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Kamakura-Dono no 13 Nin: Drama Notes
For the drama notes for "Kamakura-Dono no 13 Nin", I will present them in the form of a glossary.
Watching a taiga drama can be daunting and overwhelming, with the barrage of names, characters, places, unfamiliar terms coming at you, especially if you are not familiar with this part of Japanese history. And I know you might give up along the way too, if you feel frustrated. For example, many of the characters have several different names or aliases, and they are all mentioned or used to address that character in this drama, so understandably, it might cause confusion (So far, I've counted 4 characters named "Jiro"). So I came up with this glossary to help you keep up with what you're watching.
Notes:
As much as possible, I try not to include major spoilers here. However, the links for each historical character might contain spoilers so please click and read the articles to your discretion.
This glossary will continually be updated as the drama progresses.
How to use this Drama Notes Glossary:
While you're watching the taiga drama, Kamakura-Dono no 13 Nin, and you read a name of a person or place, or a person's position or title, or any Japanese word from my subtitles, and you're curious, or don't remember who it was or what it means, press Control+F, (or use the "Find in Page" tool of your phone's browser), type the word, and click enter. That way, you will be directed straight to that word/name, without having to read or scan all the other items in the glossary.
61st TAIGA DRAMA GLOSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS (In Alphabetical Order):
Adachi Morinaga [安達盛長]. AKA: Tokugo. He was a Japanese warrior from the Adachi clan who fought for Minamoto no Yoritomo against the Heike or Taira. Morinaga had already supported Yoritomo while he lived in exile in Izu province. In this Taiga, he is the man who is always at Yoritomo's side, and act like his personal attendant, played by Nozoe Yoshiro. (Source info: wiki)
Adachi Tomoto [足立遠元]. The person whom Mii described as the "most unknown" among the strangers who suddenly showed up in Ep 10, introducing himself as the one who helps Masako with her Midaidokoro official affairs. Actually, he was already serving and lending his support in the revival of the Genji dynasty since the Heiji Rebellion. He was the founder of the Adachi clan who were based in Adachi-gun, Musashi Province (present Adachi-ku, Tokyo to Kita-Adachi-gun, Saitama Prefecture). Played by Ono Yasuhiro. (More info: ja.wiki)
Angen Era [安元]. July 1175 - August 1177. The reigning emperor was Takakura-tennō. This Taiga starts on the first year of Angen (1175).
Ano Zenjo [阿野全成]. AKA: "Daigo Zenji" (Zen Master of Daigo Temple). Half brother of Minamoto no Yoritomo. He was the seventh son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and his mother was Tokiwa Gozen. He was a priest at Daigo Temple, where he was sent to, from age 7 after his father died. If you want to know about the 9-character spell he chanted in Ep 7, it is known as the Kuji-in. Played by Niiro Shinya. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Anzai Kagemasu [安西景益]. The Lord who welcomed and gave shelter to Yoritomo after the latter's defeat in the Battle of Ishibashiyama in Ep 6. He was a childhood friend of Yoritomo, based in Marunomikuriya, in Asai District, Awa Province (See "Awa"). Played by Ino Manabu. (more info: ja.wiki)
Awa Province [あわのくに, Awa no Kuni]. It corresponds to the present southern part of Chiba prefecture. It is classified as one of the provinces of the Tōkaidō, and lies on the tip of the Bōsō Peninsula. (more info: wiki)
Bando [坂東]. An old name for the Kanto region, meaning the area east of the slope of the Ashigara and Usui passes.
Battle of Ishibashiyama [石橋山の戦い, Ishibashiyama no tatakai]. "Battle of Mt. Ishibashi" in the subs. The battle that saw a crushing defeat for Yoritomo and the Bando warriors. It "was fought on September 14, 1180, in the southwest of present-day Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, near Yoritomo's headquarters at Kamakura." (more info: wiki)
Benkei [弁慶]. AKA: "Musashibo". He first appeared in Ep 7, as the tall and strong built guy who was among those accompanying Yoshitsune from Oshu to Kamakura (Yoshitsune called him "Musashibo"). His full name is Saito Musashibo Benkei [西塔武蔵坊弁慶], a Japanese warrior monk (sōhei). "Benkei led a varied life, first becoming a monk, then a mountain ascetic, and then a rogue warrior. He later came to respect and serve the Yoshitsune," and was his faithful servant up to their last moments. He addressed Yoshitsune as "Onzoshi" [御曹司] or "Young Master (young son from a distinguished family)". He is known for his strength, spawning some legends about it. Benkei's name was also mentioned in the Travelogue for Ep. 3, regarding the legend that he was the monk who dragged a huge bell from a rival temple, as a kind of a war trophy. Played by Kaku So. (more info: wiki)
Chiba Tsunetane [千葉常秀]. He appeared in Ep 7 as the leader of Chiba clan who joined Yoritomo. His common name is "Sakai" which ruled large parts of Chiba Prefecture. Played by Okamoto Nobuto. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Dohi Sanehira [土肥実平]. AKA: Jiro. He was the one who has an onsen in Yugawara, which Yoritomo visited in Ep 2. He was military commander from the late Heian to the early Kamakura period, the second son of Nakamura Sohei of the Nakamura clan, a powerful family in Sagami Province. Played by Anan Kenji. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Ema Jiro [江馬次郎]. He is a relative of the Ito clan, and was tasked to marry Yae as punishment for Yae for getting involved romantically with Yoritomo. His character is found in the epic tales such as "Soga Monogatari", but is assumed to be a fictional character. Played by Serizawa Tateto. (More info: ja.wiki)
Emperor Antoku [安徳天皇]. The 81st emperor of Japan. He was both the grandson of Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Taira no Kiyomori. He was named crown prince at around one month of age and ascended the throne at the age of two. Naturally, he held no actual power, but rather his grandfather Kiyomori who ruled in his name. (more info: wiki)
Emperor Go-Shirakawa [後白河天皇]. He was called "Hoo-sama" with "Hoo" [法皇 ]as a title for a retired Emperor who had taken up monkhood (Cloistered Emperor, Emperor Emeritus). At the start of this drama, Shirakawa was already retired but is still sowing intrigue and planning schemes, even while he was being kept imprisoned by Taira no Kiyomori in Fukuhara. Played by Nishida Toshiyuki. (More info: wiki)
Fukuhara-Kyo [福原京]. It became "the seat of Japan's Imperial Court, and therefore the capital of the country, for a brief period in 1180. It was also the center of Taira no Kiyomori's power and the site of his retirement palace. It's in or near what is today Hyōgo Ward in the city of Kobe. (...) Kiyomori oversaw the considerable improvements to the harbor there (Owada Tomari), to further his wider goals of expanding trade within the Inland Sea." It also where he placed Emperor Go-Shirakawa as a prisoner. (more info: wiki)
Fujiwara no Hidehira [藤原秀衡]. The third ruler of Fujiwara Clan of the North in Mutsu Province. He offered shelter to the young Minamoto no Yoshitsune in Hiraizumi, who had escaped from Kyoto. In the drama, Yoshitsune calls him "Mitachi". Played by Tanaka Min. (More info: wiki)
Gien [義演]. AKA: "Otowaka". He was a priest, and eighth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo and Tokiwa Gozen, and half brother of Yoritomo. He had Ano Zenjo as his older brother and Yoshitsune as his younger brother. In 1181, he was killed in the the Battle of Sunomatagawa at the age of 27. Played by Songha. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Gonnokami [権守]. A kind of kokushi or provincial official. They were nobles sent from the central government in Kyoto to oversee a province. Tsutsumi Nobuto was a gonnokami in the Taiga. (more info: wiki)
Gozen Tomoe [巴御前]. A legendary female samurai warrior. She served Minamoto no Yoshinaka during the Genpei War. Played by Akimoto Sayaka. (More info: wiki)
Genji Clan. Also, "Minamoto Clan". Minamoto was "one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333." The other surnames are "Taira", "Fujiwara", "Tachibana". The Minamoto clan is also called the Genji (源氏), or less frequently, the Genke (源家), using the on'yomi reading for Minamoto." (More info: wiki)
Genpei War [源平合戦]. A national civil war between the Taira and Minamoto clans (led by Yoritomo to regain Genji Clan's power back) during the late-Heian period of Japan. The name "Genpei" (sometimes romanized as Gempei) comes from alternate readings of the kanji "Minamoto" (源) and "Taira" (平). (More info: wiki)
Hatakeyama Shigetada [畠山 重忠]. AKA: "Jiro". A samurai warlord who fought in the Genpei War. His family is a part of the Chichibu clan, and ruled Hatakeyama-gō, Otoshi-gun, Musashi Province (present-day Hatakeyama, Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture). He first sided with Heike and then moved to Genji side. Played by Nakagawa Taishi. (more info: wiki)
Heian Period [平安時代]. "The last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. (...) The Heian period is also considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court and noted for its art, especially poetry and literature." "Heian" means "peace". (more info: wiki)
Heike Clan. Also, "Taira Clan". "One of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history – the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. (...) Along with the Minamoto, Taira was one of the honorary surnames given by the emperors of the Heian Period to their children and grandchildren who were not considered eligible for the throne. (...) The clan is commonly referred to as Heishi (平氏, "Taira clan") or Heike (平家, "House of Taira"), using the character's On'yomi hei (平) for Taira, while shi (氏) means "clan", and ke (家) is used as a suffix for "extended family"." (more info: wiki)
Hiki no Ama [比企尼]. The menoto (see "menoto") or wet nurse of Yoritomo, who continued to provide support to him even during his years of exile. "Ama" means "Buddhist nun", noblewomen become nuns after becoming widowed. She was the wife of Hiki Kamonnojo who was a daikan (local governor) of Hiki County in Musashi Province. Having no son, she adopted nephew Yoshikazu. Played by Kusabue Mitsuko. (More info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Hiki Yoshikazu [比企能員]. Japanese warrior-noble of the Kamakura period. He was an adopted son of Hiki no Ama. Played by Sato Jiro. (More info: wiki)
Hime [姫]. At the start of this drama, Yoshitoki called his horse-riding companion, "Hime". It generally means "princess", a term bestowed on a lady of higher birth and noble status, such as the imperial family, lords , generals, and daimyo.
Hiraizumi [平泉町]. It was part of ancient Mutsu Province (See "Mutsu"). It was the home of the Northern Fujiwara clan for about 100 years in the late Heian era, during which time it served as the de facto capital of Ōshū, an area containing nearly a third of the Japanese land area. At its height the population of Hiraizumi reached 50,000 or more than 100,000, rivaling Kyoto in size and splendor." During its heyday, it was said to be so beautiful, with a large temple complex, impressive buildings, pagodas, temples and gardens. (more info: wiki)
Hitachi Province [常陸国]. Also, "Hitachi no Kuni". It was the site of the Battle of Kanasa Castle, shown in Ep 10. It was an old province of Japan in the area of Ibaraki Prefecture, which bordered on Shimōsa (Lower Fusa), Shimotsuke, and Mutsu. (more info: wiki)
Hojo [北条]. It is said to be an area located in Tagata-gun, Izu province (Izunokuni City, Shizuoka Prefecture), that was ruled by the Hojo Clan.
Hojo Masako [北条 政子]. Eldest daughter of Hojo Tokimasa and sister of Yoshitoki (from a different mother). She would become the wife of Minamoto no Yoritomo. Played by Eiko Koike. (more info: wiki)
Hojo Munetoki [北条 宗時]. AKA: "Saburo". Eldest son of Tokimasa. Older brother of Yoshitoki, they have the same mother. He was a military commander at the end of the Heian period. Played by Kataoka Ainosuke. (more info: ja.wiki)
Hojo Tokimasa [北条 時政]. AKA: "Shiro Tokimasa" "Shiro Tokimasa of Hojo". His wife Riku would also call him "Shii-sama". He was from the Hojo clan, which is theorized to be descended from Taira Naokata of the Takamochi line of the Kanmu Taira clan. The Hojo clan was said to be a powerful local clan based in Hojo, Tagata-gun, Izu province (Izunokuni City, Shizuoka Prefecture). Played by Bando Yajuro. (More info: wiki)
Hojo Yoshitoki [北条 義時]. AKA: "Koshiro". The protagonist in this Taiga drama played by Oguri Shun. He was the second son of Hojo Tokimasa, who would later on succeed his father as head of the Hojo clan. He was 19 when the Genpei War began. (more info: wiki)
Ito Sukechika [伊東祐親]. He was a samurai lord and gōzoku of the Izu Province in the late Heian period. He was the 6th head of the Kudo clan and the founder of the Kawazu clan. He took over the division of the territory of his family estate, Ito Manor, from relative and son-in-law, Kudo Suketsune. He is called "Grandfather" by many, including his sons-in-law in the drama (In the subs, I changed it to "Father-in-Law" to avoid confusion). Played by Asano Kazuyuki. (more info: wiki)
Ito Sukekiyo [伊東祐清]. AKA: Kuro. A military commander in the late Heian period. He was the second son of Ito Sukechika. After Sukechika learned about his daughter's affair, Sukekiyo helped Yoritomo escape, and entrusted him to his good friends, the Hojo clan. Played by Takezai Terunosuke. (more info: ja.wiki)
Izu Province [伊豆国]. It was a province of Japan in the area of Shizuoka Prefecture. The mainland portion of Izu Province, comprising the Izu Peninsula, is today the eastern portion of Shizuoka Prefecture and the Izu Islands are now part of Tokyo. (more info: wiki)
Izusan Gongen [伊豆山権現]. It is a temple now called "Izusan Shrine" located in Atami, Shizuoka. It is dedicated to a deity associated with a hot spring which wells up on Izusan. In the Taiga, it is where Yae's son was buried, and where Masako and the Hojo women sought shelter when war broke out. (more info: wiki)
Jisho Period (治承). It was an era name after Angen and before Yōwa. This period spanned the years from August 1177 through July 1181. The reigning emperors were Takakura-tennō and Antoku-tennō. (more info: wiki)
Kai Province [甲斐国]. Also, Kai-no-kuni. It "was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today Yamanashi Prefecture. Kai bordered on Sagami, Suruga, Shinano and Musashi Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was Kōshū (甲州). The origin of its name is uncertain. It lies in central Honshū, west of Tokyo, in a landlocked mountainous region that includes Mount Fuji along its border with modern Shizuoka Prefecture." (more info: wiki)
Kajiwara Kagetoki [梶原景時]. AKA: Heizo. He was a military commander from the end of the Heian period to the beginning of the Kamakura period . He was a gokenin of the Kamakura Shogunate. Originally from Suruga Province, Kajiwara entered the Genpei War fighting under Oba Kagechika, against the Minamoto. Since he saved Minamoto no Yoritomo in the Battle of Ishibashiyama, he earned Yoritomo's trust after defecting over to his side from the Heike side. Played by Nakamura Shido. (more info: wiki)
Kame (亀). AKA: "Kame no Mae [亀の前]". The mistress of Yoritomo who was a daughter of a fisherman who first appeared in Ep 7. Played by Eguchi Noriko. (more info: ja.wiki)
Kannon [観音]. Yoritomo prays to the statue of this Buddhist deity everyday. He also keeps a smaller figure of it, that he carries with him secretly. This deity is the Buddhist bodhisattva associated with compassion, and has been called the Goddess of Mercy. In East Asia, she is the equivalent of Avalokiteśvara, and in China, she is called "Guanyin". (more info: wiki)
Kawazu Sukeyasu [河津祐泰]. The eldest son of Ito Sukechika. He doesn't have much speaking lines in this drama. You could see him in scenes sitting behind or accompanying his father. Played by Yamaguchi Yoshiyuki. (more info: wiki)
Kazusa Hirotsune [上総広常]. AKA: "Kazusa-no-suke Hirotsune", "Suke no Hachiro", "Taira no Hirotsune". He first appeared in Ep 5 as belonging to one of the great clans who were asked to help Yoritomo. He was the eighth son of Taira no Tsunezumi, the "Kazusa no Gonnosuke" (provisional vice governor of Kazusa Province). That is why, "Kazusa-no-suke Hirotsune" was widely used as his name. He was a head of the governing family of the Taira clan of Boso Province and it is said that Minamoto no Yoritomo succeeded to raise an army owing to the support from Hirotsune, the most powerful man in the Togoku (eastern country). Played by Sato Koichi. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Kemari [蹴鞠]. An athletic game that was popular in Japan during the Heian period. It resembles a game of football (soccer) or hacky sack. The ball, known as a mari, is made of deerskin stuffed with barley grains to give it shape. Yoritomo called it by its Chinese name: "chiuk giuk". (more info: wiki)
Kudo Mochimitsu [工藤茂光]. AKA: Kudo-no-suke Mochimitsu. He was the overweight samurai in the Taiga. A Japanese military commander in the end of the Heian period, he belonged to the local ruling family of Izu Province, who followed the Southern House of the Fujiwara clan. He was also called Kano Mochimitsu. Played by Yonemoto Takato. (more info: wiki)
Kudo Suketsune [工藤 祐経]. A samurai who was supposed to inherit the rule of Ito Manor of Izu Province from his father Kudo Suketsugu. However, after Suketsugu died, Suketsune's uncle (also, cousin and father-in-law) Ito Sukechika took over the manor while Suketsune was in Kyoto. Sukechika also made his daughter, Mango Gozen, who was married to Suketsune, divorce him. Played by Tsubokura Yoshiyuki. (More info: wiki)
Kurodo [蔵人]. Minamoto no Yukiie said he was appointed as "kurodo" by Imperial Princess Akiko (referred as "Hachijoin-sama" in Ep 3), sister of Emperor Go-Shirakawa. It means "keeper of imperial archives" which includes decrees. (from ja.ichacha)
Kyoto or Kyo [京都]. It was the capital city at the time when the drama started, located in Kyoto Prefecture (later the capital would be moved to Fukuhara by Taira no Kiyomori). It was the center of wealth, arts/culture, and power. It is where the Emperor resides. People from Kyoto were considered stylish, refined, sophisticated, well-educated, know imperial etiquette, and court manners. Those outside the capital like in the Bando region, were considered provincial, and look up to people from Kyoto.
Maki Munechika [牧宗親]. Older brother of Riku, and a court nobleman based in the capital. Played by Yamazaki Hajime. (more info: ja.wiki)
Masakado. Or Taira no Masakado [平将門]. He was a Heian period provincial magnate (gōzoku) and samurai based in eastern Japan, notable for leading the first recorded uprising against the central government in Kyoto. In Ep 1, his name was mentioned as a historical figure who rebelled but in the year 940, got beheaded in the end. Read more HERE.
Menoto [乳母]. It was a custom for high-ranking noblewomen to assign a menoto (usually a noblewoman as well but of lesser ranking) to breastfeed and raise their children because such work was considered "beneath" them. Usually there is a bond formed between menoto and the child, and they are considered not just a "wet nurse" but as a "second mother". (more info: ja.wiki)
Michi [道]. The wife of Hiki Yoshikazu. Played by Horiuchi Keiko.
Midaidokoro [御台所]. The title given to the official wife of a shogun. Masako was called this starting in Ep. 8. (more info: wiki)
Mii. Younger sister of Yoshitoki and Masako. Her real name is unknown. She is mentioned in the epic tales as Awa no Tsubone [阿波局], and "Lady Awa". Played by Miyazawa Emma. (more info: ja.wiki)
Minamoto no Noriyori [源範頼]. AKA: "Kaba no Kaja", "Kaba-dono". One of the half brothers who showed up in Ep. 10 who would serve under Yoritomo. He was the sixth son of Yoshitomo and his concubine, Iwata no Tsubone. Because he grew up in Kaba no Mikuriya (a manor of Ise-jingu Shrine at that time) in Totomi Province, he was called "Kaba no Kanja" or "Kaba dono". Later he was brought up by Fujiwara no Norisue and got a kanji character from Norisue's name and called himself Noriyori. Played by Sakoda Takaya. (More info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Minamoto no Yorimasa [源 頼政]. He sided with Prince Mochihito to stage an uprising against the Tairas in Ep 3. He was originally a prominent Japanese poet whose works appeared in various anthologies. At first, he sided with Tairas, and was friends with Kiyomori ("he is the only one in the Minamoto clan, who has Kiyomori's favor"), fighting against fellow Minamoto relatives. That is why Kiyomori was upset when he found out Yorimasa had betrayed him in the end in Ep 3. Played by Shinagawa Toru. (more info: wiki)
Minamoto no Yoritomo [源頼朝]. He was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan. "Yoritomo was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, heir of the Minamoto (Seiwa Genji) clan, and his official wife, Yura-Gozen, daughter of Fujiwara no Suenori." After the Minamoto clan were defeated by the Taira clan during the Heiji Rebellion. Yoritomo's father was killed and "Yoritomo, the new head of the Minamoto, was not executed by Taira no Kiyomori because of pleas from Kiyomori's stepmother but was exiled. Yoritomo's brothers, Minamoto no Noriyori and Minamoto no Yoshitsune were also allowed to live. (...) Yoritomo grew up in exile. He married into the Hojo clan, led by Hojo Tokimasa, marrying Tokimasa's daughter, Hojo Masako." He is called "Suke-dono" (see "Hyoenogonnosuke") and later on, "Kamakura-dono". Played Oizumi Yo. (more info: wiki)
Minamoto no Yoshinaka [源義仲]. AKA: Kiso Yoshinaka. He was a general from the late Heian period. A member of the Minamoto clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo was his cousin and rival during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and the Taira clans. Yoshinaka was born in Musashi province. His father, Minamoto no Yoshikata, was killed by Minamoto no Yoshihira in 1155. Yoshihira also sought to kill Yoshinaka who escaped to Shinano Province (now, Nagano). He changed his surname to "Kiso" to reflect the Kiso Mountains where he was raised. Played by Aoki Munetaka. (more info: wiki)
Minamoto no Yoshitomo [源義朝]. The father of Yoritomo, who was killed during the Heiji Rebellion. He only appeared in the Taiga in flashback scenes but his name is mentioned numerous times throughout. The strange monk in Ep. 3 claimed he carried Yoshitomo's skull in a cloth pouch hung around his neck. (more info: wiki)
Minamoto no Yoshitsune [源義経]. AKA: Kuro. The half younger brother of Yoritomo, the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with noblewoman, Tokiwa Gozen. "He was a military commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. During the Genpei War, he led a series of battles which toppled the Ise-Heishi branch of the Taira clan, helping Yoritomo consolidate power. He is considered one of the greatest and the most popular warriors of his era, and one of the most famous samurai fighters in the history of Japan." Played by Suda Masaki. (More info: wiki)
Minamoto no Yukiie [源行家]. AKA: Minamoto no Yoshimori, Uncle Juro. He was the brother of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and uncle of Yoritomo. He was one of the commanders of the Minamoto forces in the Genpei War. In Ep 3, he delivered a royal decree from Prince Mochihito while disguised "suspiciously" as a mountain hermit or yamabushi. Played by Sugimoto Tetta. (more info: wiki)
Mishima Myojin Festival. It is a festival held August 16 (August 17 back in Yoritomo's time), in honor of the Mishima Taisha (三嶋大社), a Shinto shrine located in the city of Mishima in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was on the day of this festival that Yoritomo started his war campaign against the Heikes. (more info: wiki)
Miura Yoshizumi [三浦 義澄]. AKA: Jiro. The brother-in-law of Tokimasa, and uncle of Yoshitoki. He was a military commander in the late Heian period and early Kamakura period. He is a gokenin of the Kamakura Shogunate. He belongs to the Miura Clan that was based in the land of Miura in Sagami Province (now Kanagawa Prefecture). His father was warlord, Miura Yoshiaki. Played by Sato B-Saku. (More info: ja.wiki)
Miura Yoshimura [三浦氏]. AKA: Heiroku. The best friend and cousin of Yoshitoki. He was a military commander of Sagami Province (now Kanagawa Prefecture) in the early Kamakura period . He is a leading gokenin of the Kamakura Shogunate . He is the second son of Miura Yoshizumi. Played by Yamamoto Koji. (More info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Miyoshi Yasunobu [三善康信]. He was a court noble who first appeared in Ep3. He was the one who wrote to Yoritomo from the capital, informing him of developments. His mother was the younger sister of Yoritomo's menoto, hence, the connection. Played by Kobayashi Takashi. (More info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Mokudai [目代]. It means a deputy of the provincial governor in the Heian and Kamakura periods. A private official who went to the country to perform duties on behalf of the provincial governor who remained at his place. Yamiki Kanetaka was a Mokudai in this Taiga. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Mongaku [文覚]. He was the monk who claimed he has the skull of Minamoto no Yoshitomo. He was originally a samurai who turned priest of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. After displeasing Emperor Go-Shirakawa, he was exiled to Izu Province where he persuaded Yoritomo to rise up in arms. Played by Ichikawa Ennosuke. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Monyobo Kakuen [文陽房覚淵]. The head priest of the Izusan Gongen shrine who first appeared in Ep 5. He is a Shingon priest and founder of the Bettoji Temple of Izusan Gongen Shrine. Played by Suwa Taro. (more info: ja.wiki)
Mutsu Province [陸奥国] Also, Mutsu no kuni. It's an old province of Japan known now as Tohoku, particularly in the areas of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture. Mutsu Province is also known as Ōshū (奥州) or Michinoku (陸奥 or 道奥). The term Ōu (奥羽) is often used to refer to the combined area of Mutsu and the neighboring province Dewa, which together make up the entire Tōhoku region. (more info: wiki)
Nakahara Tomochika [中原知親]. He was the "long-faced" lord in Ep 5. An aristocrat and scholar in the late Heian period, his confiscated land was the first case of land that was distributed to the war victors in Yoritomo's administration. Played by Morimoto Takeharu. (more info: ja.wiki)
Nagase Tsunetomo [長狭常伴]. He was the lord who was tasked by Oba to hunt and kill Yoritomo in Ep 7 when the latter stopped by to rest somewhere in Kazusa on his way to Kamakura. His clan ruled Nagasa District in Awa (now, Chiba). Played by Kurosawa Koji. (more info: ja.wiki)
Nitta Tadatsune [仁田忠常]. He was a samurai lord and retainer of the Kamakura shogunate in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. He was originally a resident of Nitta, Izu Province (present-day Kannami, Shizuoka Prefecture). Played by Takagishi Hiroyuki. (More info: wiki)
Oba Kagechika [大庭景親]. A samurai of the Heian period who belonged to the Oba clan related to the Tairas, that ruled over an area in the Koza District (currently Chigasaki City and Fujisawa City), Sagami Province. The third son of Oba Kageyoshi, he fought against the Minamoto Clan in the Hōgen Rebellion of 1156, and in the Genpei War. Played by Kunimura Jun. (more info: ja.wiki)
Obanyaku [大番役]. "Grand Guard" in the subs. It was the post assigned to samurai from non-capital areas to maintain the security of Kyoto during the later Heian to early Muromachi period. Hojo Tokimasa, Ito Sukechika, and Oba Kagechika, as heads of their fiefdoms, took up this post. (Read more here: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Okazaki Yoshizane [岡崎義実]. AKA: Heishiro. He belonged to the Miura clan whose base was on the Miura Peninsul. He was the uncle of Miura Yoshizumi, and grand uncle of Miura Yoshimura. He took part in the Battle of Ishibashiyama together with his son Sanada Yoichi, and thus worked hard for Yoritomo to establish the shogunate, even though he was over 30 years older than Yoritomo. He was one of the men that Yoritomo described as "elderly" and whom he hugged and welcomed in Ep 4. Played by Takao Taka. (more info: wiki)
Oshu [奥州]. An old name for "Tohoku" region. Also called Mutsu Province (see "Mutsu").
Prince Mochihito [以仁王]. He was a son of Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan that appeared in Ep 3. He is noted for his role in starting the Genpei War. Played by Kimura Subaru. (more info: wiki)
Riku [りく]. Based on Lady Maki, second or third wife of Tokimasa, stepmother of Yoshitoki and Masako, who was raised in the capital. Her brother is court nobleman Maki Munechika. Played by Miyazawa Rie. (more info: ja.wiki)
Sagami Province [相模国]. Also "Sagami no kuni". It was a province located in what is today the central and western Kanagawa Prefecture. Sagami bordered on Izu, Musashi, Suruga Provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Sagami Bay. However, its present day cities of Yokohama and Kawasaki, now part of Kanagawa Prefecture, were not in Sagami, but rather, in Musashi Province. (more info: wiki)
Sasaki Hideyoshi [佐々木 秀義]. He was the old man on Ep 4 whose words were hard to understand. A samurai member of the Minamoto clan, he fought in the Hōgen and Heiji Rebellions and in the Genpei War. He is also the father of the four Sasaki brothers who helped Minamoto no Yoritomo raise troops: namely, Sadatsuna, Tsunetaka (the one who shot the first arrow of the war), Moritsuna, and Takatsuna. His domain was Sasaki-so, Gamo District, Omi Province (now parts of Omihachiman City and Higashiomi City in Shiga Prefecture). Played by Kan Suon. (more info: wiki)
Sentsuru Maru [千鶴御前]. The son of Yoritomo and Yae, daughter of Ito Sukechika. At the age of three, he was killed by way of drowning on the orders of Sukechika. Played by Ota Keisei. (more info: ja.wiki)
Sugoroku [雙六]. A Japanese board game similar to western tables games like Backgammon. Another form of Sugoroku is similar to Snakes and Ladders. (more info: wiki)
Suruga Province [駿河国]. Or "Suruga no Kuni". It was "an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and was bordered by the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay to the south". (more info: wiki)
Takeda Nobuyoshi [武田信義]. Not to be confused with the son of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, with the same name. Takeda of the Heian-Kamakura period was a military commander, and second son of Minamoto no Kiyomitsu. At the start of the Genpei War, there were 3 factions of the Genji Clan, all vying to take down the Heike first: Minamoto no Yoritomo, Minamoto no Yoshinaka, and Takeda. Takeda was the fourth head of the Kai-Genji clan, and the founder and first head of the Takeda clan. He ruled the province of Kai (see "Kai"). Played by Yashima Norito. (more info: ja.wiki)
Taira no Kiyomori [平 清盛]. AKA: Heishokoku [平相国], Kiyomori Nyudo [清盛入道]. He was a military leader and powerful figure of the late Heian period of Japan. As leader of the Taira clan, he defeated the other powerful clan of the Minamotos, and established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan. Played by Matsudaira Ken (more info: wiki)
Taira no Koremori [平維盛]. He appeared in Ep 9. He was the general who led the Heike pursuing army but got defeated at the Battle of Fujigawa after his men got spooked by the thousands of flapping wings of birds. He was the grandson of Kiyomori. Played by Hama Shogo (more info: wiki)
Taira no Munemori [平宗盛]. He was heir to Taira no Kiyomori (taking over after the death of eldest brother Shigemori), and one of the Taira clan's chief commanders in the Genpei War. Played by Koizumi Kotaro. (more info: wiki)
Taira no Tomoyasu [平知康]. A member of the Taira Clan. He is the haughty court noble in the Taiga, who is the a vassal serving Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa. His nickname is "Tsuzumi no Hogan" because he was adept in playing the "tsuzumi", a kind of hand drum. This nickname was mentioned in Ep. 14 when he had a confrontation with Minamoto no Yoshinaka. Played by Yashiba Toshihiro. (More info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Tango no Tsubone [高階栄子]. Imperial court lady who was an influential politician. An adviser and lover of Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who gave her a daughter. She played an important role in both the intrigues and politics at the time the Emperor was confined in Fukuhara, and even after his death. Played by Suzuki Kyoka. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Tsutsumi Nobuto [堤信遠]. He was the official who ordered Yoshitoki to kneel in Ep 2. He was the guardian of newly appointed Mokudai, Yamaki Kanetaka. In the Taiga, his title is Gonnokami (see "gonnokami"). Played by Yoshimi Kazutoyo. (more info: ja.wiki)
Uhyoenogonnosuke [右兵衛権佐]. The title given to Yoritomo by the Emperor. That is why he is called "Suke-dono" for short. The term can be broken down into three parts: "Uhyoe," "Gon," and "Suke". First, "Uhyoe" is the name of a government office who is in charge of the right side of the city. In the administrative organization of the capital, there were two "Hyoe-fu" (government offices on the left and right districts of the capital city Kyoto), which were in charge of guarding the palace gates and providing escort services for excursions and visits, etc. Yoritomo was assigned to one of these, the "Hyoue-fu of the Right District" so his exact title was "Uhyoenogonnosuke" with the "u" [右] meaning "right". Incidentally, "left" is higher in rank than "right". Next, "Suke" is a rank. In the case of the Hyoei-fu, there are four levels, with "Suke" being the second in command. Finally, "Gon" means temporary or deputy. "Uhyoenogonnosuke" can be easily understood by comparing it to the "vice-administrator" mindset assigned to a particular Hyoei-fu. As of the start of the Taiga, Yoritomo was already stripped of this title. But Bando people still address him as "Suke-dono" out of respect, for having such a high position in the capital. Source Info from NHK
Wada Yoshimori [和田義盛]. AKA: Kotaro. A military commander and gokenin from the end of the Heian period to the beginning of the Kamakura period. He was the grandson of Miura Yoshiaki, therefore Yoshizumi was his uncle and Yoshimura was his cousin. Played by Yokota Eiji. (more info: ja.wiki)
Yakata [屋形]. In the subs, I call it "Mansion". However, the word is quite vague but I still used it for lack of better options. A yakata can mean several things but generally it is a "dwelling", "house" or "residence." In this Taiga's case, a lord's yakata is more like a fortified compound, like the castle fortress of the western Medieval period. It includes several edifices for residential living, guesthouses, and stables for horses, garden, lookout tower, and a gate fortress. (more info: ja.wiki)
Yamaki Kanetaka [山木兼隆]. AKA: Taira no Kanetaka. The new Mokudai (see: "mokudai") who appeared in Ep 3, and was the first person of the Heike Clan that Yoritomo attacked when he started his rebellion. He was actually exiled to Izu Province since his father displeased some higher officials in Kyoto. However, he was appointed as Mokudai of Izu by Taira no Tokitada whom his family are friends with. Played by Kihara Masatoshi. (more info: ja.wiki)
Yamanouchi-Sudo Tsunetoshi [山内首藤経俊]. AKA: Yamanouchi-no-Sudo Tsunetoshi. Military commander and gokenin from the end of the Heian period to the beginning of the Kamakura period. His clan is said to govern a manor called Yamauchiso, in Kamakura, Sagami Province. His mother was a menoto of Yoritomo, so he and Yoritomo are milk brothers. He first appeared in Ep 2, when Yoritomo read the name of that arrow that bears Yamanouchi-Sudo's name. Played by Yamaguchi Makiya. (More info: ja.wiki)
Yugawara (河原町). A historic hot spring resort town located between the Izu Hakone mountains and Sagami Bay. In Ep. 2, this is where Yoritomo went to. (more info: wiki)
Zenji [善児]. A servant of Ito Sukechika, who carries out orders including assassination, ruthlessly, without showing expression. Played by Kajihara Zen.
Watching a taiga drama can be daunting and overwhelming, with the barrage of names, characters, places, unfamiliar terms coming at you, especially if you are not familiar with this part of Japanese history. And I know you might give up along the way too, if you feel frustrated. For example, many of the characters have several different names or aliases, and they are all mentioned or used to address that character in this drama, so understandably, it might cause confusion (So far, I've counted 4 characters named "Jiro"). So I came up with this glossary to help you keep up with what you're watching.
Notes:
As much as possible, I try not to include major spoilers here. However, the links for each historical character might contain spoilers so please click and read the articles to your discretion.
This glossary will continually be updated as the drama progresses.
How to use this Drama Notes Glossary:
While you're watching the taiga drama, Kamakura-Dono no 13 Nin, and you read a name of a person or place, or a person's position or title, or any Japanese word from my subtitles, and you're curious, or don't remember who it was or what it means, press Control+F, (or use the "Find in Page" tool of your phone's browser), type the word, and click enter. That way, you will be directed straight to that word/name, without having to read or scan all the other items in the glossary.
61st TAIGA DRAMA GLOSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS (In Alphabetical Order):
Adachi Morinaga [安達盛長]. AKA: Tokugo. He was a Japanese warrior from the Adachi clan who fought for Minamoto no Yoritomo against the Heike or Taira. Morinaga had already supported Yoritomo while he lived in exile in Izu province. In this Taiga, he is the man who is always at Yoritomo's side, and act like his personal attendant, played by Nozoe Yoshiro. (Source info: wiki)
Adachi Tomoto [足立遠元]. The person whom Mii described as the "most unknown" among the strangers who suddenly showed up in Ep 10, introducing himself as the one who helps Masako with her Midaidokoro official affairs. Actually, he was already serving and lending his support in the revival of the Genji dynasty since the Heiji Rebellion. He was the founder of the Adachi clan who were based in Adachi-gun, Musashi Province (present Adachi-ku, Tokyo to Kita-Adachi-gun, Saitama Prefecture). Played by Ono Yasuhiro. (More info: ja.wiki)
Angen Era [安元]. July 1175 - August 1177. The reigning emperor was Takakura-tennō. This Taiga starts on the first year of Angen (1175).
Ano Zenjo [阿野全成]. AKA: "Daigo Zenji" (Zen Master of Daigo Temple). Half brother of Minamoto no Yoritomo. He was the seventh son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and his mother was Tokiwa Gozen. He was a priest at Daigo Temple, where he was sent to, from age 7 after his father died. If you want to know about the 9-character spell he chanted in Ep 7, it is known as the Kuji-in. Played by Niiro Shinya. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Anzai Kagemasu [安西景益]. The Lord who welcomed and gave shelter to Yoritomo after the latter's defeat in the Battle of Ishibashiyama in Ep 6. He was a childhood friend of Yoritomo, based in Marunomikuriya, in Asai District, Awa Province (See "Awa"). Played by Ino Manabu. (more info: ja.wiki)
Awa Province [あわのくに, Awa no Kuni]. It corresponds to the present southern part of Chiba prefecture. It is classified as one of the provinces of the Tōkaidō, and lies on the tip of the Bōsō Peninsula. (more info: wiki)
Bando [坂東]. An old name for the Kanto region, meaning the area east of the slope of the Ashigara and Usui passes.
Battle of Ishibashiyama [石橋山の戦い, Ishibashiyama no tatakai]. "Battle of Mt. Ishibashi" in the subs. The battle that saw a crushing defeat for Yoritomo and the Bando warriors. It "was fought on September 14, 1180, in the southwest of present-day Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, near Yoritomo's headquarters at Kamakura." (more info: wiki)
Benkei [弁慶]. AKA: "Musashibo". He first appeared in Ep 7, as the tall and strong built guy who was among those accompanying Yoshitsune from Oshu to Kamakura (Yoshitsune called him "Musashibo"). His full name is Saito Musashibo Benkei [西塔武蔵坊弁慶], a Japanese warrior monk (sōhei). "Benkei led a varied life, first becoming a monk, then a mountain ascetic, and then a rogue warrior. He later came to respect and serve the Yoshitsune," and was his faithful servant up to their last moments. He addressed Yoshitsune as "Onzoshi" [御曹司] or "Young Master (young son from a distinguished family)". He is known for his strength, spawning some legends about it. Benkei's name was also mentioned in the Travelogue for Ep. 3, regarding the legend that he was the monk who dragged a huge bell from a rival temple, as a kind of a war trophy. Played by Kaku So. (more info: wiki)
Chiba Tsunetane [千葉常秀]. He appeared in Ep 7 as the leader of Chiba clan who joined Yoritomo. His common name is "Sakai" which ruled large parts of Chiba Prefecture. Played by Okamoto Nobuto. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Dohi Sanehira [土肥実平]. AKA: Jiro. He was the one who has an onsen in Yugawara, which Yoritomo visited in Ep 2. He was military commander from the late Heian to the early Kamakura period, the second son of Nakamura Sohei of the Nakamura clan, a powerful family in Sagami Province. Played by Anan Kenji. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Ema Jiro [江馬次郎]. He is a relative of the Ito clan, and was tasked to marry Yae as punishment for Yae for getting involved romantically with Yoritomo. His character is found in the epic tales such as "Soga Monogatari", but is assumed to be a fictional character. Played by Serizawa Tateto. (More info: ja.wiki)
Emperor Antoku [安徳天皇]. The 81st emperor of Japan. He was both the grandson of Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Taira no Kiyomori. He was named crown prince at around one month of age and ascended the throne at the age of two. Naturally, he held no actual power, but rather his grandfather Kiyomori who ruled in his name. (more info: wiki)
Emperor Go-Shirakawa [後白河天皇]. He was called "Hoo-sama" with "Hoo" [法皇 ]as a title for a retired Emperor who had taken up monkhood (Cloistered Emperor, Emperor Emeritus). At the start of this drama, Shirakawa was already retired but is still sowing intrigue and planning schemes, even while he was being kept imprisoned by Taira no Kiyomori in Fukuhara. Played by Nishida Toshiyuki. (More info: wiki)
Fukuhara-Kyo [福原京]. It became "the seat of Japan's Imperial Court, and therefore the capital of the country, for a brief period in 1180. It was also the center of Taira no Kiyomori's power and the site of his retirement palace. It's in or near what is today Hyōgo Ward in the city of Kobe. (...) Kiyomori oversaw the considerable improvements to the harbor there (Owada Tomari), to further his wider goals of expanding trade within the Inland Sea." It also where he placed Emperor Go-Shirakawa as a prisoner. (more info: wiki)
Fujiwara no Hidehira [藤原秀衡]. The third ruler of Fujiwara Clan of the North in Mutsu Province. He offered shelter to the young Minamoto no Yoshitsune in Hiraizumi, who had escaped from Kyoto. In the drama, Yoshitsune calls him "Mitachi". Played by Tanaka Min. (More info: wiki)
Gien [義演]. AKA: "Otowaka". He was a priest, and eighth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo and Tokiwa Gozen, and half brother of Yoritomo. He had Ano Zenjo as his older brother and Yoshitsune as his younger brother. In 1181, he was killed in the the Battle of Sunomatagawa at the age of 27. Played by Songha. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Gonnokami [権守]. A kind of kokushi or provincial official. They were nobles sent from the central government in Kyoto to oversee a province. Tsutsumi Nobuto was a gonnokami in the Taiga. (more info: wiki)
Gozen Tomoe [巴御前]. A legendary female samurai warrior. She served Minamoto no Yoshinaka during the Genpei War. Played by Akimoto Sayaka. (More info: wiki)
Genji Clan. Also, "Minamoto Clan". Minamoto was "one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333." The other surnames are "Taira", "Fujiwara", "Tachibana". The Minamoto clan is also called the Genji (源氏), or less frequently, the Genke (源家), using the on'yomi reading for Minamoto." (More info: wiki)
Genpei War [源平合戦]. A national civil war between the Taira and Minamoto clans (led by Yoritomo to regain Genji Clan's power back) during the late-Heian period of Japan. The name "Genpei" (sometimes romanized as Gempei) comes from alternate readings of the kanji "Minamoto" (源) and "Taira" (平). (More info: wiki)
Hatakeyama Shigetada [畠山 重忠]. AKA: "Jiro". A samurai warlord who fought in the Genpei War. His family is a part of the Chichibu clan, and ruled Hatakeyama-gō, Otoshi-gun, Musashi Province (present-day Hatakeyama, Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture). He first sided with Heike and then moved to Genji side. Played by Nakagawa Taishi. (more info: wiki)
Heian Period [平安時代]. "The last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. (...) The Heian period is also considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court and noted for its art, especially poetry and literature." "Heian" means "peace". (more info: wiki)
Heike Clan. Also, "Taira Clan". "One of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history – the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. (...) Along with the Minamoto, Taira was one of the honorary surnames given by the emperors of the Heian Period to their children and grandchildren who were not considered eligible for the throne. (...) The clan is commonly referred to as Heishi (平氏, "Taira clan") or Heike (平家, "House of Taira"), using the character's On'yomi hei (平) for Taira, while shi (氏) means "clan", and ke (家) is used as a suffix for "extended family"." (more info: wiki)
Hiki no Ama [比企尼]. The menoto (see "menoto") or wet nurse of Yoritomo, who continued to provide support to him even during his years of exile. "Ama" means "Buddhist nun", noblewomen become nuns after becoming widowed. She was the wife of Hiki Kamonnojo who was a daikan (local governor) of Hiki County in Musashi Province. Having no son, she adopted nephew Yoshikazu. Played by Kusabue Mitsuko. (More info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Hiki Yoshikazu [比企能員]. Japanese warrior-noble of the Kamakura period. He was an adopted son of Hiki no Ama. Played by Sato Jiro. (More info: wiki)
Hime [姫]. At the start of this drama, Yoshitoki called his horse-riding companion, "Hime". It generally means "princess", a term bestowed on a lady of higher birth and noble status, such as the imperial family, lords , generals, and daimyo.
Hiraizumi [平泉町]. It was part of ancient Mutsu Province (See "Mutsu"). It was the home of the Northern Fujiwara clan for about 100 years in the late Heian era, during which time it served as the de facto capital of Ōshū, an area containing nearly a third of the Japanese land area. At its height the population of Hiraizumi reached 50,000 or more than 100,000, rivaling Kyoto in size and splendor." During its heyday, it was said to be so beautiful, with a large temple complex, impressive buildings, pagodas, temples and gardens. (more info: wiki)
Hitachi Province [常陸国]. Also, "Hitachi no Kuni". It was the site of the Battle of Kanasa Castle, shown in Ep 10. It was an old province of Japan in the area of Ibaraki Prefecture, which bordered on Shimōsa (Lower Fusa), Shimotsuke, and Mutsu. (more info: wiki)
Hojo [北条]. It is said to be an area located in Tagata-gun, Izu province (Izunokuni City, Shizuoka Prefecture), that was ruled by the Hojo Clan.
Hojo Masako [北条 政子]. Eldest daughter of Hojo Tokimasa and sister of Yoshitoki (from a different mother). She would become the wife of Minamoto no Yoritomo. Played by Eiko Koike. (more info: wiki)
Hojo Munetoki [北条 宗時]. AKA: "Saburo". Eldest son of Tokimasa. Older brother of Yoshitoki, they have the same mother. He was a military commander at the end of the Heian period. Played by Kataoka Ainosuke. (more info: ja.wiki)
Hojo Tokimasa [北条 時政]. AKA: "Shiro Tokimasa" "Shiro Tokimasa of Hojo". His wife Riku would also call him "Shii-sama". He was from the Hojo clan, which is theorized to be descended from Taira Naokata of the Takamochi line of the Kanmu Taira clan. The Hojo clan was said to be a powerful local clan based in Hojo, Tagata-gun, Izu province (Izunokuni City, Shizuoka Prefecture). Played by Bando Yajuro. (More info: wiki)
Hojo Yoshitoki [北条 義時]. AKA: "Koshiro". The protagonist in this Taiga drama played by Oguri Shun. He was the second son of Hojo Tokimasa, who would later on succeed his father as head of the Hojo clan. He was 19 when the Genpei War began. (more info: wiki)
Ito Sukechika [伊東祐親]. He was a samurai lord and gōzoku of the Izu Province in the late Heian period. He was the 6th head of the Kudo clan and the founder of the Kawazu clan. He took over the division of the territory of his family estate, Ito Manor, from relative and son-in-law, Kudo Suketsune. He is called "Grandfather" by many, including his sons-in-law in the drama (In the subs, I changed it to "Father-in-Law" to avoid confusion). Played by Asano Kazuyuki. (more info: wiki)
Ito Sukekiyo [伊東祐清]. AKA: Kuro. A military commander in the late Heian period. He was the second son of Ito Sukechika. After Sukechika learned about his daughter's affair, Sukekiyo helped Yoritomo escape, and entrusted him to his good friends, the Hojo clan. Played by Takezai Terunosuke. (more info: ja.wiki)
Izu Province [伊豆国]. It was a province of Japan in the area of Shizuoka Prefecture. The mainland portion of Izu Province, comprising the Izu Peninsula, is today the eastern portion of Shizuoka Prefecture and the Izu Islands are now part of Tokyo. (more info: wiki)
Izusan Gongen [伊豆山権現]. It is a temple now called "Izusan Shrine" located in Atami, Shizuoka. It is dedicated to a deity associated with a hot spring which wells up on Izusan. In the Taiga, it is where Yae's son was buried, and where Masako and the Hojo women sought shelter when war broke out. (more info: wiki)
Jisho Period (治承). It was an era name after Angen and before Yōwa. This period spanned the years from August 1177 through July 1181. The reigning emperors were Takakura-tennō and Antoku-tennō. (more info: wiki)
Kai Province [甲斐国]. Also, Kai-no-kuni. It "was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today Yamanashi Prefecture. Kai bordered on Sagami, Suruga, Shinano and Musashi Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was Kōshū (甲州). The origin of its name is uncertain. It lies in central Honshū, west of Tokyo, in a landlocked mountainous region that includes Mount Fuji along its border with modern Shizuoka Prefecture." (more info: wiki)
Kajiwara Kagetoki [梶原景時]. AKA: Heizo. He was a military commander from the end of the Heian period to the beginning of the Kamakura period . He was a gokenin of the Kamakura Shogunate. Originally from Suruga Province, Kajiwara entered the Genpei War fighting under Oba Kagechika, against the Minamoto. Since he saved Minamoto no Yoritomo in the Battle of Ishibashiyama, he earned Yoritomo's trust after defecting over to his side from the Heike side. Played by Nakamura Shido. (more info: wiki)
Kame (亀). AKA: "Kame no Mae [亀の前]". The mistress of Yoritomo who was a daughter of a fisherman who first appeared in Ep 7. Played by Eguchi Noriko. (more info: ja.wiki)
Kannon [観音]. Yoritomo prays to the statue of this Buddhist deity everyday. He also keeps a smaller figure of it, that he carries with him secretly. This deity is the Buddhist bodhisattva associated with compassion, and has been called the Goddess of Mercy. In East Asia, she is the equivalent of Avalokiteśvara, and in China, she is called "Guanyin". (more info: wiki)
Kawazu Sukeyasu [河津祐泰]. The eldest son of Ito Sukechika. He doesn't have much speaking lines in this drama. You could see him in scenes sitting behind or accompanying his father. Played by Yamaguchi Yoshiyuki. (more info: wiki)
Kazusa Hirotsune [上総広常]. AKA: "Kazusa-no-suke Hirotsune", "Suke no Hachiro", "Taira no Hirotsune". He first appeared in Ep 5 as belonging to one of the great clans who were asked to help Yoritomo. He was the eighth son of Taira no Tsunezumi, the "Kazusa no Gonnosuke" (provisional vice governor of Kazusa Province). That is why, "Kazusa-no-suke Hirotsune" was widely used as his name. He was a head of the governing family of the Taira clan of Boso Province and it is said that Minamoto no Yoritomo succeeded to raise an army owing to the support from Hirotsune, the most powerful man in the Togoku (eastern country). Played by Sato Koichi. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Kemari [蹴鞠]. An athletic game that was popular in Japan during the Heian period. It resembles a game of football (soccer) or hacky sack. The ball, known as a mari, is made of deerskin stuffed with barley grains to give it shape. Yoritomo called it by its Chinese name: "chiuk giuk". (more info: wiki)
Kudo Mochimitsu [工藤茂光]. AKA: Kudo-no-suke Mochimitsu. He was the overweight samurai in the Taiga. A Japanese military commander in the end of the Heian period, he belonged to the local ruling family of Izu Province, who followed the Southern House of the Fujiwara clan. He was also called Kano Mochimitsu. Played by Yonemoto Takato. (more info: wiki)
Kudo Suketsune [工藤 祐経]. A samurai who was supposed to inherit the rule of Ito Manor of Izu Province from his father Kudo Suketsugu. However, after Suketsugu died, Suketsune's uncle (also, cousin and father-in-law) Ito Sukechika took over the manor while Suketsune was in Kyoto. Sukechika also made his daughter, Mango Gozen, who was married to Suketsune, divorce him. Played by Tsubokura Yoshiyuki. (More info: wiki)
Kurodo [蔵人]. Minamoto no Yukiie said he was appointed as "kurodo" by Imperial Princess Akiko (referred as "Hachijoin-sama" in Ep 3), sister of Emperor Go-Shirakawa. It means "keeper of imperial archives" which includes decrees. (from ja.ichacha)
Kyoto or Kyo [京都]. It was the capital city at the time when the drama started, located in Kyoto Prefecture (later the capital would be moved to Fukuhara by Taira no Kiyomori). It was the center of wealth, arts/culture, and power. It is where the Emperor resides. People from Kyoto were considered stylish, refined, sophisticated, well-educated, know imperial etiquette, and court manners. Those outside the capital like in the Bando region, were considered provincial, and look up to people from Kyoto.
Maki Munechika [牧宗親]. Older brother of Riku, and a court nobleman based in the capital. Played by Yamazaki Hajime. (more info: ja.wiki)
Masakado. Or Taira no Masakado [平将門]. He was a Heian period provincial magnate (gōzoku) and samurai based in eastern Japan, notable for leading the first recorded uprising against the central government in Kyoto. In Ep 1, his name was mentioned as a historical figure who rebelled but in the year 940, got beheaded in the end. Read more HERE.
Menoto [乳母]. It was a custom for high-ranking noblewomen to assign a menoto (usually a noblewoman as well but of lesser ranking) to breastfeed and raise their children because such work was considered "beneath" them. Usually there is a bond formed between menoto and the child, and they are considered not just a "wet nurse" but as a "second mother". (more info: ja.wiki)
Michi [道]. The wife of Hiki Yoshikazu. Played by Horiuchi Keiko.
Midaidokoro [御台所]. The title given to the official wife of a shogun. Masako was called this starting in Ep. 8. (more info: wiki)
Mii. Younger sister of Yoshitoki and Masako. Her real name is unknown. She is mentioned in the epic tales as Awa no Tsubone [阿波局], and "Lady Awa". Played by Miyazawa Emma. (more info: ja.wiki)
Minamoto no Noriyori [源範頼]. AKA: "Kaba no Kaja", "Kaba-dono". One of the half brothers who showed up in Ep. 10 who would serve under Yoritomo. He was the sixth son of Yoshitomo and his concubine, Iwata no Tsubone. Because he grew up in Kaba no Mikuriya (a manor of Ise-jingu Shrine at that time) in Totomi Province, he was called "Kaba no Kanja" or "Kaba dono". Later he was brought up by Fujiwara no Norisue and got a kanji character from Norisue's name and called himself Noriyori. Played by Sakoda Takaya. (More info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Minamoto no Yorimasa [源 頼政]. He sided with Prince Mochihito to stage an uprising against the Tairas in Ep 3. He was originally a prominent Japanese poet whose works appeared in various anthologies. At first, he sided with Tairas, and was friends with Kiyomori ("he is the only one in the Minamoto clan, who has Kiyomori's favor"), fighting against fellow Minamoto relatives. That is why Kiyomori was upset when he found out Yorimasa had betrayed him in the end in Ep 3. Played by Shinagawa Toru. (more info: wiki)
Minamoto no Yoritomo [源頼朝]. He was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan. "Yoritomo was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, heir of the Minamoto (Seiwa Genji) clan, and his official wife, Yura-Gozen, daughter of Fujiwara no Suenori." After the Minamoto clan were defeated by the Taira clan during the Heiji Rebellion. Yoritomo's father was killed and "Yoritomo, the new head of the Minamoto, was not executed by Taira no Kiyomori because of pleas from Kiyomori's stepmother but was exiled. Yoritomo's brothers, Minamoto no Noriyori and Minamoto no Yoshitsune were also allowed to live. (...) Yoritomo grew up in exile. He married into the Hojo clan, led by Hojo Tokimasa, marrying Tokimasa's daughter, Hojo Masako." He is called "Suke-dono" (see "Hyoenogonnosuke") and later on, "Kamakura-dono". Played Oizumi Yo. (more info: wiki)
Minamoto no Yoshinaka [源義仲]. AKA: Kiso Yoshinaka. He was a general from the late Heian period. A member of the Minamoto clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo was his cousin and rival during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and the Taira clans. Yoshinaka was born in Musashi province. His father, Minamoto no Yoshikata, was killed by Minamoto no Yoshihira in 1155. Yoshihira also sought to kill Yoshinaka who escaped to Shinano Province (now, Nagano). He changed his surname to "Kiso" to reflect the Kiso Mountains where he was raised. Played by Aoki Munetaka. (more info: wiki)
Minamoto no Yoshitomo [源義朝]. The father of Yoritomo, who was killed during the Heiji Rebellion. He only appeared in the Taiga in flashback scenes but his name is mentioned numerous times throughout. The strange monk in Ep. 3 claimed he carried Yoshitomo's skull in a cloth pouch hung around his neck. (more info: wiki)
Minamoto no Yoshitsune [源義経]. AKA: Kuro. The half younger brother of Yoritomo, the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with noblewoman, Tokiwa Gozen. "He was a military commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. During the Genpei War, he led a series of battles which toppled the Ise-Heishi branch of the Taira clan, helping Yoritomo consolidate power. He is considered one of the greatest and the most popular warriors of his era, and one of the most famous samurai fighters in the history of Japan." Played by Suda Masaki. (More info: wiki)
Minamoto no Yukiie [源行家]. AKA: Minamoto no Yoshimori, Uncle Juro. He was the brother of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and uncle of Yoritomo. He was one of the commanders of the Minamoto forces in the Genpei War. In Ep 3, he delivered a royal decree from Prince Mochihito while disguised "suspiciously" as a mountain hermit or yamabushi. Played by Sugimoto Tetta. (more info: wiki)
Mishima Myojin Festival. It is a festival held August 16 (August 17 back in Yoritomo's time), in honor of the Mishima Taisha (三嶋大社), a Shinto shrine located in the city of Mishima in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was on the day of this festival that Yoritomo started his war campaign against the Heikes. (more info: wiki)
Miura Yoshizumi [三浦 義澄]. AKA: Jiro. The brother-in-law of Tokimasa, and uncle of Yoshitoki. He was a military commander in the late Heian period and early Kamakura period. He is a gokenin of the Kamakura Shogunate. He belongs to the Miura Clan that was based in the land of Miura in Sagami Province (now Kanagawa Prefecture). His father was warlord, Miura Yoshiaki. Played by Sato B-Saku. (More info: ja.wiki)
Miura Yoshimura [三浦氏]. AKA: Heiroku. The best friend and cousin of Yoshitoki. He was a military commander of Sagami Province (now Kanagawa Prefecture) in the early Kamakura period . He is a leading gokenin of the Kamakura Shogunate . He is the second son of Miura Yoshizumi. Played by Yamamoto Koji. (More info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Miyoshi Yasunobu [三善康信]. He was a court noble who first appeared in Ep3. He was the one who wrote to Yoritomo from the capital, informing him of developments. His mother was the younger sister of Yoritomo's menoto, hence, the connection. Played by Kobayashi Takashi. (More info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Mokudai [目代]. It means a deputy of the provincial governor in the Heian and Kamakura periods. A private official who went to the country to perform duties on behalf of the provincial governor who remained at his place. Yamiki Kanetaka was a Mokudai in this Taiga. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Mongaku [文覚]. He was the monk who claimed he has the skull of Minamoto no Yoshitomo. He was originally a samurai who turned priest of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. After displeasing Emperor Go-Shirakawa, he was exiled to Izu Province where he persuaded Yoritomo to rise up in arms. Played by Ichikawa Ennosuke. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Monyobo Kakuen [文陽房覚淵]. The head priest of the Izusan Gongen shrine who first appeared in Ep 5. He is a Shingon priest and founder of the Bettoji Temple of Izusan Gongen Shrine. Played by Suwa Taro. (more info: ja.wiki)
Mutsu Province [陸奥国] Also, Mutsu no kuni. It's an old province of Japan known now as Tohoku, particularly in the areas of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture. Mutsu Province is also known as Ōshū (奥州) or Michinoku (陸奥 or 道奥). The term Ōu (奥羽) is often used to refer to the combined area of Mutsu and the neighboring province Dewa, which together make up the entire Tōhoku region. (more info: wiki)
Nakahara Tomochika [中原知親]. He was the "long-faced" lord in Ep 5. An aristocrat and scholar in the late Heian period, his confiscated land was the first case of land that was distributed to the war victors in Yoritomo's administration. Played by Morimoto Takeharu. (more info: ja.wiki)
Nagase Tsunetomo [長狭常伴]. He was the lord who was tasked by Oba to hunt and kill Yoritomo in Ep 7 when the latter stopped by to rest somewhere in Kazusa on his way to Kamakura. His clan ruled Nagasa District in Awa (now, Chiba). Played by Kurosawa Koji. (more info: ja.wiki)
Nitta Tadatsune [仁田忠常]. He was a samurai lord and retainer of the Kamakura shogunate in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. He was originally a resident of Nitta, Izu Province (present-day Kannami, Shizuoka Prefecture). Played by Takagishi Hiroyuki. (More info: wiki)
Oba Kagechika [大庭景親]. A samurai of the Heian period who belonged to the Oba clan related to the Tairas, that ruled over an area in the Koza District (currently Chigasaki City and Fujisawa City), Sagami Province. The third son of Oba Kageyoshi, he fought against the Minamoto Clan in the Hōgen Rebellion of 1156, and in the Genpei War. Played by Kunimura Jun. (more info: ja.wiki)
Obanyaku [大番役]. "Grand Guard" in the subs. It was the post assigned to samurai from non-capital areas to maintain the security of Kyoto during the later Heian to early Muromachi period. Hojo Tokimasa, Ito Sukechika, and Oba Kagechika, as heads of their fiefdoms, took up this post. (Read more here: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Okazaki Yoshizane [岡崎義実]. AKA: Heishiro. He belonged to the Miura clan whose base was on the Miura Peninsul. He was the uncle of Miura Yoshizumi, and grand uncle of Miura Yoshimura. He took part in the Battle of Ishibashiyama together with his son Sanada Yoichi, and thus worked hard for Yoritomo to establish the shogunate, even though he was over 30 years older than Yoritomo. He was one of the men that Yoritomo described as "elderly" and whom he hugged and welcomed in Ep 4. Played by Takao Taka. (more info: wiki)
Oshu [奥州]. An old name for "Tohoku" region. Also called Mutsu Province (see "Mutsu").
Prince Mochihito [以仁王]. He was a son of Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan that appeared in Ep 3. He is noted for his role in starting the Genpei War. Played by Kimura Subaru. (more info: wiki)
Riku [りく]. Based on Lady Maki, second or third wife of Tokimasa, stepmother of Yoshitoki and Masako, who was raised in the capital. Her brother is court nobleman Maki Munechika. Played by Miyazawa Rie. (more info: ja.wiki)
Sagami Province [相模国]. Also "Sagami no kuni". It was a province located in what is today the central and western Kanagawa Prefecture. Sagami bordered on Izu, Musashi, Suruga Provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Sagami Bay. However, its present day cities of Yokohama and Kawasaki, now part of Kanagawa Prefecture, were not in Sagami, but rather, in Musashi Province. (more info: wiki)
Sasaki Hideyoshi [佐々木 秀義]. He was the old man on Ep 4 whose words were hard to understand. A samurai member of the Minamoto clan, he fought in the Hōgen and Heiji Rebellions and in the Genpei War. He is also the father of the four Sasaki brothers who helped Minamoto no Yoritomo raise troops: namely, Sadatsuna, Tsunetaka (the one who shot the first arrow of the war), Moritsuna, and Takatsuna. His domain was Sasaki-so, Gamo District, Omi Province (now parts of Omihachiman City and Higashiomi City in Shiga Prefecture). Played by Kan Suon. (more info: wiki)
Sentsuru Maru [千鶴御前]. The son of Yoritomo and Yae, daughter of Ito Sukechika. At the age of three, he was killed by way of drowning on the orders of Sukechika. Played by Ota Keisei. (more info: ja.wiki)
Sugoroku [雙六]. A Japanese board game similar to western tables games like Backgammon. Another form of Sugoroku is similar to Snakes and Ladders. (more info: wiki)
Suruga Province [駿河国]. Or "Suruga no Kuni". It was "an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and was bordered by the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay to the south". (more info: wiki)
Takeda Nobuyoshi [武田信義]. Not to be confused with the son of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, with the same name. Takeda of the Heian-Kamakura period was a military commander, and second son of Minamoto no Kiyomitsu. At the start of the Genpei War, there were 3 factions of the Genji Clan, all vying to take down the Heike first: Minamoto no Yoritomo, Minamoto no Yoshinaka, and Takeda. Takeda was the fourth head of the Kai-Genji clan, and the founder and first head of the Takeda clan. He ruled the province of Kai (see "Kai"). Played by Yashima Norito. (more info: ja.wiki)
Taira no Kiyomori [平 清盛]. AKA: Heishokoku [平相国], Kiyomori Nyudo [清盛入道]. He was a military leader and powerful figure of the late Heian period of Japan. As leader of the Taira clan, he defeated the other powerful clan of the Minamotos, and established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan. Played by Matsudaira Ken (more info: wiki)
Taira no Koremori [平維盛]. He appeared in Ep 9. He was the general who led the Heike pursuing army but got defeated at the Battle of Fujigawa after his men got spooked by the thousands of flapping wings of birds. He was the grandson of Kiyomori. Played by Hama Shogo (more info: wiki)
Taira no Munemori [平宗盛]. He was heir to Taira no Kiyomori (taking over after the death of eldest brother Shigemori), and one of the Taira clan's chief commanders in the Genpei War. Played by Koizumi Kotaro. (more info: wiki)
Taira no Tomoyasu [平知康]. A member of the Taira Clan. He is the haughty court noble in the Taiga, who is the a vassal serving Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa. His nickname is "Tsuzumi no Hogan" because he was adept in playing the "tsuzumi", a kind of hand drum. This nickname was mentioned in Ep. 14 when he had a confrontation with Minamoto no Yoshinaka. Played by Yashiba Toshihiro. (More info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Tango no Tsubone [高階栄子]. Imperial court lady who was an influential politician. An adviser and lover of Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who gave her a daughter. She played an important role in both the intrigues and politics at the time the Emperor was confined in Fukuhara, and even after his death. Played by Suzuki Kyoka. (more info: japanese-wiki-corpus)
Tsutsumi Nobuto [堤信遠]. He was the official who ordered Yoshitoki to kneel in Ep 2. He was the guardian of newly appointed Mokudai, Yamaki Kanetaka. In the Taiga, his title is Gonnokami (see "gonnokami"). Played by Yoshimi Kazutoyo. (more info: ja.wiki)
Uhyoenogonnosuke [右兵衛権佐]. The title given to Yoritomo by the Emperor. That is why he is called "Suke-dono" for short. The term can be broken down into three parts: "Uhyoe," "Gon," and "Suke". First, "Uhyoe" is the name of a government office who is in charge of the right side of the city. In the administrative organization of the capital, there were two "Hyoe-fu" (government offices on the left and right districts of the capital city Kyoto), which were in charge of guarding the palace gates and providing escort services for excursions and visits, etc. Yoritomo was assigned to one of these, the "Hyoue-fu of the Right District" so his exact title was "Uhyoenogonnosuke" with the "u" [右] meaning "right". Incidentally, "left" is higher in rank than "right". Next, "Suke" is a rank. In the case of the Hyoei-fu, there are four levels, with "Suke" being the second in command. Finally, "Gon" means temporary or deputy. "Uhyoenogonnosuke" can be easily understood by comparing it to the "vice-administrator" mindset assigned to a particular Hyoei-fu. As of the start of the Taiga, Yoritomo was already stripped of this title. But Bando people still address him as "Suke-dono" out of respect, for having such a high position in the capital. Source Info from NHK
Wada Yoshimori [和田義盛]. AKA: Kotaro. A military commander and gokenin from the end of the Heian period to the beginning of the Kamakura period. He was the grandson of Miura Yoshiaki, therefore Yoshizumi was his uncle and Yoshimura was his cousin. Played by Yokota Eiji. (more info: ja.wiki)
Yae [八重]. She is the third daughter of Ito Sukechika, said to be the first wife of Yoritomo, with whom she had a son who was ordered killed by Sukechika. She is the half-sister of Yoshitoki's mother, therefore, making her his aunt. In the Taiga, she is the first love of Yoshitoki, based on the theory proposed by historian, Koichi Sakai, that she eventually married Yoshitoki. Played by Aragaki Yui (more info: ja.wiki)
Yakata [屋形]. In the subs, I call it "Mansion". However, the word is quite vague but I still used it for lack of better options. A yakata can mean several things but generally it is a "dwelling", "house" or "residence." In this Taiga's case, a lord's yakata is more like a fortified compound, like the castle fortress of the western Medieval period. It includes several edifices for residential living, guesthouses, and stables for horses, garden, lookout tower, and a gate fortress. (more info: ja.wiki)
Yamaki Kanetaka [山木兼隆]. AKA: Taira no Kanetaka. The new Mokudai (see: "mokudai") who appeared in Ep 3, and was the first person of the Heike Clan that Yoritomo attacked when he started his rebellion. He was actually exiled to Izu Province since his father displeased some higher officials in Kyoto. However, he was appointed as Mokudai of Izu by Taira no Tokitada whom his family are friends with. Played by Kihara Masatoshi. (more info: ja.wiki)
Yamanouchi-Sudo Tsunetoshi [山内首藤経俊]. AKA: Yamanouchi-no-Sudo Tsunetoshi. Military commander and gokenin from the end of the Heian period to the beginning of the Kamakura period. His clan is said to govern a manor called Yamauchiso, in Kamakura, Sagami Province. His mother was a menoto of Yoritomo, so he and Yoritomo are milk brothers. He first appeared in Ep 2, when Yoritomo read the name of that arrow that bears Yamanouchi-Sudo's name. Played by Yamaguchi Makiya. (More info: ja.wiki)
Yugawara (河原町). A historic hot spring resort town located between the Izu Hakone mountains and Sagami Bay. In Ep. 2, this is where Yoritomo went to. (more info: wiki)
Zenji [善児]. A servant of Ito Sukechika, who carries out orders including assassination, ruthlessly, without showing expression. Played by Kajihara Zen.