Aug. 29th, 2015 05:59 pm
Ichiro Ep4: Drama Notes
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earth_colorsEp. 4: "The Love of a Princess"
Episode Synopsis: Ichiro (Nagayama Kento) and his party approaches the post town of Shimosuwa. The princess-daughter of the land's feudal lord, Otohime (Sumire) was told by her maid Tsuruhashi (Tsutsui Mariko) of rumors of an unusual military-style procession. So she goes to watch it. She sees Ichiro leading the dignified procession, and falls in love with him at first sight. In order to convey her feelings, Otohime tries to reward Ichiro with her comb but the young man adamantly turns it down. Angered by his refusal, Otohime seeks revenge by telling her father, Suwa Inabanokami (Ishimaru Kenjiro) a lie about Ichiro: that the young man had acted indecently towards her. Inabanokami believes the lie and is furious and wants Ichiro punished... Meanwhile, back in Mino, guardian Shogen (Sano Shiro) accuses treasurer Shichizaemon (Ishiguro Ken) of embezzlement, and questions him...
Drama Notes:
Shimosuwa [下諏訪]. It was the 29th (out of the 69) post towns of the Nakasendo (as well as being the ending location of the another trade route Koshu Kaido). It is located in the present-day Suwa District, Nagano Prefecture. Attractions found here and in surrounding areas include Edo-style inns, onsen, Takashima castle, and Suwa lake (above left pic). Right pic shows Ichiro and his party's location in this episode (green dot).
(info/pic: wiki) (map pic: travelweekly)
Takashima Castle [高島城]. Found in Suwa, Nagano Prefecture. According to jcastle: It is the "highest elevation flatland castle ever constructed in Japan. The castle is also known as a the Floating Castle because it was built on a small island in the lake that was connected to the shore by a narrow path of land." It was built by the Hineno Clan in 1592 but lost it shortly to the Suwa Clan in 1601 when the latter regained power, and took control of the land.
Unadon [鰻丼]. Grilled eel with rice. As Chota and Hanji have mentioned in this episode, grilled eel is the specialty of Suwa since Lake Suwa is famous for its eel (also carp, salmon). Above pic is from Unafuji, one of the many eel shops in Suwa.
(info: ja.wiki) (pic: tabelog)
Filming Location: Hikone Castle [彦根城]. The castle in this episode was not the one in Suwa but in Hikone, in Shiga Prefecture. Hikone Castle is "one of only 12 Japanese castles with the original keep, and one of only four castles listed as a national treasure."
(info/pic: wiki)
Episode Index and Subs (link)
Episode Synopsis: Ichiro (Nagayama Kento) and his party approaches the post town of Shimosuwa. The princess-daughter of the land's feudal lord, Otohime (Sumire) was told by her maid Tsuruhashi (Tsutsui Mariko) of rumors of an unusual military-style procession. So she goes to watch it. She sees Ichiro leading the dignified procession, and falls in love with him at first sight. In order to convey her feelings, Otohime tries to reward Ichiro with her comb but the young man adamantly turns it down. Angered by his refusal, Otohime seeks revenge by telling her father, Suwa Inabanokami (Ishimaru Kenjiro) a lie about Ichiro: that the young man had acted indecently towards her. Inabanokami believes the lie and is furious and wants Ichiro punished... Meanwhile, back in Mino, guardian Shogen (Sano Shiro) accuses treasurer Shichizaemon (Ishiguro Ken) of embezzlement, and questions him...
Drama Notes:
Shimosuwa [下諏訪]. It was the 29th (out of the 69) post towns of the Nakasendo (as well as being the ending location of the another trade route Koshu Kaido). It is located in the present-day Suwa District, Nagano Prefecture. Attractions found here and in surrounding areas include Edo-style inns, onsen, Takashima castle, and Suwa lake (above left pic). Right pic shows Ichiro and his party's location in this episode (green dot).
(info/pic: wiki) (map pic: travelweekly)
Suwa Clan [諏訪氏]. The lord in this episode belongs to the real life Suwa Clan (although the character himself is fiction). The Suwa Clan was a powerful clan of Shinano Province (now Nagano province) who was appointed as feudal lord of Suwa domain from the start until the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
(info: wiki)
(info: wiki)
Takashima Castle [高島城]. Found in Suwa, Nagano Prefecture. According to jcastle: It is the "highest elevation flatland castle ever constructed in Japan. The castle is also known as a the Floating Castle because it was built on a small island in the lake that was connected to the shore by a narrow path of land." It was built by the Hineno Clan in 1592 but lost it shortly to the Suwa Clan in 1601 when the latter regained power, and took control of the land.
Otohime [乙姫]. In this episode, Otohime is the daughter of the lord of Suwa. You might be wondering why she is staying in Suwa and not in Edo. However, in the novel, Otohime was from Kaga Domain (Ishikawa Prefecture), and was the beautiful and intelligent sister of the (real life) feudal lord Maeda Yoshiyasu (although her character is fictional). She was on her way to Edo with an entourage of 300 attendants. At age 16, she was of marriageable age and is expected to marry and reside in Edo. Her procession was moving slowly, and had been overtaken by Ichiro's procession. She saw Ichiro, fell in love with him, and offered him her hairpin...
(info: ja.wiki)
Unadon [鰻丼]. Grilled eel with rice. As Chota and Hanji have mentioned in this episode, grilled eel is the specialty of Suwa since Lake Suwa is famous for its eel (also carp, salmon). Above pic is from Unafuji, one of the many eel shops in Suwa.
(info: ja.wiki) (pic: tabelog)
Filming Location: Hikone Castle [彦根城]. The castle in this episode was not the one in Suwa but in Hikone, in Shiga Prefecture. Hikone Castle is "one of only 12 Japanese castles with the original keep, and one of only four castles listed as a national treasure."
(info/pic: wiki)
Episode Index and Subs (link)
