During the Kyoho period in the reign of Tokugawa Yoshimune, there is a gang of thieves active not just in Edo but also the Tokaido and the Nakasendo, and all across the Kansai region, stealing large sums of money with skillful techniques. They only target the very wealthy and never kill or injure people. They appear with the clouds and disappear like the mist. On the night that the beautiful Ochiyo is to become the bride of a dry goods dealer, a large amount of money hidden inside the shop is stolen. The gang disappears without injuring anyone. It was a two-year plan to marry Ochiyo off so that she could bring them in. The leader of this gang is Kumokiri Nizaemon, the greatest bandit of all time. He keeps a rein on his highly-skilled and notorious followers Nanabake no Ochiyo, Kinezumi no Kichigoro, Subashiri no Kumagoro, Ingakozo Rokunosuke and others.
Blind masseur Zatôichi travels from town to town gambling, drinking, and fighting off the local gangs.
The life of Katsu Kaishū and his father.
During the reign of the shogun, Iemitsu, an epidemic causes the population of men to greatly drop, leading to an ooku where the role of men and women are reversed. Thus, “the women become the shogun, served by 3000 handsome men”
A story about a masked samurai who takes sides with the good and wipes out the evil. In the late Edo period in Kyoto, samurai are killing each other because of the differences of their beliefs in the Tokugawa shogunate, and commoners are struck with terror. Kurama Tengu, a masked samurai, appears on the scene and helps innocent people from trouble.
The dynamic achievements of Fuyukirosuke, who, with the help of his wife Nene and his comrades, overcomes the challenges posed by Nobunaga.
Oyuki, the daughter of a master swordsman in the Yaegaki-style, is a skilled practitioner of the secret technique "flying sword". She embarks on a journey alongside the naive samurai Isawa no Fujiyoshi, hailing from a peasant background, and Choshi no Yosaburo, an aspiring chivalrous rogue from a fishing village. Together, they travel and seek to punish the wicked.
The straightforward samurai of the hatamoto class, Saotome Mondonosuke, who has a crescent-shaped scar on his forehead, is known as the "Boring Samurai" because of his idleness. Whenever any incident occurs, he appears in his flashy attire and punishes the evildoers with his fighting skills....
Byakkotai was part of Aizu's four-unit military, set up in the domain's drive to finalize its military modernization, in the wake of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. The other three units were Genbutai, Seiryūtai, and Suzakutai. Each of the four was named after the protecting gods of compass directions. Byakkotai was meant to be a reserve unit, as it was composed of the young teenage 16 to 17 year old sons of Aizu samurai in a group around 350, who fought in the Boshin War (1868–1869)
It has been twelve years since the Battle of Sekigahara. The Toyotomi family was sealed in Osaka Castle with a huge amount of gold by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The calm before the storm, there were behind-the-scenes secret spying activities between the Tokugawa and Toyotomi. At that time, Iga Ninja leader, Kirigakure Saizo, was attacked by someone by mistake. The vortex of the times captures those that began to seek the truth. A group of Koga led by Sarutobi Sasuke pledges loyalty to Sanada Yukimura. Saizo puts his life on the line in a ninjutsu battle with the legendary Fuma (Kotaro) Clan who freely use mysterious techniques. Eventually, these actions lead to the demise of the Warring States period.
Izumo no Okuni was born about 1571. This time period in Japanese history was fraught with struggle. It was known as the Period of Warring States, that is, the land barrons (daimyo) fought against one another for power. Her father was a blacksmith for the Izumo Grand Shrine and, consequently, the family served as well. It was a custom to send priests and young women, such as Buddhist nuns, among others to solicit contributions. Izumo was sent to Kyoto to perform sacred dances and songs. Her Okuni Kabuki was known and applauded throughout the land. After 25 years she retired.
Based on the jidaigeki novel, Semishigure, written by Fujisawa Shuhei. Duty and honor were the principles of the samurai, but just like others throughout history, greed and power motivated some while friendship, truth and love guided others. This is the story of Bunshiro, a true warrior who survives tragedy in his youth to become a great swordsman and defender of the weak, and Fuku, the love of his life. They first fall in love as teenagers, but her poverty and his tragedy separate them. After a corrupt official forces Bunshiro's father to commit suicide, he is treated like an outcast. Later, the same official tries to use Bunshiro in a plot to kill Fuku, who has become a wife of the local lord, but he turns the tables, saving Fuku and her child and uncovering the corruption. Many years later Bunshiro and Fuku meet again to reminisce about their lives, and the love that remains smoldering in their hearts.
The 41st NHK Taiga Drama is Toshiie to Matsu. During the turbulent Warring States Era, one man's life and career intertwined with the three great generals of Japanese history-Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu. With political savvy and the support of his fiercely loyal wife, Maeda Toshiie rose to second in power in the shogunate and built up a fiefdom that encompassed Echizen, Noto and Kaga.
Kazutoyo lived during the end of the Sengoku period (1546-1605). He was the first feudal lord of the fief of Tosa on the island of Shikoku. He served Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Chiyo (1557-1617) was his wife, and was known in history for her dedication and devotion to her husband (like Matsu was to Toshiie in Toshiie to Matsu). She is the daughter of a samurai who served the feudal lord Asai.
During the Tenpo period, the three samurai under the command of the Nanba magistrate were responsible for handling exceptional cases. However, their true identities as shadow assassins were hidden because they were secretly sent to eliminate villains who had escaped punishment by the law.
A drama about three different women living in the inner palace of Edo castle during the Tokugawa era.
The 40th NHK Taiga Drama is Hojo Tokimune. It tells the dramatic and turbulent life of young shikken Hojo Tokimune, and his successful defense of Japan from invasion by Mongolia in the 1200's. It is a tragic story of betrayal and clan wars and Hojo Tokimune is at the center of it all. The main focus of the story is Hojo Tokiyori's older sons, their relationship, and their views and actions concerning Kublai Khan's attempted invasion. The two brothers, Tokimune and Tokisuke, are torn apart by politics.
The story takes place during the Muromachi period of Ancient Japan, in the midst of the Ōnin War. The main character in the series is Tomiko Hino, a historical figure with a bad reputation because of her actions to rebuild Kyoto after the Ōnin War.
This drama tells the story of the Oushu Fujiwara clan spanning generations, 140 years in the late Heian era. They established their domain in Touhoku area (North-east area of Japan), independent from the rule of Minamoto clan.
On March 23, 1585, Japanese Christian envoys visited Pope Gregory XIII at the Papal Court in Rome, Italy. The drama begins 45 years earlier - in 1540 outside Lisbon, Portugal.