SamuraiPunk Extra: Kampaku, Taikou, Shogun!
Fleshing out the background and titles
Honored samurai, ruthless ronin, wayward vagabonds, shadowy ninja and helpless villagers... welcome.
Opening Volley
I will not lie to you, while familiar with Japanese history, it has been a few too many decades since I graduated university (BA in Japanese language and culture from CSULB). Shogun 2024 opens with the arrival of Lord Toranaga to Osaka Castle where he is confronted by the other four regrets to the heir to a “unified” Japan. We learn that this situation has come to pass because the Taikou has died and that, despite the word of the five regents to maintain peace until the young boy can come of age, there is tension and a possible coup in the air.
While intriguing, it was extremely confusing. The term “Taikou” is thrown about but not explained at all with the exception that he was obviously someone very powerful, but just how, who knows? And wasn’t a Shogun supposed to be in power? Isn’t that the name of the show? What’s all this? Very confusing. Let’s back up just a little to introduce one of the most important figures in Japanese history (as well as the show), as well as the English “translations” of the terms, to help those not familiar (because to be honest, I wasn’t completely in the know either).
Main Event
Hideyoshi Toyotomi (I’m using the English-speaking naming convention of First/Last name while many of the articles and Shogun use the Japanese convention of Last/First) was an extremely influential and powerful daimyo (samurai warlord) who was given the title of Kampaku and then Taikou (retired Kampaku).
Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉, 17 March 1537 – 18 September 1598), otherwise known as Kinoshita Tōkichirō (木下 藤吉郎) and Hashiba Hideyoshi (羽柴 秀吉), was a Japanese samurai and daimyō (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan. Although he came from a peasant background, his immense power earned him the rank and title of Kampaku (関白, Imperial Regent) and Daijō-daijin (太政大臣, Chancellor of the Realm), the highest official position and title in the nobility class. He was the first person in history to become a Kampaku who was not born a noble. He then passed the position and title of Kampaku to his nephew, Toyotomi Hidetsugu. He remained in power as Taikō (太閤), the title of retired Kampaku, until his death. It is believed, but not certain, that the reason he refused or could not obtain the title of shogun (征夷大将軍), the leader of the warrior class, was because he was of peasant origin.
You can read the rest of Toyotomi’s story on the Wikipedia site itself. In Shogun, Toyotomi (through the character Hidetoshi Nakamura) makes a quick appearance in episode 2 where he is close to death, so he doesn’t really figure into the story of the miniseries with the exception that his death kicked off everything that’s happening. He is the “Taikou” everyone is referring to.
And some terms, which you do not need to remember:
Kampaku (関白) - Imperial Regent
Daijō-daijin (太政大臣) - Chancellor of the Realm
Taikō (太閤) - retired Kampaku
Shogun (officially: 征夷大将軍 [Sei-i Taishougun]) - top military commander (top daimyo)
Daimyo (大名) - regional feudal warlords
Please, do NOT feel you have to deep dive all this information, I am simply trying to arrange it in a easy to comprehend and read post. What I really hope is that you come away with a little more knowledge, perhaps feeling a little less confused. If you have questions, ASK. I will be happy to answer with what I know, and supplement by researching what I don’t. (Heck, my kids know a lot more than I do. AHAHA.)
If you are interested, but again, aren’t really interested in a deep dive, here are some nice quick information bytes about the real historical figure.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi: From Peasant to Ruler of Japan (9 Facts)
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The history of Japan and its feudal structure is fascinating. The films of Akiro Kurosawa offer a view of the old world though always somewhat subdued in my view. Many years ago, I went to an exhibition called ‘Samurai’. The accompanying info was quite extensive. It touched on many historic periods.
Fascinating history. Mind blowing how rigid the social lines are in Japan, going back a ways. Interesting to see how he went about forming his own mini empire by giving titles to his relatives. It's a game thrones!