Never speak of what you see or hear inside the Ōoku to anyone,
not least to your parents or siblings. - From The Ōoku Code
[birdsong]
[child] Sadakichi! Wait, where are you going?
A secret spot for my eyes only!
You watch yourself, Sadakichi!
The wilderness is no place for a lone child!
[woman] Return home before the sun sets, all right?
[Sadakichi] Don't worry, I will!
That child! Playing doesn't help him learn to work the fields.
[laughs] I found it! It's an otsugatake!
The very first mushroom of the season!
They say that eating the first find will prolong your life.
So I'll make sure my ma eats it. [sniffs]
- [rustling] - [gasps] Who's there?
[clicking and rustling]
[snuffling]
Oh!
[growling]
[whimpering]
Sadakichi!
[narrator] As Sadakichi drew his last breath,
abnormalities began cropping up through the village in the days that followed.
[groaning]
- Hey, Pa? - Hmm?
I feel terribly weak, and I'm burning up.
First, Otokichi, the eldest brother of Sadakichi,
came down with a high fever of unknown cause.
Shortly after, red pustules spread over his entire body.
Four days later, he died.
Two days afterward, the second son, Matasuke, passed away.
Their father, Otomatsu, contracted it six days later.
Sadakichi's mother, Seki, and his little sister Tei were spared,
but Seki knew what was happening.
The god of the mountain must have punished Sadakichi with a plague,
and her son brought it back to the village.
[whimpers]
The plague rapidly spread to the neighboring village.
Shortly after, it swept to the village beyond.
Only the men, and the young men at that, were affected by this terrible disease.
Eight out of every ten perished in agony.
In a few years, this plague from a mountain village
spread to all of the Kanto region.
It continued its devastation westward.
And, as there were no means to combat this disease,
the population of men declined at a frightening rate.
The plague came to be known as "red-face smallpox,"
and took root in the country.
DEITY OF RED-FACE SMALLPOX
[dramatic music]
After nearly 80 years of ravaging the country,
the population of men slowly stabilized at one-fourth that of women.
Women became the labor force in every aspect of daily society.
All trades and occupations passed from mother to daughter.
The institution of marriage collapsed.
Instead, women paid for men in the pleasure district
if they had any desire to bear children.
Getting your own husband became a symbol of privileged status,
reserved only for samurai, rich merchants, and village headmen.
I can't believe it! It sounds like I'll actually be able to get a husband!
- [giggles] - You're so lucky, I wish I could have one!
Ever since the reign of the third shogun Iemitsu,
women have inherited the powerful position of shogun.
Due to the bureaucratization of the samurai society,
inverting the roles previously held by men to women was a simple feat.
[jingling]
Our liege has arrived! She will grace us with her presence for a morning audience!
[man] Bow in reverence! Her Highness has arrived!
[dramatic music intensifies]
In a time of male scarcity,
only the ruler of the land and supreme leader of the country
was allowed the highest luxury...
Men.
Inside the castle was a palace, wherein 3,000 young, beautiful men lived,
all of which were off-limits to any other woman.
The Inner Chambers, or the Ōoku.
ŌOKU: THE INNER CHAMBERS
[man] Get out my way!
It is now the reign of the seventh shogun, Ietsugu.
EDO: APRIL, 1716
[men grunting, wood clattering]
[yells] I... I yield!
I surrender, Yunoshin. I give up, so have mercy!
Come on now!
Mitamura-san, I know you dropped your wooden sword on purpose.
I have no doubt you could keep going.
- Ready? - [yelps]
- Just let me lose! - [laughter]
- [woman] I believe that's enough, sir. - [all] Huh?
Not everyone wants to push themselves so hard! Be careful not to fall ill.
What was that, O-Nobu?
Unless you have a reason for me to stop, then I...
- [Nobu sighs] - [all] Hooray! Training's over!
A shame.
Mitamura-san has a good aptitude for it. He just lacks the zeal. Or rather...
[slurping] Mmm!
He doesn't really take swordsmanship seriously.
Does that surprise you at all?
We are far removed from a time of war.
Now swordsmanship is little more than a hobby for samurai.
Is that so? You're likely sitting there thinking I should dance or sing,
since that'll make me more popular with the ladies?
Oh, no, not at all.
Watching you practice there, with a sword... I liked it.
It... it's just that, while men are stronger than women,
your constitution is weaker than ours.
I worry you might push yourself too hard and get sick.
[laughs] I guess I'm an exception, then.
Mmm! Mmm.
Even so, you are already popular.
It happens all the time.
I've seen women flock to you, asking for your seed,
and you haven't refused a single one.
[gentle music]
Even in this day and age, you don't ask for payment.
You know that's why they all come to me, right? It's not that I'm popular. Mmm.
You would say that, wouldn't you?
With features such as yours, you could have your pick of any woman you desired.
Yet you only choose to help poor women.
It is a great kindness.
If my dear childhood friend had any wish that I would bed her,
I wouldn't mind it at all.
Hmm...
Enough of that! Such an option is out of the question, as you know.
[laughs] Course I do.
The heiress of Tajima-ya, the medicinal herb seller.
Your only choice for a husband is another well-to-do merchant.
You can't be caught foolin' around with the son of a poor hatamoto like myself.
Listen, O-Nobu.
Those women who come to me, they're not sleeping with me out of love or affection.
The only thing they want is a child.
On their hands and knees, they beg me with tears in their eyes.
All because they want a purpose in life.
How could I say no? How could I not lend them my help?
There's a name for someone who acts like that.
A womanizing lecher who cannot keep it in his pants.
- [gasps] Are... are you kidding me? - Hmph!
I'm doing this out of mercy and compassion! I'm basically Buddha...
- [Nobu] Mmm-mmm! - [woman] Young master!
[breathing heavily]
Oh. It's O-Take-san.
Nanny O-Take. Is somethin' wrong?
[woman] Yunoshin! This is amazing!
You have received a fantastic marriage proposal!
[wails] Why?
- What's that attitude? - Huh?
When your mother tells you such a thing, you are to react graciously
and say, "Yes, Mother, thank you for taking care of me," and do as I say.
The offer is coming from Governor Miura's daughter of the Hizen province,
who commissions temples and shrines.
You've already reached 19.
A good match such as this one will not come around twice.
Do you object to the proposal?
[sighs]
It's not that I'm against it.
I find it all dull...
How you happen to "find it" has no bearing on the matter!
Your job is to marry into a respectable family,
where you are to produce as many children as you can
and be grateful for a good life!
I'm not disagreeing with you, Mother.
But shouldn't you look for a decent husband for my older sister first?
Gah!
You need not concern yourself with your sister's prospects.
Finding Shino a suitable gentleman to marry is a task I will handle in due time.
- Even though we have no money? - [parents gasp]
Yunoshin, you don't need to worry about what I'll do.
A husband might be a stretch. Though I'm sure we could pay someone for his seed...
Shut your mouth!
A daughter of a respectable vassal family of the shogun should not say such things!
- [both] Hmm? - The only concerns you need care about
are the ones regarding yourself.
[Yunoshin] Mother.
Long have I wanted to express my sincerest gratitude to you.
- [Shino] Hmm? - [father gasps]
[Yunoshin] When the son of a poor samurai household becomes a man,
it is all too common in this day and age
to rent them to rich families by the night to survive.
So I am grateful to you.
You, my mother, never sold my body to anyone.
Not a single time.
I am truly grateful for the protection you gave me.
And this is why I would ask that you allow me to repay that kindness in turn, Mother.
[all gasp]
There is an option that will provide a greater reward
than marrying to become a husband.
You're not saying...
Hmph!
To serve at the Ōoku.
The Inner Chamber of Edo Castle, under our shogun.
It is said that 3,000 beautiful men serve her
where no other woman may enter its halls.
So I ask your permission that I be allowed to enter service at the Ōoku.
- [all gasp] - At the Ōoku?
If I work in the Ōoku, you would have one less mouth to feed,
as well as the compensation for my service.
I could send the money home.
Then it would be simple for my dear sister to have a husband.
Please, I humbly beg of you. Allow my wish to be granted.
[Shino sighs]
Yunoshin, I...
'Cause I kind of already asked my uncle in Akasaka to put a word in for me.
- [laughs] - [Mother growls]
[cicadas chirping]
[poignant music]
So it's true you're going to the Ōoku...
I'm rather dashing, aren't I?
You truly are going.
I've heard that upon entering service,
you will sooner die than be able to leave again.
Hmm.
You got that right.
I intend to advance through the ranks and serve for the rest of my life.
Know how women aren't allowed in there?
I can only imagine how refreshing it'll be not to stick around
and deal with noisy women like you and Mother all the time.
I see! So you're just a scoundrel
who wants to wear beautiful robes and live in the lap of luxury, is that it?
Of course that isn't it. It's hard to see you every day...
[gasps] Huh?
...knowing the divide between us.
Because we don't live in a world where you and I could be together.
[gasps]
[poignant music swells]
[whimpering]
[sobs]
Find happiness.
[gasps]
[sobs]
[weeping]
[wails] Yunoshin!
[birdsong]
So these are the men's quarters of Edo Castle. Wow.
Today, I begin as a Page in the Inner Chambers.
My name is Mizuno Yunoshin. Sir.
I am Matsushima, a Groom of the Bedchamber.
We have received a letter of recommendation from your Uncle Mikumo.
Follow me.
- [tinkling] - [thinks] Wow...
Seems as though rumors of the Ōoku Grooms were true.
That's a good-looking man.
Rumors have circulated that the Ōoku is home to 3,000 beautiful men,
but in reality, the number of men who serve here at Edo Castle
doesn't even come close to 800.
There are primarily two groups that divide up that 800 sum.
Those who are considered omemie, or worthy of Her Highness's sight,
and those who are not.
From that division, there are ranks.
[Yunoshin] Whether I look to the right, or look to the left...
everywhere, men, men, men.
I've never seen so many in one place.
[Matsushima grunts]
- Huh? - My hem.
Oh! I beg your pardon, sir.
Know this. Among these men who serve in the Ōoku,
there is one who holds more power than the rest of us combined.
And he is the Senior Chamberlain. His name is Master Fujinami.
The Senior Chamberlains are in charge of every aspect, great and small,
that happen within the Ōoku.
Master Fujinami supersedes us all.
That's intense!
Guess being the Senior Chamberlain would be a pretty difficult position.
Especially for someone who's so elderly.
Senior Chamberlain is nothing but a title.
Master Fujinami is still in his 40s!
The fault is mine.
Although I suppose that means that the Senior Councilors aren't all grannies?
[groans] Regardless,
a Page is beneath omemie rank, but it is still the highest among the unworthy.
Only sons of hatamoto are allowed to work here.
- You should remember that. - Yes, sir!
Also, you shall henceforth be called by your surname, Mizuno.
[gasps]
From this moment on, you are strictly forbidden
from speaking of anything you experience in the Ōoku.
If your tongue slips, your head will fly.
- Remember that. - [gasps]
[buzz of conversation]
[man 1] Did you see that?
Good day to you all!
[all] Hmm?
My name is Mizuno, and I'll be joining you here in the Pages' Quarters.
A pleasure to meet you.
[laughter]
Hey, newcomer.
Please allow me to teach you the intricacies of this place.
The very first thing you must do is shave your legs.
- To shave... my legs? - Quite so.
In the Ōoku, personal appearance is of utmost import.
Our current shogun is only a young maiden at seven years old,
and as such, she finds great disdain among hairy men.
Ah. That does makes sense. This is the Inner Palace.
- [man 2] He's joking. - Huh?
They're just making fun of you.
- [gasps] - Come now, Sugishita.
Don't be a spoilsport! You ruined the game far too early.
What a shame! We were hoping to have a show of him shaving every last hair.
[man 3] It's always amusing to toy with ignorant country hicks.
I wager he must be from a poor hatamoto household,
pushed into service so they had one less mouth to feed.
The way he dresses all but screams it.
His kimono resembles that of a fetid sewer-rat!
Not to mention his topknot...
It's narrow, while his tonsure is large and wide. How unbecoming!
Attempting to hide a receding hairline, hmm?
- [grunts] - [man gasps]
What the hell? You really think I'm the unbecoming one, buttface?
Back in times of war, real samurai tonsured their heads
to keep them cool underneath the iron helmets.
The way I've styled my hair is the mark of a samurai!
But look at you!
Wearing a topknot in the style of a young man at your age lacks far more in taste!
Before you go yammerin' about youth, why don't you look in the mirror?
[splutters] How dare you say such things?
Hah! Just so you know, my topknot is slender on purpose.
Guess you're out of touch, 'cause this is the latest style in Edo.
While my kimono might not be the highest quality,
everyone and their brother in the capital are after this brownish-gray.
So who's the unsophisticated one now?
Gah!
[growling] Rude!
I shan't stand for this!
Oh, you wanna go?
No skin off my nose, so bring it!
I think that's quite enough bickering, you two.
Our afternoon duties start soon.
- Soejima. You are aware of the rules. - [growls]
Disputes from personal grudges are strictly forbidden.
What would happen
if Master Kaburagi, the First Page, happened to come upon a scene like this?
[grumbles]
If anyone should be tsking, it definitely ain't you!
[laughing] Come now. You must also practice restraint.
- Almost everyone starts out this way. - [sighs]
Oh. I beg your pardon.
I have not introduced myself.
Well, then. My name is Sugishita.
I have served here in the Pages' Quarters for around ten years.
Come now, you should change. This way.
Pages all wear the same blue kimono and hakama shirt.
No carrying swords.
The only ones who are allowed are those ranked as the worthy omemie,
and the fire guards who are on patrol.
Now, then. Our first task at hand is to clean the apartments of the omemie.
The aim is to finish before they return from their own duties,
so their rooms are ready.
Afterward, we tend to their needs,
such as bringing hot and cold water to their chambers.
Our duties include running errands and handling odd jobs.
[lively music]
You mustn't use the feather duster like a rag and beat it like that.
Their personal belongings are kept in these chambers.
You wouldn't want to risk knocking down or breaking anything.
So you'll need to gently wipe the dust away.
Yes, hold it carefully.
This is how we incense the robes of our masters.
Hmm?
Goodness, these chambers are filled with all kinds of cats, goldfish, and critters.
You will say "honorable cat."
- That's the rule. - [meows]
Hmm.
Once the masters return to their chambers,
it is time for them to have their evening meals.
You will bring their dinner to a chamber as instructed.
As the treasured son of a hatamoto,
you might not be used to doing all these menial tasks.
But not all jobs in the Ōoku are pleasing or glorious.
Well, I actually came from a poor family.
It's nothing to boast about, but I've done bathhouse and sewage board work.
Aside from selling my body to women, I've done just about everything.
This stuff is easy by comparison.
[sighs]
Master Matsushima.
I have brought you this evening's meal.
My dinner was delivered to me quite some time ago.
Hmm?
Anything else?
[stammers] Nothing, sir. Please excuse my mistake.
You fool!
You were supposed to go to the third wing, not the second wing!
- I instructed Soejima to tell you where! - [all chuckling]
- Deliver this! Don't you dare dawdle! - [thinks] So disgustingly petty!
Aww!
You better get going!
[Mizuno yelps]
If you weren't so slow, we would all be done already!
- [all laughing] - How inconsiderate.
[breathing shakily]
Listen here.
Doesn't it bring a tear to your eye with just how petty you all are?
No? Well, I'll help you with that...
Mizuno, you should focus on cleaning up this mess, first!
I will take care of bringing a new tray of dinner to the third wing in your stead.
[cicadas chirping]
Fire guards passing through!
Fire guards are making the rounds!
Be mindful and vigilant!
Keep watch over your embers!
[grunts]
- What do you lot want? - [all growl]
Hold him down!
[struggling]
Uh-oh.
You won't be able to wiggle away with two men holding you down.
[grunts]
[thinks] They're gonna beat me!
[gasps]
Huh?
Hmm! Your face is rather pleasant to look at.
Whenever there's a cheeky newcomer that gets above himself, we teach him a lesson.
A lesson where you'll play the woman.
Do you understand?
[gasps]
He's so shocked, it seems he's lost his voice.
- [chuckles] - Would the two of you stop hogging him?
Let me have a turn...
[groans] That's my tooth!
[all gasp]
Are you insane?
Drawing a sword in the Ōoku is strictly...
- [Mizuno] Shut up! - [gasps]
If seppuku is the punishment that I face,
then I will send all of you to your graves before I go to hell.
This is a promise.
If you ever try this on me again,
I will cut the three of you down without a second thought.
[all whimpering]
- [Page 1] What's going on? - [Page 2] Who's talking at this hour?
You heard me. Now get back in your beds and lay down.
[all whimpering]
[groans]
Oh, O-Nobu...
I... I think I may have ended up in a horrible place.
[Sugishita] It is commonplace in the Inner Chambers.
I have bedded with men more than once myself.
- [gasps] What? - [meowing]
That is mind-blowing.
In Edo, a man has enough on his plate trying to meet women's needs!
You go without sleeping with a woman for a month, and it makes more sense.
Soejima's entourage are out of the question.
But it's easy to be tempted, when it's a beautiful youth.
[thinks] This is insane...
One step out of Edo Castle, and there are multitudes of women wanting children
but lack the seed to have one.
They don't have enough money for even a single night.
- [woman] Ah, thank you so much! - [Mizuno] Oh, no, no. You don't need to.
You were the only person kind enough to grant such a wish for a person like me.
I know I'm far beyond my best years at this point,
but I want to put my ma at ease.
I apologize for being such an old bag of bones.
Mmph. Here goes...
- Oh! Wait, I can't do anything yet. - Mmm?
Is something wrong, O-Yae? Was there something you needed to do?
[gasps] Dear gods and Buddhas,
please give me a child, please give me a child...
[echoing] ...please give me a child...
[Sugishita] Our current shogun is only seven years of age.
Not to mention, the population in the Ōoku
is reverse of the outside, with men to spare.
[Mizuno] Hmm.
We have a lot in common with that goldfish you saw earlier.
What?
Our lives are vain and wasteful.
The Ōoku is the glass goldfish bowl we will spend our days in.
We are kept as pets.
Locking these men away, their seeds spilt, wasted.
That deliberate wastefulness,
that needless luxury,
is it not proof of Her Highness's might?
[Mizuno sighs]
[thinks] O-Nobu...
this place is...
- [yelling] - Hmm?
[wooden swords clattering]
You're open!
Hardly!
- Huh? - Yaah!
[groans]
[thinks] Well, well...
I expected to see a bunch of wimps whacking swords around, but...
[fighters struggling]
- [man] Your thoughts? - Hmm?
[man] The pride of the Ōoku holds full training every 12 days.
Quite the swordsmen, are they not?
[chuckles]
Hey, Mizu...
[gasps]
[running and gasping]
- Huh? - [Sugishita] Sir! I apologize!
Please pardon this discourtesy!
No, no, I think it is commendable to have an interest in the martial arts.
You two are Pages of the Inner Chambers, yes?
- Names? - Yes, sir!
To my side is Mizuno, and kneeling before you is Sugishita, sir!
Mizuno...
You must be the new Page of the Inner Chambers that I've heard so much about.
I've heard of your exploits.
They say you got into a scuffle against three others
when they pressed upon you to perform the newcomer's "duty of the night."
And not only did you fight them off, but you came out unscathed.
Excellent indeed.
M... my lord... I...
Say, Mizuno.
How would you like to cross swords with someone at the dojo?
My... my lord... The rules...
[man] I'll allow it.
Your interest tells me you have considerable skill.
Am I wrong?
Consider this a request from Fujinami, the Senior Chamberlain of the Ōoku.
I would ask that whatever skill you possess as a swordsman
be shown here today.
[gasps]
[yells]
That was Master Fujinami, the Senior Chamberlain?
[laughs]
Indeed it was.
Best of luck, Mizuno.
[man 1] Where did this guy come from?
[man 2] I hear he's the new Page of the Inner Chamber.
[man 1] Oh! It's Mizuno, right?
I heard about his brawl in the middle of the night!
Well what I heard was that he hurled all the men in the Page's Quarters
across the room with his bare hands.
But he's so beautiful, you never would have guessed it.
I suppose you can't judge a book by its cover.
[thinks] They're makin' the whole thing sound like a bigger deal than it was.
Who here is the most skilled?
- Sir, I don't think that... - I'll allow it.
Hmm. Tsuruoka!
- Face your opponent. - [Tsuruoka] Sir!
[all gasping]
[man 1] No way...
[gasps]
[Mizuno] The young man with Master Matsushima...
[man 2] Master Tsuruoka is sparring him?
[man 3] I heard he was strong, but is Mizuno that strong?
[dramatic music]
[thinks] He didn't even look at the opening I created for him.
He's strong.
His body is slight, but solid as steel.
The only way to get that result is daily practice.
Look at that. He's still as a stone with that sword above his head.
All right, then!
Hai-yah!
I see.
Glad to know looks and lineage aren't the only things that are prized in this place.
Oh!
[panting]
[both yelling]
[gulps]
[yelps]
Mizuno is the winner!
- [all murmuring] - [gasping]
Oh-ho!
Master Tsuruoka was defeated!
- [panting] - [man 4] He's strong.
You all right? I hope you're not hurt, Master Tsuruoka
Please forgive the intensity.
Because your strength far outmatched my own,
I couldn't stop my wooden sword in time.
I would also like to thank you.
This is by far the happiest day I've experienced
since I entered into studying the way of the sword.
I never expected to see a swordsman of your caliber here.
- I felt like a rat biting a cat... - Enough!
Uh...
[somber music]
"A swordsman of your caliber"?
Do not be full of yourself!
No matter how good or deft you are with swords,
in the Ōoku, our priorities are far different.
It is better to have a beautiful face and know the graces of social politics.
[scoffs] In the competitions that truly matter,
I am far above you in every aspect!
[Mizuno gasps]
[thinks] O-Nobu.
This place is grim.
Even though it's filled with beautiful men who are capable of incredible talents,
their hearts are empty.
What's with that dour expression?
You've got it all wrong.
I'm overjoyed with the results from my bout.
[chuckles] Guess I misread.
My family is gokenin, worth 30 bales of rice, which feeds three.
That's the lowest stipend there is among the gokenin.
My parents never gave it a thought, selling their son's body.
I was forced to every single night since I was 14 years old.
[sighs]
[Sugishita] When I was married off at the age of 18,
I was ecstatic, thinking that I was finally able to get out of that hellhole.
But in all the years we slept together, we were never blessed with a child.
I was eventually divorced, and they had stopped feeding me in the end.
Going home was out of the question,
so I had no other place to go.
I came here at 23. I began my service as the lowest ranking houseboy.
Grunt work was no issue.
Even being violated by my superiors, it was nothing new to me.
[sighs]
Listen, Mizuno.
From your perspective, the Ōoku could seem like a sick, twisted, rotten place,
filled with those who feel broken.
But there are those of us here who have nowhere else we can live.
[narrator] April 30th in the sixth year of Shotoku.
The seventh shogun Ietsugu had been sickly for some time.
Her condition turned critical, and she passed away.
It appears to have been decided that our next shogun
will be one Lord Yoshimune from the Kii province.
Say, Matsushima.
Did you know that, with our liege on her deathbed,
Lord Yoshimune was the first of the three branches of the Tokugawa house
to attend to the castle?
They say Lord Tsugutomo of Owari province, her main rival,
didn't even have her palanquin ready for travel yet.
From the whispers I've heard, they used bribery.
The Kii side approached one of the chief retainers in Owari.
Reports of our liege's critical condition were intentionally delayed to their Lord.
Hmph. Women are terrifying, aren't they?
Regardless, Lord Yoshimune is yet unmarried and is in good health.
It surely will liven up here for the first time in years.
Although I do feel sorry for whoever is chosen as her secret swain.
The secret swain has a poor lot, indeed.
Lord Yoshimune is a woman of vigor and valantry,
who herself has studied the martial arts.
I'm sure she will not fancy a man who is soft, no matter how beautiful he is...
Oh! I was just struck with an idea.
I've just met someone who I think would be a most suitable swain.
[narrator] On the first of May,
the day after the young shogun Ietsugu passed away,
the reign of the eighth shogun, Yoshimune, began.
How do you fancy your new robe, Your Highness?
It is a "tuck-up" robe made from black nerinuki fabric
with a pattern of cintamani jewels.
An uchikake over-robe is considered a "tuck-up"?
[servant] Yes, my liege.
It is customary to call it so in the Castle,
because one tucks up the long hem to walk.
It is beautiful.
But, Manabe.
I told you the other day that I do not need lavish garments,
as I have always worn plain cotton kimonos back when I lived in the Kii province.
Mmph. With all due respect,
I trust I have followed your instruction where your garments are concerned.
You stated that you wished for them to be kept simple, my liege.
A black fabric with a few modest patterns.
If I were to use anything more simple than this,
I fear it will tar my liege's prestige as the supreme ruler of this domain.
This is the capital.
- Not the backwaters of Kii. - Hmm.
If that's how it must be, I suppose the matter is settled.
I am grateful you agree, Highness.
You are dismissed. Pack your things and leave by tonight.
Huh?
The shogunate faces tremendous financial hardship.
So if my priorities are to dress myself in lavish garments as the ruler,
all while tackling the task of rebuilding the nation and its finances,
those decisions would strike me as an act only a lunatic would choose to carry out.
And in ignoring my wishes, it seems to me that you are one such lunatic.
Surely a lunatic like that could never
assume the great responsibility of a privy councilor?
Uh... [gasps]
Did you not hear me? I said you are dismissed!
- Now, begone! - [gasps] My liege!
[woman] That was quite the first impression, honorable Nobu...
I mean, Your Highness.
It was always my intention to dismiss the privy councilors of my predecessor.
Even so, I am no stranger to contempt or disapproval.
Originally, I was never in line for succession,
being that I was the third daughter of the Lord of Kii.
A few snide remarks and insinuations could hardly raise my ire.
[chuckles] Um...
You plan to dismiss all the councilors?
Were you also intending on abolishing the post in its entirety, my liege?
You guess correctly.
And in the place of having multiple Privy Councilors,
I shall create a post of a single intermediary.
It is this person who will mediate between the Senior Councilors and myself.
Their primary concern will be dealing with that troublesome lot in the Ōoku.
Oh! That sounds like a difficult position!
[laughs]
If you think so, then it's hardly time to be laughing, as it is your job, Hisamichi.
Wait, you really think that I should do it?
Yes, I do.
It's just, Your Highness, I may have served you ever since we were little,
and you know my loyalty for you.
But that is a lofty position, and I am merely a retainer.
Knowing you for as long as I have
has no bearing on why I'm assigning you this post.
I did so because I believe you have what it takes to fill this role.
Hear me, Kano Hisamichi.
The only thing that changed is where we are.
Continue to serve me, and be my right hand as you were in the Kii province.
My liege.
Although I'm afraid the stipend will be meager,
as we are facing financial crisis.
- [laughs] - [groans]
[Fujinami] What was that?
Are you truly telling me Her Highness will not hold an audience in the Ōoku
for a month at earliest?
Her Highness will be extremely busy with the affairs of the state,
which is why she cannot visit the Inner Chambers for some time.
[sighs] Lord Kano, we are ten days into Her Highness's reign as shogun,
and that she has yet to hold a general audience with the Inner Chambers
is something I find exceedingly outlandish.
I understand, but it is not her intention to abstain
- from appearing here eventually, sir. - [grumbles]
I should think not!
[thinks] Whoa! Scary.
A man raising his voice when it's already so deep and loud is unsettling.
What is our liege thinking, throwing tradition to the wind?
Likely about the future of this nation.
[gasps]
[grumbles]
[thinks] She's sharp as a knife.
[Mizuno] What?
My Lord says he wants me to be
a Groom of the Bedchamber?
Do you have objections?
No! It would be my honor!
But I...
Your performance at the dojo the other day... I must say, I was truly impressed.
You defeated Tsuruoka fair and square.
So it stands to reason that you'll be promoted to a higher position than him,
wouldn't you say?
It's rather straightforward.
[narrator] A Groom of the Bedchamber is a personal attendant to the shogun,
as well as a consort.
From this rank, men are presented to the shogun
from which she will choose her concubine.
Within the Ōoku, it is considered a massive promotion.
[Sugishita] Who knows?
It could be that Master Fujinami wants to push you
as a potential candidate for our new liege's concubine.
I heard she is accomplished in martial arts.
She is said to be a strong woman of valor
who fought a sumo wrestler and won.
She what? A woman defeated a male sumo wrestler?
And I owe you a great debt of gratitude, Mizuno.
Gratitude?
I have been ordered by Master Fujinami to serve you as your personal attendant.
From today on, I will work in the Large Hall,
one rank higher than the Pages' Quarters.
I was fully prepared to spend the rest of my days here.
This is more than I could dream of.
Thank you.
Now, I ask that you would allow me to carry your belongings
to your new chamber, Master.
[chuckles]
[birdsong]
[sighs]
[Soejima] M... Master?
- Hmm? - [Soejima] I...
I have come to serve you some tea.
Yes of course, thank you. You may come in.
Thank you for allowing me in.
Uh...
[sighs]
Right. Thanks for the tea.
You can just leave the tray over there.
[Soejima stammers] S... Sir?
Hmm?
I'd like to, um, express my utmost congratulations for your promotion, sir.
And... Well, about...
It is in regards to my improper behavior when I had bothered you the other night.
I am so sorry.
Yeah well, it's not a big deal, so forget it.
If you've finished with your errand, you can go ahead and leave now.
- Does that mean... - Uh...
Do you really? Has your Grace truly forgiven my impudent behavior?
Are you telling the truth?
I said I did, didn't I? I promise you are not going to be punished.
Are you happy now?
Heh! [chuckles]
You know that color of your jacket, that brownish-gray, looks very elegant on you.
[sighs]
I will leave the Master to his tea.
[grunting]
[panting]
Everyone, this is the newest member of your rank, Mizuno.
Make yourselves acquainted.
[Mizuno] I am still a novice in these halls.
Any guidance you would give would be greatly appreciated.
[narrator] There are seven Grooms of the Bedchamber.
All of them are young, handsome, and accomplished, from good families.
Among the lot of them, one stood out.
My name is Kashiwagi.
Kashiwagi distinguished himself from the rest
not only for his beauty, but also his intellect.
[gentle music]
I am honored to make your acquaintance.
My name is Kakizoe, and it is a distinct pleasure to serve you, sir.
I have been entrusted to tailor your formal attire.
Mmph...
- Uh, what's the matter? - I...
I am delighted.
There is not one person in the Ōoku that doesn't admire you, Master Mizuno.
In fact, we drew lots, and I am here through unbelievable luck.
- Ah, I'm so embarrassed, I could die! - Uh...
[Kakizoe] Now, which of these fabrics do you prefer?
If I may suggest, Master Mizuno,
a strong color such as this suits your complexion very well.
Especially If the base color was an indigo blue, or deep crimson...
Not that. The black.
You want black?
Then, how about I create a design that would fit the dark tone?
A single, sweeping line of water across the back in smoked silver thread.
It would invoke a somber, yet bold feeling on the black.
Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. I like it.
[chuckles] I like it a lot!
You've got pretty good taste.
I'll leave the rest to you. Do as you see fit, I trust you.
[gasps] Of course!
I promise I shall do my best, Master!
- [light tinkling] - [gasping]
[man] Hey, now, Kakizoe!
[gasps] Yes, sir!
You should be moving your hands, you know!
- Yes, sir! On it, right away! - [grumbles]
[Sugishita] Master.
Your formal attire was supposed to be ready today,
but I was informed it will be delayed for a while.
Oh? I'm not too worried either way.
But do you know what happened?
[head tailor] Come on! You still haven't found it yet?
[Kakizoe] I am so sorry.
I am so... Oh!
Master Mizuno.
Oh dear. So, is it true that someone lost a needle?
I am so, so sorry!
If it wasn't lost, your formal attire would be finished.
That must be tough.
I heard that when a needle is misplaced,
the tailors aren't allowed to leave the room until it's found, is that right?
[sobs] It is all my fault, since I was the one who misplaced the needle earlier...
Now that the sun has already set, it will be even harder to find.
I feel so terrible for my fellow tailors...
Is this how you've been looking for it?
Everyone just looking around, here and there?
Well, yes. That would be correct, sir.
Hmm. There is this one method that could work.
You'd have to humor me and follow my directions.
[gasps]
Well, he told us to put all the furniture on one side of the room
and line up side-by-side near the back wall...
What is Master Mizuno gonna tell us to do next?
- Dunno. - Listen up, everyone!
Whenever you hear me beat this drum, I want you all to scoot one pace forward.
Then scan the area in front of you closely for the needle!
Forward!
- [hits drum] - Forward!
[grunts]
[thinks] Gah! There's no way this'll work...
[Mizuno] Forward!
- [hits drum] - Forward!
- Hm?
- Oh! - [gasps]
- That's it! - [all murmuring]
Amazing! We searched all day long and couldn't find it,
then, just like that, there it is!
[Kakizoe] I am beyond grateful, Master Mizuno!
I'm just happy to hear that you found it.
I had a childhood friend that was from a merchant family.
This was the strategy they would use for things they couldn't find.
Thanks to you, we will be able to sleep in our beds tonight.
We are most grateful, Master Mizuno.
Hmm?
- [all] We are most grateful, Master! - [chuckles]
We gotta help each other out, ya know?
There ain't nothin' y'all need to thank me for.
G'night!
- "Ain't nothin' to thank me for. G'night!" - Oh...
Whew! Now that's what we call a man!
I would never have guessed that fellow is as interesting as he is.
If the rumors hold any truth,
his popularity is rapidly soaring among the men.
You sound unhappy, Kashiwagi.
It's not that at all.
It is merely that my small mind is too mediocre
to fathom your true intentions, Master Fujinami.
What is this?
I had no idea that someone such as yourself could ever look so uncertain.
Try to calm your nerves.
My intention to commend you as the chief concubine for Lord Yoshimune
is the same as it always was.
There are machinations at work.
- Just wait. - Ah... Master, I...
[thinks] Hmph, this old man...
I'll keep my guard up.
[birdsong]
- [door opens] - Oh...
Oh, I hope you weren't waiting too long.
M... Master Mizuno. Did I...
Was the formal attire I tailored not up to your expectations?
No, it was quite the opposite, actually.
I loved what you made so much,
I wish I could wear it and strut down the streets of Edo!
Your needlework was careful and meticulous,
as expected from an Ōoku tailor.
Oh! My master is too kind!
That design is a classic called "O-Man's favorite,"
and it happened to pop into my head the day you and I spoke.
[trembling]
- Hmm? - Uh, nothing!
O-Man once lived in the Ōoku. He was a concubine of Lord Iemitsu.
He was a man of exquisite taste, from what I've heard.
I bet that the two of you are alike with how handsome you are, Master Mizuno.
[laughs] You can cut that out, all right?
Such brazen flattery is not going to get you anywhere.
All I wanted to do is give you a small gift.
It's just a tobacco pouch, so don't sweat it.
- Master Mizuno. - Hmm?
I... I do not... I do not need a gift.
But... but if I could...
If you could what?
[gasps]
A memory...
[whimpers]
Uh... Hmm...
[thinks] Forgive me, O-Nobu.
[gasps]
[ringing sound]
[gasps]
I'm sorry, this is all that I can give you.
[gasps] Oh!
Yes, sir. Uh, this was... [whimpers]
I will treasure this for the rest of my life!
Hmm.
[narrator] The first day of the sixth month came.
From the early dawn, the Ōoku was bustling with activities.
[dramatic music]
It is done. Your preparations are complete.
- [Groom 1] Oh! - [Groom 2] What's that guy doing?
- Hm? - [all gasping]
I can't recall the last time I saw such a simple design.
[scoffs] The only pattern is on the back. Just a single stream of flowing water.
[thinks] You say that, but not a single head has turned from him
since he entered the room.
The stark black in the sea of brilliantly colored yuzen.
It's a quiet, but bold look.
[man] Our liege arrives!
Her Highness shall enter the Ōoku for the morning audience!
[jingling]
Bow your head in reverence! Her Highness has arrived!
[thinks] Good grief, what a gaudy bunch of posturing peacocks they are.
I despise these colorful costumes that eat from our coffers.
So many chests of gold, wasted on cloth.
Curse these prodigal coin sponges!
Ugh.
This so called "tuck-up" is a nightmare to maneuver around in.
[gasps]
- [Fujinami] Your Highness! - [chuckles]
Worry not. I am quite all right. Fujinami.
Whoever decided to laugh must have incredible nerves of steel.
- Who was it? - [gasps]
- Uh... - Mm-mmm!
[Mizuno] Forgive me, Your Highness!
[whimpers softly]
[gasps]
I offer you humble apologies, my liege.
It was I who had the audacity to laugh just now.
Hmm. To the gentleman in the black attire, then.
You can lift your head.
My liege!
[Yoshimune] Higher!
Well.
Your eyes are clear and unafraid.
I can see that you're a man with some backbone to you.
[narrator] If Yoshimune was well-versed in fashion,
she would have noticed that Mizuno's flowing water design
was stitched with painstaking care,
and the thread it was embroidered with was made of silver.
Who are you?
I am honored you asked, my liege. My name is Mizuno.
Mizuno.
But Yoshimune did not notice any of it.
She merely felt that Mizuno's garment
was more simple than those of the men surrounding him,
and she found that to be pleasing.
Fujinami.
Uh, my liege?
Hmm.
[gasps] Uh, yes, Your Highness!
We will see to it that your wishes be arranged for, as you command.
[thinks] Did... did I just...
[chuckles]
[Hisamichi] My liege, was there anything that pleased you at the morning audience?
There was.
I suppose I am still as hot-blooded as I used to be, Hisamichi.
- Aah. - [Yoshimune] Is something wrong?
Oh! Well, my liege, while I still have yet to familiarize myself
with the practices and inner workings of the Ōoku,
I did hear that whoever the first companion is
that beds an unmarried shogun
takes on a heavy title called the "secret swain."
And for this secret swain, it is their final promotion.
[Fujinami] As such, the secret swain must willingly forfeit his life.
While this mantle is required of the chosen one
to serve the very important function of introducing the virgin shogun
into the ways of the bedchamber for her reign,
He commits a great crime of defiling Her Highness's purity,
while also injuring her honored body.
As such, you will be beheaded in complete secrecy.
This has been a sanctified custom of the Ōoku
ever since the honored Kasuga decreed it during the reign of Lord Iemitsu.
Nevertheless, to be chosen is a great honor.
Your family's stipend will be increased, and they will also receive a generous sum
that will be paid in condolences to them.
And how will my death be explained?
I can see my family asking about the circumstances surrounding it.
That you fell ill.
Matters pertaining to Her Highness's bedchamber
cannot be released to the general public.
No one can ever know, for any reason.
Fine. If it is as you say, then I am fully satisfied.
I humbly accept my final role within the Ōoku.
That's wonderful!
Your noble gallantry is duly noted.
Gallant, indeed!
[narrator] The rumors that Mizuno was chosen to be the secret swain
had spread like wildfire through the Ōoku by noon of that day.
Forfeit his... But... It's far too cruel. Punished with death?
[all murmuring]
I don't understand. I've never even heard of such a tradition in the first place.
So this is the result of your machinations?
I told you there was no reason for your nerves to be unsettled, didn't I?
Everything went smoother than I ever imagined it could.
[Sugishita] It is barbaric!
This has been Master Fujinami's plan since the beginning!
No, what happened at the morning audience,
I can't imagine that there was any way he could have planned for that in advance.
But still!
Master Fujinami must have promoted you because he knew this moment was coming!
That man is an egotistical villain!
It is an unreasonable request!
This decree, it is fundamentally absurd!
Lord Yoshimune might not be married.
But I cannot believe she never bedded a man while in Kii...
That's enough! My soul will be clouded.
I beg you to stop.
[sighs]
[gasps]
Yes, Master.
Uh...
[gentle music]
[sobs]
[Mizuno thinks] O-Nobu, O-Nobu. O-Nobu, O-Nobu!
[sighs] If I had known, I never would have let you out of my arms that day.
I should have told you that I loved you. That you were the only one in my heart.
I only ever felt your warmth through your kimono.
Hardly enough to carry me to a cold grave.
O-Nobu...
[Fujinami] Her Highness shall enter the chambers at nine o'clock.
In an adjoining room, Matsushima and I will stand by for the proceedings,
and in the bedchamber, a monk and Kashiwagi
will lie in each bed, next to you.
[sighs]
Good luck with your duty tonight.
[cicadas chirping]
Put yourself at ease.
You may raise your head.
My liege.
That being said, we aren't the only ones present.
With others nearby, I would imagine that bedding together
while four men listen to our every move
could hardly put anyone at ease, now would it?
Even if that is the case, let us endeavor to make the best of the night.
Let's start.
"My liege" feels a bit too dry.
I would prefer you use my female name, Nobu.
[gasps]
Mizuno, what was your given name?
Yunoshin.
Mizuno Yunoshin is the original name I was given by my parents.
Yunoshin, huh? Quite a fine name.
And how about your mother and father, are they well?
Yes, so far as I am aware, they are living quite well here in Edo.
I see. Then this will surely cause great distress for your parents.
Yunoshin.
Yes.
This was all due to my unfamiliarity with the customs of the Ōoku.
You have every reason to regard me with contempt.
It is a terrible fate, but someone had to take on this role.
[gasps]
It is an inhumane tradition. Forgive me.
[poignant music]
I am not worthy of such kind words, Your Highness.
But... there is one thing I would like to ask you.
Go on. You have my permission to ask.
O-Nobu.
Please, I beg of you, I beseech you to grant me this one wish.
To call... to call my liege O-Nobu tonight!
[both gasp]
I know all of you can hear me, so listen well!
While asking for a favor in the bedchamber is forbidden in the Ōoku code,
what kind of shogun would I be if I could not grant a small wish
of a man who is staring death in the face?
[Fujinami grunts]
All right. Yunoshin...
I have no doubt that something so trivial
could ever help you cast your resentment aside,
so the least I can do is grant your wish.
[gasps]
[sobs] O-Nobu!
[Mizuno sighs]
[sighs] Where is Her Highness?
Her Majesty has commanded me to let you sleep in peace until you feel so moved.
Saburoza.
[Saburoza] My liege.
There is something I want you to tend to.
[narrator] Ten days later,
Mizuno's sentence was carried out discreetly
in a secluded corner of the castle grounds.
Please cover his face.
Are there any final words you wish to say?
No, no... There are none.
Very well.
[Mizuno thinks] I can't even commit seppuku.
So this is how my life will end.
- [blow lands] - [squelching]
[cawing]
[Yoshimune] And with the grave now filled, you have died.
Huh? [gasps]
The Groom of the Bedchamber named Mizuno from the Ōoku
has tragically died here today.
From this moment on, you will have a new life.
You will take on a new name, and start a new life as a completely different man.
Saburoza. You've done well. I thank you.
My liege.
[Yoshimune] This fellow is part of the Oniwaban.
My secret investigator who reports what goes on in the Ōoku.
You met in the Chamber of Robes.
[gasps]
He also told me of a young woman, the daughter of Tajima-ya, the merchant.
O-Nobu, I believe it was?
Her parents have been in anguish as she refuses to take a husband.
So, Yunoshin.
No, Shinkicki the tradesman.
How would you like to do Tajima-ya a favor?
It would be a great help if you could marry their daughter.
[gasps]
Mmm.
[sobs] My liege!
[romantic music]
Well, then? Was my solution not very fair and wise?
If I am being honest, I am not impressed.
Although you are the shogun,
you should not use the secret investigator services
to address such a small trifle.
While you may not be incorrect,
I don't think there is any harm in having a bit of flexibility.
Regardless of how the situation was handled,
the Ōoku is a terrible place, more so than rumored.
Indeed. It is unthinkable to treat the life of a young man
as if it were simply a piece of garbage.
I will certainly see to it that such heinous practices
will be abolished during the time of my reign.
Men are already scarce enough to begin with.
I find it abhorrent that their lives would be wasted for such frivolous reasons!
- Right? - We are in agreement about this.
I will have to make drastic cuts.
The Ōoku is very likely to see the worst of it all.
MEDICINE MERCHANT TAJIMA-YA
Good day, sir.
Oh. Ohh!
[panting]
O-Nobu, O-Nobu!
Huh?
What's going on, Father?
I'm still suffering from my chronic cramps, headache, stomachache and...
[scoffs] You're the daughter of a medicinal herb trader!
- Stop that nonsense and come on! - Um...
O-Nobu!
Huh?
Seriously, what is going on here? [gasps]
But how is it you're here?
Please accept my apologies, but I can't tell you that.
However, I can tell you that I've always been Shinkichi the tradesman,
and that you and I have known each other since childhood, only to end up married.
[sobbing]
[narrator] The record of the Ōoku on this day
only stated that a Groom of the Bedchamber by the name of Mizuno
passed away due to a sudden illness.
[drumbeats]
I am in shock, Your Highness!
You look so grand and stern!
Hmm. I woke up this morning,
and before I knew it, my attendants dressed me like this.
They say it is protocol for me to hold audience with foreigners in the Ōoku
while dressed in ceremonial male attire.
So off I go.
[dramatic music]
[narrator] The Capitão, the head curator of the Dutch trading house, later wrote,
"Upon arrival at Edo Castle, I alone was ushered into the chamber."
"Unlike the European courts, there are only men in the castle."
"Women must be kept elsewhere, in separate quarters,
in the way they do in the Turkish palace."
[Fujinami] Enter, Dutch Capitão!
[man, in Dutch] A question for the Opperhoofd.
Oh?
[in Dutch] We hear that there are no women in your party.
Why?
[in Dutch] Well, you see, that is because, uh...
Your Highness, with respect,
he previously mentioned they cannot bring women with them
as the voyage is long and arduous.
- What do you mean by that? - [gasps]
Do you mean to tell me that all Dutch women are weak and sickly?
Uh, Your Highness!
Uh, send the foreigner out, right away!
And you, too!
How dare an interpreter receive words directly from Her Highness
when he should merely translate?
Mmm. I humbly beg your forgiveness...
Your Highness, in an audience with a foreigner,
protocol dictates that you are not to address him directly.
- And why is that? - I do not know!
[footsteps]
- [Yoshimune] Omitsu. - My liege?
Hisamichi.
My liege? Is something bothering you, Your Highness?
Omitsu and Hisamichi.
Both of these names refer to you.
Ever since my succession, yes.
The shogunate only accepts male names,
and as I became the head of the Kano family, the law required one.
Why do you think that is?
Hmm?
Well, perhaps because "The Governor of Totomi, Kano Omitsu,"
well, something about it sounds off, or a bit silly, don't you think?
I wonder, is it truly something as simple as that?
Somehow, the name "Hisamichi" sits well, while "Omitsu" does not.
This is a symptom where the root cause of the matter
lies in the fact that we somehow feel that this is the way things should be.
My liege?
Oh, never mind.
It's nothing.
Pay these words no mind as I speak to myself.
So I shall. I will only ever be your hands and legs, Your Highness.
I move to your will in silence.
Hmm.
Hisamichi, you never fail to impress.
[both laughing]
Listen, everyone! A garden audience has been called!
Master Fujinami!
The day after tomorrow, our liege is to hold a garden audience.
[all] Wow...
I have been ordered to assemble around 50 men of good looks,
who are younger than 35 years of age.
[narrator] The garden audience is a ritual in the Ōoku,
where handsome men are assembled in the garden.
It is there that the shogun chooses a companion to take to her bedchamber.
[thinks] As the Senior Chamberlain of the Ōoku,
this is where I show my skills! [chuckles]
[Fujinami] Quickly, relay the message to all other chambers.
- [all] Sir! - [Fujinami] We have not a moment to lose!
[birdsong]
[jingling]
[footman] Bow in reverence! Her Highness has arrived!
We have awaited your arrival, Your Highness.
The men you requested are in the nearby garden.
I pray that you will inspect them until your heart finds contentment.
[gasps]
Whoa.
[dramatic music]
So that's what he did.
They are all dressed in the same black formal attire.
You have done well in remembering what catches my eye.
A memory of when I spoke to Mizuno.
Indeed, the spirit of simplicity and frugality
should be applied in the Ōoku as well.
That said, it is in this line of thinking that I have gathered you all here today.
I hereby dismiss you from service.
[all gasp]
[gasps]
Listen well! The 50 men assembled here are dismissed immediately,
and must depart the Ōoku by nightfall.
As you well know, the shogunate cannot maintain
its current financial situation for much longer.
Therefore, cutting costs in the Inner Chambers was inevitable.
So, why would I choose the group before me?
I'll tell you.
The 50 men who kneel before me are all young and beautiful with many talents.
You'll have no problem finding good prospects in marriage outside the castle.
- Uh... But, my liege... - Tell me, Fujinami.
- Uh... - Are we not in agreement on this?
That we are wasting the blosssoming beauty of these young men in their prime
while they are in service of the Ōoku?
Are they not doomed to wither away behind castle walls?
Listen, all of you.
I want you to find a good family to marry into while you're young and beautiful,
so that you may live a happy life in your hometowns.
That you all should find happiness is my sincerest wish.
Thank you.
Ah... Uh, but, please, my liege!
Please! My liege!
[gasps]
[gasping and sobbing]
K... Kashiwagi...
How did... how did it come to this?
So I lost.
You have bested us, Lord Yoshimune.
She is a far more cunning adversary than any of us gave her credit for.
[laughing]
- [Fujinami] Lord Kano! - [Hisamichi] No!
[gasps]
Oh! Master Fujinami, please calm yourself...
You have made a fool out of me!
Downsizing the courtiers in the Ōoku is out of the question!
I believe it is high time that Lord Yoshimune be told
to stop ignoring the conventions of the Ōoku!
- Oh! [whimpers] - Woman.
You country bumpkins are getting ahead of yourselves.
Not once since its founding during the reign of Tokugawa
has the shogunate dared to meddle in the affairs of the state
and found a happy ending whenever they found themselves in opposition
to those of us in the Ōoku!
Got it?
[sighs] You know, now that you broach the subject of traditional conventions,
I remember one such convention is
to dismiss those who served the previous shogun
and replace every single one of them.
From the highest courtiers to the lowest houseboy, and all in between.
[gasps] Ah!
And that, Senior Chamberlain,
would include your honorable self.
[whimpers]
However, out of her kind consideration,
Her Highness has allowed you to stay in the Ōoku
as an exception to that convention.
As a man of cunning and experience, I am sure you are able
to deduce the intentions Her Highness has behind that choice
far more readily than a country bumpkin like myself.
[Fujinami gasps]
Huh?
"The intentions Her Highness has behind that choi..." Oh!
Dismissing those 50 courtiers from service
was leveraged against the continuation of your position here.
[spluttering]
Really, this worked in your favor.
[Hisamichi] Those who remain in the Ōoku may not be particularly young,
but they are well trained in carrying out their duties,
and they seem unmoved by the recent changes.
Concerning the new edict for attire,
there are very few complaints against your orders
to make the formal attire with plain fabrics,
now that the number of young men has decreased.
That so? Good. I am glad to hear it.
Yet another male name listed in here, and it says he has a wife, as well.
I don't understand.
Um, my liege?
Yes, what is it?
The day is half passed, so perhaps you should change robes, Your Highness?
Changing attire is something I would have done
had I not been busy from the moment I awoke this morning.
I have already had a successful meeting with Senior Councilor Tsuchiya Masanao
in my present state.
[narrator] Yoshimune spent most of her time on the affairs of the state,
and her indifference to appearance often came as a shock.
Yoshimune also did not appreciate overly elaborate ceremonies for her bedchamber.
[yelps]
A woman? Oh! Your Highness!
Your name?
Uh... Unokichi...
Unokichi. I have precious little time this morning.
- So, quiet. - [mumbles]
[woman] Bow in reverence. Her Highness has arrived!
[Hisamichi] Hmm?
A leaf?
[wistful music]
[gasps]
[grunting]
Gah!
Oh. Your... Your Highness?
Be quiet. Hmm?
- [gasps] - What's going on here?
You're both fit and incredibly handsome!
Huh?
What's your name? Tell me your rank.
[gasps]
My name is Sugishita, serving in the Large Hall.
Sugishita? Good fortune I found you, then.
You are dismissed from service as of today.
- Await instructions in your quarters. - [gasps]
Your Highness, with all due respect, I have served faithfully for many years.
The Ōoku is my last chance of a home remaining in this world.
As such, I have already reached the age of 35,
and due to the Ōoku code,
I am prohibited from being your companion, my liege.
I beg for your mercy.
Uh...
Well, then. Your name was Sugishita?
Sorry. To trouble you was not my intent.
[narrator] After their encounter,
Sugishita was promoted to Groom of the Bedchamber
to serve as Yoshimune's personal attendant.
[Sugishita] Master Murase...
You mean, the Chief Scribe?
[narrator] The Chief Scribe is in charge of writing documents and missives
addressed to the Outer Chambers and beyond,
as well as recording the daily events in the Ōoku.
Hmm. From what I've heard thus far,
he has served as a Scribe since he was appointed a long time ago.
The Honorable Kasuga assigned him the post in the Ōoku,
where he has remained throughout the reigns of my predecessors.
Yes, that is in line with what I have heard as well.
He is...
[Yoshimune] I wish to meet with him, as I have a question that needs answering.
Yes.
It's just... Master Murase is quite elderly, as he is currently at the age of 97.
He is normally sequestered away in his chambers,
and as such, I know not when last he was seen, my liege.
Hmm. All the more reason I should meet with him soon.
[crickets buzzing]
Here, Your Highness.
[man] Pa... pardon me. Master Murase?
[Murase] Hmm?
[man] Her Highness is here to see you.
Oh... Well, now, this is interesting.
[Yoshimune] I have a request.
It it my wish to see the records of the Ōoku that you keep safeguarded here.
I understand that these records are only for the eyes of those
who dwell within the halls of the Ōoku and the shogun herself.
[chuckles] It is as you say, my liege.
You are quite well versed in the code of the Ōoku...
So, as the archive spans decades, which period do you wish to view?
Every record that was written by your hand.
All that the the Honored Kasuga deemed worthy of writing.
[dramatic music]
The inscription of these archives have been the work of your lifetime,
have they not?
And what, pray tell, leads this recent curiosity, Your Highness?
When I was just a young child,
there was a deranged old man who lived at the edge of the village
who would rant and rave.
He would say there used to be as many men as there were women back in the old days.
Of course, no one believed his ramblings.
But there are times where I wonder.
I wonder if this is the way this country has always been, ever since the beginning.
Why do you have to take a male name if you succeed to the head of the family?
If you delve into the official records,
It would seem as though there are only men in this country.
Thus presently, this tradition makes it impossible
to create an accurate record of the state of affairs.
I wish to abolish this custom of changing names unnecessarily. But...
But what if there is some logic behind the custom that requires it?
Hmm.
I have waited for a long time. A very long time, indeed.
But no one has asked to come and see me
until you decided to visit me today, my liege.
THE CHRONICLES OF THE DYING DAY
"The Chronicles of the Dying Day." Has this always been its name?
The title was mandated by decree.
It was the Honored Kasuga that gave the order,
the sentiment being that this country shall fall.
This record was intended to serve as a chronicle to its doomed fate.
You were here when he created the Ōoku all those years ago, correct?
What sort of man was the Honored Kasuga?
The Honored Kasuga was no man, my liege.
The Honored Kasuga was a woman.
And as for the third shogun, Lord Iemitsu,
at his birth, he was not a woman but a man.
Hmm.
Very well, then.
I expect that reading this record will explain everything in minute detail.
THE CHRONICLES OF THE DYING DAY
[dramatic music]
THE CHRONICLES OF THE DYING DAY