is a Japanese jidaigeki or period drama that was broadcast in prime-time in 1974. It is based on Renzaburō Shibata's novel of the same title. The lead star is

Masakazu Tamura was a Japanese film and theatre actor. Profile Masakazu Tamura was born 1 August 1943 in Kyoto, Japan to Japanese actor Tsumasaburō Bandō. Tsumasaburō Bandō died when Tamura was only nine years old. His brothers Takahiro and Ryō are als ...

Plot

Akizuki Rokurōta was born as a child of

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fel ...

, but since he is a twin with

Tokugawa Iemitsu Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川家光, August 12, 1604 – June 8, 1651) was the third '' shōgun'' of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada with Oeyo, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Lady Kasuga was his wet nurse, ...

, he is not allowed to appear in the center of the stage. Thus He continues his wandering trip. One day he accidentally meets

Toyotomi Hideyori was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga. Early life Born in 1593, he was Hideyoshi's second son. The birth of Hideyori cr ...

's son Toyotomi Hideya and her mother.

Tokugawa Shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in ...

and Yagyū clan try to kill them. On the other hand villains try to use them. Akizuki Rokurōta decides to protect them from Tokugawa Shogunate and villains.

Cast

as Akizuki Rokurōta/

Goro Ibuki is a Japanese actor.　He is known for his parts in jidaigeki television dramas especially Kakusan in Mito Kōmon series,　but is known as part of the cast of ''Samurai Sentai Shinkenger'' as Hikoma Kusakabe. Filmography Film *'' Bohachi Bushi ...

Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi was one of the most famous and romanticized of the samurai in Japan's feudal era. Life Very little is known about the actual life of Yagyū Mitsuyoshi as the official records of his life are very sparse. Yagyū Jūbē Mitsuyoshi (born "Shichirō ...

Jūshirō Konoe was a famous jidaigeki actor. He was born Toraichi Meguro in Nagaoka, Niigata. Debuting at Ajia Eiga in 1934, Konoe appeared in jidaigeki at Daito Eiga, Shochiku, and Toei, the latter having him star in a popular series about Yagyu Jubei. K ...

Yagyū Munenori was a Japanese daimyo, swordsman, and martial arts writer, founder of the Edo branch of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū, which he learned from his father Yagyū "Sekishūsai" Muneyoshi. This was one of two official sword styles patronized by the Tokugawa ...

*Yoshio Yoshida as

Tenkai was a Japanese Tendai Buddhist monk of the Azuchi-Momoyama and early Edo periods. He achieved the rank of ''Daisōjō'', the highest rank of the priesthood. His Buddhist name was first , which he changed to Tenkai in 1590. Also known as , he ...

* Ichirō Arishima as

Takuan Sōhō was a Japanese Buddhist prelate during the Sengoku and early Edo Periods of Japanese history. He was a major figure in the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. Noted for his calligraphy, poetry, tea ceremony, he is also popularly credited with the in ...

Naoko Otani is a Japanese actress. She made her screen debut in '' The Human Bullet'' while still a high school student, and became popular for her role in the NHK Asadora , colloquially known as , is a serialized, 15 minutes per episode, Japanese tele ...

as Renko * Rokko Toura as Yami no Hichibei * Yayoi Watanabe as Sasaka *

Kei Satō was a Japanese character actor and narrator. He is known for his work with Japanese New Wave director Nagisa Oshima, and for several films with Kaneto Shindo, such as '' Onibaba'' and ''Kuroneko''. He won the best actor award from ''Kinema Junp ...

as Asahina Genzaemon * Atsushi Watanabe as Iga Ninja Unten

Other adaptations

Kōsei Saitō directed 3 hours special drama version which aired January 6, 1993 on

Fuji TV JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network S ...

. The lead role was played by

Ken Matsudaira is a Japanese actor and musician from Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan. His real name is . Career In 1974, he joined Shintaro Katsu's production company and made his debut with the television series Zatoichi as a guest. For a quarter of a century, h ...

. theme music by

Masahiko Satoh is a Japanese jazz pianist, composer and arranger. Early life Satoh was born in Tokyo on 6 October 1941. His mother was Setsu and his father, who owned small businesses, was Yoshiaki Satoh. The house that his family moved into in 1944 contained ...

, Screen play by Motomu Furuta. *

as Akizuki Rokurōta *

Tomokazu Miura is a Japanese actor. Life and career Miura attended Hino high school in Tokyo. He was originally a member of rock group RC Succession, but was asked to leave the group by their management when they signed a record contract. However, impressed b ...

Miyamoto Musashi , also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman, philosopher, strategist, writer and rōnin, who became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship a ...

Shigeru Tsuyuguchi is a Japanese actor. Biography Tsuyuguchi was born in Tokyo and raised in Ehime.Nihon Eiga Jinmei Jiten　2　190-191 He attended Ehime University, but withdrew before completing his degree and joined the Haiyuza Theatre Company in 1955. His ...

* Hiroshi Abe as

Morio Kazama is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 2nd Yokohama Film Festival for '' Shiki Natsuko'' and '' Yūgure made'' and at the 6th and 7th Japan Academy Prizes. Filmography Films * '' Wanpaku Ōji no Orochi Taiji'' (1 ...

*Narumi Arimori *Chiaki Matsubara *

Hideji Ōtaki was a Japanese actor. He has served as President of the Mingei Theatre Company. Career After serving in World War II, he became interested in the theater and helped found the Gekidan Mingei troupe in 1950. He gained fame for his television wo ...

Yoichi Hayashi is a Japanese actor. Hayashi is a former Kabuki actor, and appeared in many jidaigeki television dramas. Selected filmography Film *'' Kwaidan'' (1965) *'' Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril'' (1972) *'' Hissatsu Shikakenin Baian Arijigoku ' ...

Hattori Hanzō or ''Second Hanzō'', nicknamed , was a famous Ninja of the Sengoku era, who served the Tokugawa clan as a ninja, credited with saving the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu and then helping him to become the ruler of united Japan. He is often a subje ...

Shōhei Hino is a Japanese actor and singer. Hino was born in Tokyo and raised in Osaka. Hino appeared in many jidaigeki television dramas. He is best known for his roles in the Hissatsu series. He began his acting career at the age of 13. In 1966, he mad ...

as Iga Ninja Unten

References

1974 Japanese television series debuts 1970s drama television series Jidaigeki television series Jidaigeki Cultural depictions of Tokugawa Iemitsu Cultural depictions of Yagyū clan Television series set in the 17th century Television shows based on Japanese novels {{Japan-tv-prog-stub