Original subtitles

Date's prosperity shouldn't end at a thousand years.

I want it to last forever.

I will create a magnificent city here.

It's been 382 years since Masamune established his castle in Sendai.

Sendai City

Sendai, the city of forests,

is about to undergo a transformation.

That year, Sendai hosted the Tohoku Expo

and the long-waited subway was completed.

The city is full of Masamune products.

Aoba Street, Sendai

How would Masamune Date,

at times feared as the ruffian of Tohoku

and at times praised as a rare and able leader,

feel if he saw the prosperous city now.

Dokuganryu Masamune (One-eyed Dragon Masamune)

Final Episode: Peaceful Death

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

Tadamune Date: HIRONOBU NOMURA

Kojuro Katakura: MASAHIRO TAKASHIMA

Tsunamoto Moniwa: TAKEHIRO MURATA

Bonten Maru: RYOTA FUJIMA Tojiro: EIJI SHIMA

Sadamune Watarai: RYOTA SKANISHI Munenao Shiroishi: ZENPAKU KATO

Ochako: MACHIKO WASHIO Shogen Ishida: HIROAKI IIYAMA

Hidetada Tokugawa: HIROSHI KATSUNO

Iemitsu Tokugawa: SHIN TAKUMA

Kita Shichidayu: ROPPEITA KITA

Terumune Date (flashback): KINYA KITAOJI

Kagetsuna Katakura (flashback): TERUHIKO SAIGO

Kita (flashback): KEIKO TAKESHITA

So-itsu Kosai (flashback): HIDEJI OTAKI

Shigezane Date: TOMOKAZU MIURA

Hoshu-in: SHIMA IWASHITA

September 1622

Date Mansion, Edo

What's happened to Sotelo?

He's in a Nagasaki jail for illegal entry into the country.

They'll never let him out.

Why did he return?

If he had remained in the Philippines

he would have been safe.

Death was his choice.

Choice?

It is the highest honor for Christians to be martyred.

Was Tsunenaga Hasekura also martyred?

He died from an illness.

There are many ways for men to die.

They die for their master, for the country...

for their religion.

- Father? - Yes?

A letter from Yamagata.

- It's from Lady Hoshu-in. - Bring it here.

Tadamune.

An urgent message to Sendai...

to send an escort to Yamagata.

What?

What's wrong?

Mother is seeking my help. She's relented.

Evicted from the castle she has nowhere to go.

Hurry, Tadamune.

Yes, sir.

Sendai Castle

The Mogami was disbanded and their domain confiscated.

Initially, Lady Hoshu-in was adamant she remain in Yamagata

not only had no place to live but no food to eat

and asked for Masamune's help.

Please be careful.

Lady Hoshu-in.

Grandmother.

It is very nice to meet you. I'm your granddaughter Iroha.

You're Iroha?

Please.

So it was that Lady Hoshu-in

was to spend her declining years in Sendai Castle.

It was the following month

that Masamune, getting permission from the shogun

returned hurriedly to his domain.

I'm glad you're well.

I'm so sorry I had to be a bother to you.

Not at all.

Sendai Castle is my residence.

You can stay as long as you like.

Buddha be praised.

Father.

Please take a look at this.

Grandmother composed a poem.

She expresses how she feels in a poem.

The sapling pine tree I planted is now a tall tree,

in chiyo where the branches still grow strong.

Chiyo is another word for Sendai.

Thank you.

Once, I was a sapling out in the rain and wind.

The reason I can extend my thick branches

to Kyoto and Edo is all because of you.

I want to write a return poem.

A rice paddle, bring a rice paddle.

A rice paddle?

A writing box. A writing box, please.

You're blessed with many children.

Yes, he is.

One must cherish one's descendants.

It's important to worship one's ancestors

but the clan's security depends on good descendants.

You are so right.

But Sir Masamune Date

is the most resourceful lord in the country.

He's made sure of that.

No matter how resourceful your child is

a mother always worries.

In fact, Iroha was divorced by the shogun family.

Changes in the world affected Sir Tadateru's destiny

and this was the result.

Men treat women shabbily without a second thought.

They use us as pawns in their hideous political gains

sometimes as instruments to beget children.

That's a bit harsh.

Look at my life.

Although I married

as a sign of reconciliation between the Mogami and Date

I was returned to the Mogami

and finally in reduced circumstances

returned to Sendai to live in shame.

You are not living in shame.

You are our lord's birth mother.

Our bond as mother and child was severed.

Please put that out of your mind.

Both Sir Tadamune and Princess Iroha

inherited your bloodline.

And Princess Furi Sir Tadamune's wife

who comes to us from the shogun family is pregnant.

Her child, and the child's child,

and all the children after them will be your descendants.

Just because you are related by marriage

to the shogun family do not let your guard down.

People change and one's prosperity is but fleeting.

Once you stray from the path

you will fall into a bottomless pit.

I will remember what you say.

I can't imagine what hardships

you must have gone through in Yamagata

during the long years.

However, our lord is in the shogun's good graces

and the shogunate other lords all look up to our lord.

Then why did he forsake the Mogami?

If Masamune is the shogun's advisor

as he professes to be

he should have been able to save the Mogami.

I explained all that to you in Yamagata.

I'm asking Masamune.

Because I am the advisor I have to make sure

shogunate laws are properly applied.

Do you not feel a modicum of guilt

for destroying your mother's family?

I'm vexed at what you say.

The souls of your uncle

and all the Mogami who died in vain

will wander forever now that their ancestral grave is gone.

I thought as much

and requested I be given the Mogami domain.

What?

If we are given the Yamagata domain,

I believe the Mogami spirits could rest in peace

and I had many meetings

with councilor Masazumi Honda.

Unfortunately

Masazumi Honda was accused of treason

for the Utsunomiya incident and was stripped of his rank

so my request was derailed.

Why didn't you take it up directly with the shogun?

The retired shogun's edict forbids a direct plea

to the shogun regarding domains.

So you are a vice shogun in name only.

I'm afraid you go too far.

The original fault is with the Mogami.

Shigezane.

Our lord did all that he could in order to grant your wish.

All was for nothing.

Grandmother. You are too cruel.

I don't want to hear it.

You were so looking forward to Father's return.

I'm sorry.

You wouldn't understand...

what is means for a clan to become extinct.

How sorrowful the downfall of a clan can be.

I will leave you for now.

Grandmother.

Ochako.

Meeting my mother who I have not seen in many years

now that we've finally met I wish her happiness forever.

Once more.

...now that we've finally met I wish her happiness forever.

The following year July, 1623,

the second shogun Hidetada retired

and his son Iemitsu assumed the shogun position.

Edo Castle

He has arrived.

You called?

Iemitsu. Come here.

Excuse me.

I am happy to see you looking so well.

Congratulations for your appointment as shogun.

That's premature.

The ceremony is the day after tomorrow.

This as a practice for the day after tomorrow.

How impudent.

Now see here, Iemitsu.

While Sir Ieyasu was alive,

he told me never to treat Masamune disrespectfully.

Keep him by your side as vice shogun

and listen to his advice.

I will say the same to you.

Consider Masamune your instructor.

I am an old man now.

It is my wish.

If a warrior of your caliber

serves three generations of shoguns

and take the lead in showing loyalty to tie shogun

then all the lords will follow suit

and the country will be secure.

Father.

I understand what you are saying.

However, I want to ask Masamune one thing.

Go ahead.

Masamune.

I the third shogun's origin

is very different from Sir Ieyasu and

the second shogun, my father.

Tell me what's different.

Well...

If you are my instructor you should know the answer.

Don't you know?

I don't.

Then I shall tell you.

Both my father and grandfather

were originally just ordinary warrior lords.

They were on equal footing with the Date and Maeda.

Agree?

Yes.

But, I, Iemitsu was born a child of the shogun.

That is absolutely true.

Remember that.

Yes, sir.

Then please say that at your inauguration.

If you say you were born a shogun's son,

all the lords will be deeply impressed

and bow down to the wishes of the third shogun.

I will.

That's a good idea.

I am the shogun's instructor after all.

Two days later

the inauguration party of third shogun Iemitsu

was held with pomp at Edo Castle.

That speech is so like Sir Iemitsu.

That's not all.

He asked if there were anyone who wished to be the shogun

to speak up now.

Is that true?

No lord dared take him up on his offer.

In the silence, our lord came forward.

He said, everyone here is indebted to one or all of

the three shoguns.

If there is anyone here who has treason in his heart,

I, Masamune will confront and destroy him.

Good show.

Both Sirs Hidetada and Iemitsu were very satisfied.

Our lord made his mark.

Oh, my lady.

My lord.

What's wrong?

Lady Hoshu-in...

has passed away.

What?

In the early hours of July 16,

Lady Hoshu-in passed away peacefully

in the west wing of Sendai Castle.

Hoshu-in's turbulent life ended at the age of 76.

Prosperity to the Date forever.

Two years later, in May, 1625

Masamune's heir Tadamune stepped foot in Sendai

for the first time.

The people of the castle town to a man welcomed him.

Listen well, Tadamune.

Those are the people who support the Date.

Don't ever forget them.

Yes, sir.

Each man has a wife, children and grandchildren,

they have parents and siblings.

The lord must in all cases be compassionate

and make sure there is joy in their lives.

Yes.

What is the joy in living?

For instance, if you are a farmer

it is tending to your fields without worry

planting and harvesting.

If they can make a living, are people happy?

What is it you want to say?

No matter how poor you are, if you believe in God,

people can attain true happiness.

If you burn innocent people at the stake

or waterboard them where is their happiness?

Sister. Christianity is banned.

As long as there are laws,

those who break them must be punished.

Father once allowed the spreading of Christianity.

When times change laws will also change.

God's teaching never does.

Iroha may be right.

But if I condone Christianity

and harbor believers what will happen?

We will be punished by the shogunate

and the Date clan will perish.

Then our vassals, peasants and people

will be out in the cold.

A new lord will come to Sendai

and Christians will be massacred.

I have destroyed countless enemies in battle.

To win, I have made deals and plotted.

Hating myself, I've resorted to underhanded methods.

I've looked the other way and called white black.

When I look back, it was an ugly life.

But you can't rule the country

without getting your hand dirty.

You can't protect your people.

Once Priest Kosai said to me,

a warrior's path is a hellish one.

Not that I can retrace my tracks...

January 24, 1632.

Hidetada Tokugawa passed away at the age of 54.

In his sixties and in his twilight years

Masamune was enjoying life.

He became a lover of nature, loved hunting,

composed poetry and enjoyed his sake.

In particular, he poured money into his hobby of Noh

and in some years, it amounted to 30,000.

My lord.

By then,

Masamune was already suffering from cancer.

Kyogamine

April 1636.

Although ill, Masamune visited Kyogamine

near Sendai Castle.

This is the place.

Build my grave here.

That's bad luck.

No it isn't.

What's wrong with an old man of 70

deciding where to be buried.

Why here, sir?

When I was young,

I was told I was St. Mankai reincarnate.

I know.

It was here that St. Mankai died while still alive.

This is paradise.

The cuckoo is always singing here.

Sensing his end was near,

he used his last strength to visit Edo Castle.

Did you come to take my leave?

I stopped at Nikko

and paid my respect to Sir Ieyasu, the god-lord.

What did grandfather say?

He said, "Don't dally. Hurry over here."

There's no need to hurry.

There's no one who can be my instructor other than you.

Sir Hidetada in Zojoji Temple is also telling me to hurry.

Now that the world is at peace,

there's no need for an instructor.

But we've come this far because of you.

Not at all.

I thank you, Masamune.

I don't deserve such words.

Any last words?

May your influence

reach every corner of the country.

All right.

Leave Tadamune's future in my hands.

I will treat him well.

Thank you, sir.

I caused you so much hardship.

I didn't think of it as hardship.

I thank you for putting up with a contrarian like me.

Forgive me.

I couldn't keep my promise to you.

Promise?

That one day, I said I will rule the country.

I am proud to be your wife.

Let's meet again in the next world.

Listen, Mego.

I want to be depicted with both eyes

in portraits and statues after I die.

- Both eyes? - That's right.

I've only been able to see half of you with my eye.

In the next world,

I want to see you with both eyes.

I will.

This is farewell.

Masamune refused to see anyone after that.

Befitting the Date man,

he didn't want even his family to see him die.

Bontenmaru.

Bontenmaru.

Mother!

Here I am.

- Tojiro. - Yes?

I am here.

I remember you fondly.

Oh, there you are.

I missed you, Masamune.

You don't have to suffer anymore.

Come. Come to me.

Mother.

You came to get me?

Your father is waiting.

He said "Masamune did well. He is truly my son."

How about you, Mother?

Will you forgive your undutiful son?

Bontenmaru.

I really regret

I was away at Yamagata when you had small pox.

I don't begrudge you at all.

Tojiro.

Do you understand why

I tried to get in the way of your succession?

Because you were worried about the future of Date.

Will you forgive me?

- Yes. - Yes.

Thank you for those words.

The cloud has lifted and my conscience is clear now.

You are my child.

My beloved son.

This world is but a dream.

An illusion.

Masamune.

Let's go.

Bontenmaru.

Tojiro.

Let's go.

Good morning.

It's Shigezane.

My lord?

Damn it!

Is he gone?

Our lord has gone home.

He always said he was a guest here.

May 24, 1636.

Masamune Date died peacefully in Edo's Date Mansion.

He was 70.

With the clear moon of my heart,

I walk through the darkness of life.

October, 1974.

To reconstruct his crypt Zuihoden

that burned in the air raid during World War II,

Masamune's remain interred in Kyogamine

was exhumed after 338 year.

These are the actual remains of Masamune Date

who lived through Japan's most turbulent era

from the Age of Civil Wars to the Edo period.

THE END