacks the forcefulness to be a shogun?

Not at all.

He's just right for a shogun for a peaceful age.

Supported by excellent vassals

he just needs to be sagacious.

He must listen and observe.

He needs good ears and eyes.

A shogun is not a conqueror. He must be a champion.

How wise.

I am filled with admiration at your gallant and noble words.

Sir Date says he knows where Sir Tadateru is.

You found him?

He's in the castle town of Sunpu

awaiting your decision.

That scoundrel.

Sir Tadateru was alarmed

by the seriousness of your illness

and couldn't help but abscond from Fukaya

and come straight to Sunpu.

Did you put him up to it?

Of course not.

He's asking too much.

He couldn't petition the shogunate,

so please forgive him

for taking matters into his own hands.

I commend you for your work.

Then you'll see him?

I will not see him.

Alas. This is such a pity.

He came all the way from Fukaya

to see you one last time.

Tadateru is under house arrest.

Please don't stand on convention.

Laws can't be bent,

in a world where peace depends on laws.

Munenori.

Bring it.

I beg you. As a favor to me, please see him one last time.

One last time?

You just said I was on the mend.

One last time?

You may go.

Please excuse my insolence.

I said begone.

You too, Munenori.

- Masamune. - Yes?

Come closer.

Listen, tempura's bad.

What?

I ate snapper tempura and got food poisoning

and shortened my life.

When you eat delicious foods be very careful.

Thank you for your advice.

Where is Tadateru?

He's in Rinsaiji Temple.

Rinsaiji?

He's so close.

That's right.

He's an unlucky son.

If he was born into turbulent times

he may have been useful.

But in a peaceful age he's a white elephant.

Lord Nobunaga bestowed this to me.

Give this to Tadateru...

I will.

...as my memento.

I shall, sir.

Sir Nobunaga danced and enjoyed Noh

and had a compassionate soul and loved nature.

Tell Tadateru to think about that.

And another thing.

Tell him I wanted to see him too.

I shall.

Masamune.

You are my best hope.

Will you help Hidetada

as the vice shogun of the land?

Your wish is my command.

This is my dying wish.

Ten a.m. April 17, 1616.

Ieyasu Tokugawa passed away as if falling asleep.

Forgive me. An emergency.

Emergency?

The shogun's hereditary lord, Sir Gyobu Kamio

is at the gate with his men.

What?

The shogun has ordered him

to take Sir Tadateru into custody.

Refuse.

Our lord is not here.

I can't hand him over without his permission.

- Yes, sir. - Wait.

I'll go.

Don't trouble yourself.

I knew this was coming.

I'm prepared.

You mustn't.

Thanks for everything.

I can't cause Masamune any more trouble.

Sir Tadateru.

This is farewell.

Please wait.

Alarming rumors are spreading from Edo.

Sendai Castle

Alarming?

Sir Hidetada, the shogun

is holding a secret war council

with his hereditary lords

to amass an army to attack and destroy us.

- What? - That's ridiculous.

It's probably nonsense.

The Kanto merchants and traveling priests

all are saying so.

Sir Hidetada has always been

watching our lord's every move with loathing

and now that the retired shogun has passed,

it is clear that he intends to send troops

to destroy the Date.

I heard something too.

A tea masters I know wrote to me.

Our lord is the vice shogun of the land.

If Sir Hidetada disobeys the retired shogun's will

he will be punished even if he is the shogun.

Sadamune.

Send an envoy to Edo immediately.

It's probably not true but we must have the facts.

First, deliver my letter to Munenori Yagyu.

Then bribe the favored merchants

of the shogun's close advisors.

Yes, sir.

How much will you need?

One, no two thousand ryo.

Two thousand!

You have a problem with that?

- It's Munenao. - You're late.

Reporting.

Sir Tadateru Matsudaira has been sentenced.

I hope it's not execution.

He's been stripped of his rank.

Forfeiture?

His Echigo Takada fief has been confiscated

and he is exiled to Ise.

I see.

July 5, 1616.

Having his income of 600,000 confiscated

Ieyasu's sixth son Tadateru Matsudaira

fell from power and was confined to Asama in Ise.

Thus Tadateru vanished from the center stage

of Japanese history.

Why don't you go to bed?

Don't be sad.

Sir Tadateru survived, just as you wished.

You must be thankful for that.

Being a lord is one way to live,

so is being secluded in the mountains.

He must be so full of regrets.

I too will never see him again

nor will I be permitted to write to him.

We'll transcribe the sutra together.

It will ease your sorrow.

The way of the Buddha is merciful.

I am a Christian.

Do not say that.

Mother...

The shogun is very strict about Christianity.

Recently many followers in Edo has been thrown in jail.

Listen Iroha. Both Christianity and Buddhism

aim to achieve a similar state.

Forgive me.

In August, the shogun's close advisors

Munenori Yagyu and Geki Naito visited Masamune.

What do you mean suspicious activities?

I can say the same of the shogun.

Please don't get angry, Sir Date.

The retired shogun ordered me to support the shogun

and I was prepared to work for the peace of the country.

I am appalled that you are

sending an army to destroy me.

No one is saying the Date will be destroyed.

Don't lie. The rumor is that the shogun hates me.

I swear to the gods it's a misunderstanding.

Misunderstanding?

Sir Hidetada thinks the activities in Sendai

is very suspicious and that's why he sent me.

Are you denying you discussed sending an army to Oshu?

No, we did.

What?

The sentiment to punish the Sendai clan

is spreading among the hereditary lords

and senior vassals.

This is disturbing. Why?

Ask yourself that question.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Then I ask you.

I hear that the Date clan disobeys the Christianity ban

and turns a blind eye on their practices.

Is that true?

How dare you accuse us doing nothing?

We've been arresting them and punishing them severely.

The Sendai domain is large.

Another question.

According to Sanjuro Sone, the inspector who enforces

the shogunate's one domain one castle edict,

your family temple Zuiganji in Matsushima

is not a temple but a castle.

My, my.

Mistaking a temple for a castle is like

seeing a sparrow and thinking it's a hawk.

It's totally false.

Haven't you fortified it in case of war?

You should send a more qualified inspector.

Finally...

I want to talk about Tsunenaga Hasekura.

According to a Spanish emissary who landed in Uraga

you declared to the Spanish king

that you are planning to bring down the shogunate

with 300,000 Christians and become Japan's king.

That's a surprise.

Where did you get a hold of such nonsense?

There is a letter Sotelo wrote

to the Spanish king's first councilor Rojas.

A letter from Sotelo?

It probably was written on Hasekura's instructions.

Show it to me.

What?

Sotelo's letter.

I want to inspect it with my own eyes.

The letter is with the Spanish king.

What?

That's strange.

Are you interrogating us based on a letter

that you have never seen?

Insolence.

It's not an interrogation. It's merely an inquiry.

It seems all the shogunate senior vassals are cowards.

Do they believe I may lead the Christians

and bring down the shogunate?

You say Tsunenaga Hasekura petitioned the Spanish king?

You deny it?

It's total fabrication.

Go back and ask the shogun this.

Does he believe me

or does he want to cause a civil war

because he's been fooled by the Nanban foreigners?

Well now, this is a problem.

We got out of it for now

but it'll be hard to convince the shogunate.

When Tsunenaga returns everything will come out.

How ironic.

What?

I sent the envoys abroad in order to take the country.

Now that we're at peace it has come to haunt us.

Shall we brazen it out?

Or should we go to Edo and apologize?

You can say, "It was the gravest blunder of my lifetime.

I will make amends by swearing loyalty to you

for generations to come."

That won't pass muster with the rank and file.

They'll get together to destroy the Date.

Shigezane.

Yes?

I swallowed my pride

and kowtowed to the taiko many times.

I swore devotion to Ieyasu and discarded my ambition.

But I won't bow down to anyone else.

I agree.

Especially not to the shogunate officials

who swagger under borrowed authority.

If they are intent on destroying the Date,

let's go to war knowing we may perish.

Now you're talking.

Masamune developed a theoretical battle strategy

against the shogunate.

But this was not to be a battle to rule Japan

but a demonstration of the clan's pride.

Listen. The three strategies will be

a night raid on Murata and Ogawara,

a decisive battle at Saikawa

and darning Abukuma River for a water attack.

We won't last five days.

If we lose Sendai Castle

we'll move our main camp to Yokokawa,

entice the enemy into the maze of Ogatsu and Oga

and make it a protracted war.

I see. It's an all or nothing gamble.

Well station the navy in the port of Oppa

and have the Murone veterans protect Matsushima.

If we are unlucky and perish,

well all commit seppuku at Zuiganji Temple.

That sounds ominous.

The Date war strategy is that thorough.