is a 2015 Japanese historical drama television series, the 54th

NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

''taiga'' drama. The series stars

Mao Inoue Mao Inoue (井上真央, ''Inoue Mao'', born January 9, 1987), is a Japanese actress. She is best known to Japanese television drama audiences as Makino Tsukushi in the '' Boys Over Flowers'' series and as Sugi Fumi ( ja) in the 54th taiga dr ...

as Sugi Fumi, a sister of

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

scholar Yoshida Shōin. It premiered on January 4, 2015, and ended on December 13, 2015.

Plot

The series depicts the

, occurring during the last years of the Bakufu Shogunate and the early years of the

Meiji Era The was an Japanese era name, era of History of Japan, Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feu ...

, through the point of view of Sugi Fumi ( ja), the younger sister of Yoshida Shōin.

Cast

Sugi family

as Sugi Fumi (later Katori Miwako) **Momoka Yamada as young Fumi *

Yusuke Iseya is a Japanese actor, director, artist, and businessman. Career Iseya co-starred with Arata Iura, Yui Natsukawa is a Japanese actress. She co-starred with Hiroshi Abe in the 2006 Japanese drama '' Kekkon Dekinai Otoko'' and in Hirokazu Kore ...

as Yoshida Shōin, Shishi of Bakumatsu era, Fumi's second eldest brother **

Rihito Itagaki is a Japanese actor and model. He is best known for portraying Heure in '' Kamen Rider Zi-O'' (2018), Norman in ''The Promised Neverland'' (2020), Meguru Sōma in ''My Androgynous Boyfriend'' (2021), and Sōma Tezuka in '' And Yet, You Are So S ...

as young Shōin * Kyōzō Nagatsuka as Sugi Yurinosuke, Fumi's father *

Fumi Dan (born June 5, 1954) is a Japanese actress. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 17th Japan Academy Prize for her role in '' Bloom in the Moonlight''. Her father is the novelist Kazuo Dan and she herself has won awards for her e ...

as Sugi Taki, Fumi's mother *

Eiji Okuda is a Japanese actor and film director. Born in Kasugai, Aichi, he was nominated for the Best Actor award at the 1990 Japanese Academy Awards for his performance in '' Sen no Rikyu''. He won the award for best actor at the 37th Blue Ribbon Awar ...

as Tamaki Bun'noshin, Fumi's uncle * Taizo Harada as Sugi Umetarō, Fumi's eldest brother * Yūka as Odamura Hisa, Fumi's second eldest sister, Odamura's first wife **Kanon as young Hisa *

Yūki Morinaga Yuki, Yūki or Yuuki may refer to: Places * Yuki, Hiroshima (Jinseki), a town in Jinseki District, Hiroshima, Japan * Yuki, Hiroshima (Saeki), a town in Saeki District, Hiroshima, Japan * Yūki, Ibaraki, a city on Honshu island in Japan * Yuk ...

as Sugi Toshisaburō, Fumi's younger brother

Odamura family

Takao Osawa is a Japanese actor. Career Osawa starred in the 2002 film ''Filament'' and the 2007 film '' Midnight Eagle''. He has also appeared in films such as Masayuki Suo's '' A Terminal Trust'' and Takashi Miike's '' Shield of Straw''. The Newport Beac ...

as Odamura Inosuke (later Katori Motohiko), Fumi's second husband * Rino Katase as Odamura Shino, Inosuke's mother *

Kanji Tsuda is a Japanese actor. Career Tsuda appeared in Kamen Rider Ryuki as Daisuke Okubo and Ju-On: The Grudge as Katsuya Tokunaga. Filmography Film * '' Sonatine'' (1993) * ''119'' (1994) * '' Kids Return'' (1996) * '' Hana-bi'' (1997) * '' Bays ...

as Matsushima Gōzō, Inosuke's elder brother

Students of Shoka Sonjuku

Kengo Kora is a Japanese actor. Career Kora has gained recognition for his roles in films such as Shinji Aoyama's '' Sad Vacation'', Yukio Ninagawa's '' Snakes and Earrings'', Tran Anh Hung's '' Norwegian Wood'', Ryuichi Hiroki's ''The Egoists'', Yosh ...

as Takasugi Shinsaku * Masahiro Higashide as Kusaka Genzui, Fumi's first husband *

Kōji Seto is a Japanese actor and singer associated with D-Boys, an acting troupe produced by Watanabe Entertainment. His major works include lead roles as Wataru Kurenai in ''Kamen Rider Kiva''; and supporting roles as Satoru Okura in Atashinchi no Da ...

as Yoshida Toshimaro * Hitori Gekidan as Itō Risuke (later Ito Hirobumi), the first prime minister of Japan * Ryūta Satō as Maebara Issei, leader of

Hagi Rebellion The was an uprising against the Meiji government of Japan that occurred in Hagi from 28 October 1876 to 5 November 1876. Maebara Issei, a disillusioned hero of the Meiji Restoration and former ''samurai'' of the Chōshū Domain, planned an at ...

Jun Kaname is a Japanese actor and tarento. He was born in Mitoyo, Kagawa and made his drama debut as an actor in 2001 in the Tokusatsu Series " Kamen Rider Agito". He appears not only in TV dramas but also in movies, commercial messages, variety TV progra ...

as Irie Kuichi *

Takurō Ōno (also spelt Ohno), born November 14, 1988, is a Japanese actor and tarento, talent. He has had roles in such films as ''The Incite Mill'' and ''Liar Game: Reborn''. Filmography Film * ''The Incite Mill'' (2010) – Yukito Maki * ''Liar Gam ...

as Nomura Yasushi

Chōshū Domain

* Kin'ya Kitaōji as Mōri Takachika, the 13th daimyō of Chōshū * Takahiro Miura as Mōri Motonori, the last daimyō of Chōshū *

Keiko Matsuzaka (born July 20, 1952) is a Japanese actress. Early life Born in Ōta, Tokyo, her father was a naturalized South Korean while her mother was Japanese. Career In the 1960s, Matsuzaka became a child actress. Matsuzaka grew into adulthood in fil ...

as Mōri Tomiko * Rena Tanaka as Mōri Yasuko * Takashi Naitō as Mukunashi Tōta * Mayumi Wakamura as Mukunashi Mitsuru *

Noriyuki Higashiyama is a Japanese businessman, former singer, actor, and member of the idol group Shonentai. He is married to actress Yoshino Kimura. In September 2023 Higashiyama became the president and CEO of Johnny & Associates (currently Smile-Up), until his re ...

Kido Takayoshi , formerly known as , was a Japanese statesman, samurai and ''Shishi (Japan), shishi'' who is considered one of the Three Great Nobles of the Restoration, three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration. Early life Born Wada Kogorō on Augu ...

, one of the

Three great nobles The is a term used in Japan for three figures that played an important role in the Meiji Restoration in 1868 and are regarded as the founders of the modern state of Japan.『維新元勲十傑論』、16頁 The Three Great Nobles were: * Ōkubo ...

* Kanji Ishimaru as Sufu Masanosuke * Shinji Yamashita as Kijima Matabei *

Masanori Ishii is a Japanese actor, comedian and narrator. In August 1994, he teamed up with Yoshiyuki Ishizuka to form the comedy duo "Ari to kirigirisu" or "Ant to the Grasshopper" . He has had roles in such works as '' The Incite Mill'' (2010), '' Suite Dr ...

Inoue Kaoru Marquess Inoue Kaoru (井上馨, January 16, 1836 – September 1, 1915) was a Japanese politician and a prominent member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period of the Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesmen ('' Genrō'') in ...

Tasuku Nagaoka Tasuku (written: 佑, 祐, 亮, 匡, 輔, 資 or 翼) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese actor *, Japanese voice actor and singer *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese immunologist *, Japanese tennis ...

Yamagata Aritomo Prince was a Japanese politician and general who served as prime minister of Japan from 1889 to 1891, and from 1898 to 1900. He was also a leading member of the '' genrō'', a group of senior courtiers and statesmen who dominated the politics ...

Yūto Ichioka Yūto, Yuto or Yuuto is a masculine Japanese name, Japanese given name. Written forms Yūto can be written using different combinations of kanji characters. Here are some examples: *勇人, "courage, person" *悠人, "calm, person" *雄人, "m ...

Ōmura Masujirō (May 30, 1824 – December 7, 1869) was a Japanese military leader and theorist in Bakumatsu period Japan. He was the "Father" of the Imperial Japanese Army, launching a modern military force closely patterned after the French system of the da ...

* Mizuki Itagaki as Mōri Motoakira

Okugoten

Okugoten is the harem ( ''oku'') of

Chōshū Domain The , also known as the , was a domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1871.Deal, William E. (2005) ''Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan,'' p. 81 The Chōshū Domain was based ...

. * Kayoko Shiraishi as Kunishima * Guin Poon Chaw as Sonoyama, director of Okugoten * Anna Ishibashi as Mari *

Machiko Washio is a Japanese actress who works in both live action as well as voice over work for anime. She is known as the voice of Sakura in ''Urusei Yatsura''. Filmography Live action films *'' The Red Spectacles'' (1987) (Midori Washio) *''The Black Hou ...

as Ushio *

Noriko Eguchi is a Japanese film and television actress. She became a student in the theater troupe Tokyo Kandenchi in 2000, and made her film debut in 2002 with Takashi Miike's ''Shangri-La''. She had her first starring role in Yuki Tanada's ''Moon and Cherry ...

as Hinode *

Yumiko Takahashi is a Japanese actress and singer. She is nicknamed "Good-P" short for Good Personality. She has had prominent roles in a number of television series, feature films and stage productions. As a singer she has released ten albums. She has been repr ...

as Shino * Rina Ikoma (

Nogizaka46 is a Japanese female idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto, created as the "official rival" of the group AKB48. They are the first group from the Sakamichi Series, which also includes sister groups Sakurazaka46 (formerly Keyakizaka46), Yoshim ...

) * Nanase Nishino (Nogizaka46) *

Mai Shiraishi is a Japanese actress, model, YouTuber, and a former first generation member of the Japanese idol girl group Nogizaka46. She was an exclusive model for the women's fashion magazines ''LARME'' and '':ja:Ray (雑誌), Ray''. Career After gradu ...

(Nogizaka46) * Nanami Hashimoto (Nogizaka46) * Erika Ikuta (Nogizaka46) * Kazumi Takayama (Nogizaka46) * Yumi Wakatsuki (Nogizaka46) * Reika Sakurai (Nogizaka46) *

Mai Fukagawa is a Japanese actress and former singer. She is a former member of Nogizaka46, debuting in 2011 as part of the first generation and graduating in 2016. Early life and education Fukagawa was born on March 29, 1991, in Iwata, Shizuoka. She has ...

(Nogizaka46) * Manatsu Akimoto (Nogizaka46)

Satsuma Domain

* Takayuki Takuma as

Saigō Takamori Saigō Takamori (; 23 January 1828 – 24 September 1877) was a Japanese samurai and politician who was one of the most influential figures in Japanese history. He played a key role in the Meiji Restoration, which overthrew the Tokugawa shogunate ...

, one of the Three great nobles *Naoto Eguchi (Dobu Rock) as Shimazu Hisamitsu

Tosa Domain

* Tsuyoshi Ihara as

Sakamoto Ryōma was a Japanese ''samurai'', a '' shishi'' and influential figure of the ''Bakumatsu,'' and establishment of the Empire of Japan in the late Edo period. Sakamoto was a low-ranking ''samurai'' from the Tosa Domain on Shikoku and became an acti ...

Tokugawa shogunate

*Shintarō Mori (Dobu Rock) as

Tokugawa Yoshinobu Kazoku, Prince was the 15th and last ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful. He resigned his position as shogun in late 1867, while ai ...

Hideki Takahashi is a Japanese people, Japanese actor. Born in Kisarazu, Chiba near Tokyo, he attended Ichikawa Gakuen and later Nihon University. Career Takahashi made his debut with Nikkatsu Corporation, Nikkatsu and acted in youth-oriented films. Takahashi ma ...

Ii Naosuke was a ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of Hikone (1850–1860) and also '' Tairō'' of the Tokugawa shogunate, Japan, a position he held from April 23, 1858, until his assassination in the Sakuradamon Incident on March 24, 1860. He is most famous ...

*Ryuichi Isozaki as Matsudaira Shungaku

Shinsengumi

* Masaya Nakamura as

Kondō Isami was a Japanese swordsman and samurai of the late Edo period. He was the fourth generation master of Tennen Rishin-ryū and was famed for his role as commander of the Shinsengumi. Background He was born Miyagawa Katsugorō to a farmer Miyagawa ...

* Kento Kaku as Okita Sōji

Aizu Domain

*Takehiko Fujita as Matsudaira Katamori

Foreigners

*Lee Longshaw as

Townsend Harris Townsend Harris (October 4, 1804 – February 25, 1878) was an American merchant and politician who served as the first United States Consul General to Japan. He negotiated the Harris Treaty between the US and Japan and is credited as the dip ...

*Mark Chinnery as

Samuel Wells Williams Samuel Wells Williams (September 22, 1812 – February 16, 1884) was a linguist, official, missionary and sinologist from the United States in the early 19th century. Early life Williams was born in Utica, New York, son of William Williams (1 ...

*John Ohkuma as

Thomas Blake Glover Thomas Blake Glover (6 June 1838 – 16 December 1911) was an Anglo-Scottish merchant in Bakumatsu and Meiji-period Japan. Early life (1838–1858) Thomas Blake Glover was born at 15 Commerce Street, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire in northeast Sc ...

Others

* Haruka Igawa as Takasu Hisako * Umika Kawashima as Takasu Ito *

Hirotarō Honda is a Japanese actor from MIto, Ibaraki Prefecture. He started his acting career at the Bungakuza Theatre Company's acting school. His first film appearance was in the Nikkatsu Roman Porno film ''Sei to Ai no Korider'' in 1977. Filmography Fil ...

as Tominaga Yūrin *

Kento Miyahara is a Japanese professional wrestler, signed to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he is a six time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. He was trained by Kensuke Sasaki and started his career in his Kensuke Office promotion in February 2008, ...

as a sumo wrestler *

Anne Suzuki is a Japanese actress. Career Suzuki co-starred in Shunji Iwai's '' Hana and Alice'' with Yū Aoi. She voiced the title character Ray Steam in Katsuhiro Otomo's animated film ''Steamboy''. Suzuki played a supporting role in Andrew Lau and Al ...

as Tatsuji * Mitsuru Hirata as Dr. Yamane Bunki *

Yuina Kuroshima is a Japanese actress, model and TV personality. Personal life On January 16, 2024, Kuroshima and actor Hio Miyazawa jointly announced through their official websites that they were expecting their first child together. They also revealed th ...

as Takasugi Masa, Shinsaku's wife * George Yamamoto as Shiraishi Shōichirō *

Akiko Hinagata is a Japanese actress and former gravure idol. Career Television She made her acting debut in 1992 in the TBS drama ''Obenkyō''. In 1994, she was chosen Fuji Television Visual Queen. Two years later, Hinagata received the Golden Arrow Graph p ...

as Ikumatsu, Takayoshi's wife * Tōru Emori as Akuzawa Gonzō, official of

Gunma prefecture is a landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of . Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fuk ...

Yoshiko Mita (born October 8, 1941) is a Japanese actress. Born in the city of Osaka, she graduated from Joshibi High School of Art and Design in Suginami, Tokyo. In 1960, she was hired by Toei and made her acting debut. She remained with Toei until 1967, t ...

as Akuzawa Sei * Shunsuke Daito as Hoshino Chōtarō * Yoshihiko Hosoda as Arai Ryōichirō *

Kazuyuki Aijima is a Japanese stage and film actor, and one of the original Tokyo Sunshine Boys, a theatrical troupe that lasted from 1983 to about 1994. He is currently seen in television dramas and onstage in Japan. Biography Aijima Kazuyuki was born Novembe ...

as Suzuki Eitarō * Hiroyuki Onoue as Kudō Chōjirō * Masako Miyaji as Tome *

Yoshizumi Ishihara is a Japanese weather presenter, TV personality, and actor. Born in Zushi, Kanagawa, he is the second son of Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara, and brother of politicians Nobuteru Ishihara and Hirotaka Ishihara. Biography Ishihara was born on ...

as Funatsu Denjibei, one of "Three agricultural professionals of Meiji" * Takamasa Suga as Murakami Tsunehisa * Kurara Chibana as

Tsuda Umeko was a Japanese educator who founded Tsuda University. She was the daughter of Tsuda Sen, an agricultural scientist, and at the age of 7, she became Japan's first female exchange student, traveling to the U.S. on the same ship as the Iwakura ...

* Kisuke Iida as

Saigō Jūdō (1 June 1843 – 18 July 1902) was a Japanese politician and admiral in the Meiji period. Biography Early life Saigō was born in Shimokajiyachō, Kagoshima, the son of the ''samurai'' Saigō Kichibe of the Satsuma Domain. His siblings included ...

* Eri Fuse as Mrs. Sagano * Atsuko Sakurai as Mrs. Iketani * Fumina Hara as Mrs. Sakata *Karen Miyazaki as Irie Sumi * Fujiko Kojima as Yoshida Fusa * Anna Yamada as Hisa's friend

Production

*Music –

Kenji Kawai is a Japanese music composer and arranger. Known as one of the biggest names in the soundtrack world, he has worked on a wide range of mixed media productions, including anime, TV shows, films and video games. Among his credits are Toei's '' ...

*Titling – Tomomi Kunishige *Historical research – Manabu Ōishi, Tōru Umihara, Tsugunobu Miyake *Sword fight arranger - Kunishirō Hayashi *Architectural research – Kiyoshi Hirai *Clothing research – Kiyoko Koizumi *Narrator –

Shūichi Ikeda is a Japanese actor and narrator. Ikeda is married to Sakiko Tamagawa, although he was once married to Keiko Toda. He currently works for Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society. He is best known for his role as Char Aznable in multiple ' ...

*PR character – Moyurun (voiced by

Haruka Tomatsu is a Japanese actress and singer, employed by Music Ray'n. She received the Rookie of the Year award at the 3rd Seiyu Awards and the Synergy Award at the 9th Seiyu Awards. Tomatsu is known for voicing main heroines as Asuna Yuuki in ''Sword A ...

)

References

External links

* at

(in Japanese) * at NEP Program Finder (in English) * {{Taiga drama 2015 Japanese television series debuts 2015 Japanese television series endings Taiga drama Television series set in the 1850s Television series set in the 1860s Television shows set in Gunma Prefecture Television shows set in Yamaguchi Prefecture Boshin War films