Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Shōgun.
Diving into a different culture can often cause a lot of shock for those who aren’t used to it, andShōgunoffers us just that in its very first episode, “Anjin.” In a rather quick turn of events, Usami Tadayoshi (Yuki Takao), one of Lord Yoshii Toranaga’s (Hiroyuki Sanada), decides to offer not only his own life after making an error but also to completely end his bloodline and kill his infant child, too. The act of committing suicide to preserve one’s honor is known in Japanese culture as seppuku, and is often portrayed in Western movies and TV series in a rather romanticized light.Shōgunnow shows just how deep it goes and how important its role is in samurai culture.
Shogun (2024)
When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, Lord Yoshii Toranaga discovers secrets that could tip the scales of power and devastate his enemies.
What Happens in ‘Shōgun’s First Episode?
In one ofShōgun’s first scenes, Lord Toranaga is in Osaka for a meeting of the Council of Regents. He is one of five regents who were nominated bythe previous rulerknown as the taikō, Nakamura Hidetoshi (Yukijiro Hotaru), to keep the peace in Japan while his heir has yet to come of age. However, four of the regents, led by Lord Ishido Kazunari (Takehiro Hira), quickly turn on Toranaga for fear of his growing power and political influence. It’s in this meeting’s context that Tadayoshi’s seppuku becomes an issue.
As the meeting goes on, all regents havetheir personal samuraiguards with them, the warriors waiting patiently outside the room. Despite all the doors being open, they aren’t allowed in and must remain quiet while the regents have their discussion. Lord Toranaga soon becomes the target of the other four regents, however, who attack him and denounce his actions even though he is being kept in Osaka by Lord Ishido. Tadayoshi, one of Toranaga’s most loyal samurai, intervenes from outside, arguing that the treatment being given to his lord is unfair, andsteps onto the tatami mat inside the room where the meeting is being held, his hand on his katana. Although Toranaga calmly tells him to be quiet, this is enough to make every samurai stand up to protect their lords if necessary. As tension rises, Tadayoshi comes to his senses, sits down, and announces he is committing seppuku as a way to atone for his transgression. Not only that, but he is also going to end his bloodline to ensure nothing like this ever happens again, meaning he will also kill his infant son.
Shocking as it may seem to Western audiences, Tadayoshi’s decision is actually supported by everyone present.Lord Toranaga calmly agrees to it, and Lord Ishido is content with this outcome as well, seeing that he was accused of being dishonorable towards Toranaga. The only person who is against it is Tadayoshi’s wife, Usami Fuji (Moeka Hoshi). Talking to Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai) before Tadayoshi commits seppuku, she can’t bring herself to understand why their son, who is a baby and couldn’t possibly have offended anyone, should also be killed. Later, Fuji’s grandfather, Toda Hiromatsu (Tokuma Nishioka), tells her thather husband and son had to die because “they belong to a greater fight.”
‘Shōgun’s Depiction of Seppuku Is Shocking, but Layered and Accurate
For Western audiences, the act of taking one’s own life is shocking in itself, especially with the conversations surrounding mental health in today’s society. It’s easy to fumble the depiction of such a sensitive issue, butShōgunmakes it clear from the start that it’s not talking about contemporary subjects. Having a character perform seppuku in one of the first episodes is certainly a way to add shock value to the series and show that the stakes are high, and is also a way of drastically telling the audience that Western rules don’t apply.To our Western eyes, Tadayoshi ending his and his son’s lives is awful, butit makes perfect sense for a Japanese warrior who has to protect his honor.
In the Western media, the act of seppuku is somewhat romanticized, often portrayed as something highly dramatic and to be done only when there is no other way forward. While sometimes this was indeed the reason for a warrior to perform seppuku, many other things might have driven them to it.In Japanese culture, death is seen as a natural part of life, and, especially in the Sengoku and Edo periods, the decision to end it belonged mostly to the individual. For a warrior, this went even deeper, as most of them expected to die on the battlefield, but even this kind of death could bring dishonor, especially if they were captured and taken to be tortured or questioned. In this context, performing seppuku was a way of ensuring one’s loyalty to their lords by refusing to be captured and risking disclosing any sensitive information. For example, evenone of Japan’s Great Unifiers, Oda Nobunaga, performed seppuku when he found out he was betrayed and about to be defeated, as a way of dying on his own terms and without having his honor taken away.
Tadayoshi’s decision to perform seppuku is somewhat different, however. While many warriors usually did it preemptively, to avoid having their honor taken away, Tadayoshi did it to atone for a mistake, so it’s important to put this mistake into perspective. Interrupting a meeting may seem trivial for modern Western audiences, but whatTadayoshi was present for was akin to ameeting of chiefs of state. Interrupting this meeting while pulling his katana and questioning one of the regents’ honor could have sparked an all-out war right then. By doing that, he made a fool of himself and put his own lord’s control over his warriors in doubt. Seppuku was the best alternative for him to atone for his mistake and retain his honor, as well as his family’s honor, which is why taking his son with him was necessary.
When Hiromatsu tells Fuji that Tadayoshi and the baby “belonged to a greater fight,” he is talking about how their sacrifice prevented a war. Not just that, but on a spiritual level, too, as even the baby’s honor was stained by his father’s actions.Honor is at the center of seppuku, not the possibility of death, which is why so many warriors are driven to it. It’s a serious act, one that’s respected by friends and enemies alike. So, for Tadayoshi and his family, it was important to end their story in as honorable a way as possible, and seppuku was the best way of doing that.
The Act of Seppuku Changed a Lot Throughout Japanese History
When the time comes for Tadayoshi to perform seppuku according to his promise, the act itself isn’t shown. While it might be in bad taste to show it in our current cultural landscape, it would also defy the historical accuracy of the actual ritual atthe timeShōguntakes place. Tadayoshi is shown clad in white samurai robes preparing to perform seppuku as Fuji hands over her son, and the next we hear of it is only in the show’s third episode, “Tomorrow is Tomorrow,” when Hiromatsu hands her the remains of father and child.
The wayShōgunexplores this is reminiscent of the time period when the series happens, the Sengoku period. This is known as the “warring states period,” when Japan lacked a single unified ruler andconflict was nearly constant. Death was just as constant, so seppuku was considered a private act,performed in closed quarters, with only another person present, whose role was to ensure the person died honorably. This is what happens to Tadayoshi. During the Edo Period, seppuku became closer to what is more commonly depicted. It also became something closer to a death sentence, which is why public ceremonies were also usually held to witness it.
Shōgunis streaming on Hulu in the U.S. New episodes are released weekly on Tuesdays.
