ベイカー寮221B／Baker House 221B

This is the last entry on "Sanada maru". Though I will write about something concerning the series from now on, the one mainly about the series finishes with this. I can manage to finish it until the end of the broadcast of "Onna Joshu Naotora" somehow.

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The Siege of Osaka is a series of battles fought between the Tokugawa clan and the Toyotomi clan from 1514 to 1615. The battles in 1614 are called "Fuyu no jin" (the winter campaign) and those in 1615 are called "Natsu no jin" (the summer campaign). Tokugawa Ieyasu, who became a shogun (Sei-i taishogun) in 1602 is said to have planned to destroy the Toyotomi clan but there are some theories about it.


The immediate cause was the inscription on the bell of Hokoji temple. He insisted that there are some words that cursed him and some other words praised the Tototomi clan. Then Toyotomi Hideyori sent Okurakyo no Tsubone, nurse of his mother Chacha (Lady Yodo) to account for it. Ieyasu welcomed her and listened to her. On the other hand, he pressed KATAGIRI Katsumoto, vassal of Hideyori to explain it. As a result, Katsumoto was not trusted by the Toyotomi clan and became to serve the Tokugawa clan. Finally the negotiation between them fell apart.


Then Hideyori gathered many ronins, most of whom were daimyos and their vassals beaten in the Battle of Sekigahara. SANADA Yukimura was included in them. He constructed a fort Sanada maru at the south of Osaka Castle and beat some daimyos under Tokurgawa Ieyasu in the winter campaign. But Ieyasu shot a cannonball to Osaka Castle and astonished Chacha, then both sides make peace and the soldiers of the Tokugawa Army destroyed Sanada Maru and filled the moats of the castle.


After that, some od Hideyori's vassals were out of control and triggered off the summer campaign. In it, Toyotomi side ran out of provision and money and they were forced to fight tough battles. And Hideyori was not allowed to go out and command his army by the women in the castle. Meanwhile, many ronins were defeated and Yukimura tried to kill Ieyasu but couldn't. The final battle was about to end and he went to Yasui Shrine. When he took a rest there, he found NISHIO Munetsugu, who served Echizen Matsudaira clan and told him to bring his head to his lord. Some say that Munetsugu fought against and killed him and then found it's Yukimura. And Sen went to the headquaeter of her grandfather and father to beg for Hideyori's life but was in vain.

In "Sanada Maru",  SANADA Nobushige is asked to join the ronins who gather in Osaka Castle. He, GOTO Matabei, Mori Katsunaga. Chosokabe Morichika and AKASHI Teruzumi are called the Osaka Five (Osaka Goninshu) and have their own troops. He proposes to Hideyori that they should not sustain a siege but is disagreed by ODA Urakusai, uncle of Chacha. Then he plans to construct Sanada Maru to defend the southern part of the castle. He, his son Daisuke and his vassals fight against the troop of II Naomasa well and win in the winter campaign. But Ieyasu shoots a cannonball to Osaka Castle that killed some of the maids of Chacha. Then his concubine Ahca no Tsubone makes peace with Okurakyo no Tsubone ignoring Hatsu, younger sister of Chacha who also participates in the negotiation. Then Sanada Maru is destroyed and the moats are filled.

In the next year, some radical samurais dig up the moats and the ronins buy arms including guns with the lump sum to tranquillize them. But it provokes Ieyasu and  causes the battle again. Though the Toyotomi Army fight well, the Tokugawa's side is overwhelming. At last Yukimura kills himself in Yasui Shrine and it makes his brother Nobuyuki sad. His wife Haru, daughter Ume and second son Daihachi is sheltered by DATE Masamune. There are some fictional parts as the secret love of Yukimura and Chacha, the relationship with his "eternal partner" Kiri, and the assassination of the double of Tokugawa Ieyasu in the series. And also in the series, Sen is sent to his father's headquarter but doesn't beg for her husband's life.


(*) Though Kiri is modeled on a real person in the history, she is described as a woman who is free and behaves provokingly.

The images are form the DVD series of "Sanada Maru" and the official website of the series.

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The siege of Ueda in 1600 was a battle of SANADA Masayuki and the army of TOKUGAWA Hidetada. Hidetada advanced to the west to fight against the West Army, led by ISHIDA Mitsunari. On the 2nd of September 1600, Hidetada approaches Ueda and SANADA Masayuki, lord of Ueda Castle appealed for mercy to him. But on the following day, he provoked Hidetada and they entered a state of war.


SANADA Nobuyuki, heir of Masayuki took the side of Tokugawa after the parting at Inubushi. But he did not want to fight against his father and younger brother Nobushige.Then he fought against them on the surface and shut himself in Toishi Castle. After that, Hidetada's soldiers began karita-rozeki (*) to lure Sanada's army out from the castle. As they anticipated, some soldiers go out and attacked by them.
 

Hidetada's men approached the main gate of Ueda Castle but they were attacked by the army of Masayuki with matchlocks. And the vans of Hidetada's army who tried to retreat encountered the rears and it made them be at a complete loss. Besides a dam, previously constructed on the upper reaches of Kan River was broken and the water gushed out. It drowned many of Hidetada's soldiers. And a skirmish still continued in the aftermath.


In "Sanada Maru", Nobuyuki and Nobushige fight on the surface based on historical fact. After Nobuyuki shuts himself in Toishi castle, Nobushige and his vassals conduct guerrilla war and attack the bases of the Tokugawa's side thoroughly. Hidetada's soldiers are in the tight corner and to make the matter worse, Kan River raises as a result of the long rain. Much rainfall is not unusual there in autumn. Hidetada who realises that he was trapped by Masayuki leaves there and hurries to Sekigahara though he was late for the battle.

 
"It needs to prepare for the battle perfectly before it begins," says Masayuki. And the Sanada Army have a party to celebrate their win. When it is in full swing, Sasuke appears and tells them that the West Army was defeated at Sekigahara. It dumbfounds all of them.


(*) Karita rozeki is a strategy that soldiers lure their enemy out of the castle by reaping crops, especially rice irregularly. It means that they have the right of controlling the territory.

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She was a wife of SANADA Yukitaka (Yukitsuna), mother of Masayuki and grandmother of Matsu (Muramatsu Dono), Nobuyuki and Nobushige (Yukimura). She is the same woman as Shinome in "Furin Kazan".

She was a younger sister of KAWAHARA Takamasa who served Yukitaka. He is said to have married her in the early 1530s. They had five sons include Masayuki. In 1582, ten years after the death of her husband, the Takeda clan collapsed. In the confusion after that, she became a hostage of some daimyos as TAKIGAWA Kazumasa, KISO Yoshimasa and TOKUGAWA Ieyasu. Around 1585, she could return to her family. She died in 1592 or 1593.

In this series, she is described as a woman of strong character. She enjoys her life as hostage as she pleases. She is also an influential woman in the Sanada clan and values family ties to survive. Her idea is handed down to Masayuki, Nobuyuki and Nobushige. Though being severe to Kaoru (Yamate Dono), wife of Masayuki, she is a playful personality.

The image shows Mitsuko Kusabue as Tori.
(From the DVD series of "Sanada Maru")

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SANADA Nobuyuki tells his wife Ina (Komatsu hime) that he will go to Osaka to meet Yukimura. She asks him to return home alive.

The Osaka Five decide to engage the enemy at Osaka Castle. GOTO Matabei, AKASHI Teruzumi and their troops advance to Tennnoji, that is located south of the castle. And Yukimura suggests breaking some banks of Hirano River that flows near the castle to keep their enemy away.

Nobuyuki meets his son Nobuyoshi in Osaka and tells him that he wants to talk with Yukimura.Then he knows that his uncle Nobutada will scheme Yukimura to betray Hideyori again. As the side of Hideyori becomes unfavourable by filling the moats of his castle, Ieyasu orders Nobutada to scheme him again. But Yukimura will not agree with him. Nobuyuki says that they will meet again and this is not the final farewell. And Nobutada says to him,
"You should live as you like."


Matabei is rumoured that he met a messenger from Ieyasu and becomes to be impatient to distinguish himself to clear his name. But he dies in the battle against the troop of DATE Masamune. Teruzumi informs it to MORI Katsunaga and Yukimura. Katsunaga feels vexed with it and says,
"He should not have been too eager for success."

The bad rumour of Matabei is a trick of HONDA Masanobu. Besides, it seems that the strategy of the Osaka five is leaked out despite the disappearance of ODA Urakusai. It is OSUMI Yozaemon, a cook who is in charge of the kitchen who communicates with Ieyasu secretly. Yukimura and his comrades often use the kitchen to discuss their plan while dining. Yohachi, childhood friend of HOTTA Sakubei who helps Yozaemon happens to know his real nature and is killed by him.


Matabei, KIMURA Shigenari and BAN Dan-emon dies in the battles successively. Then Yukimura who brings up the rear of the retreating army of his side meets the troop of Date Masamune but he never approaches Yukimura. Then Yukimura says,
"Have you already finished your battle? Isn't there any true samurai in the Tokugawa's side?"
Then he also retreat to Osaka Castle. Masamune sees him with favour.

Yukimura thinks that Masamune is trustworthy and then tells Haru, Ume and Daihachi to go out to be sheltered by Masamune. He tells Kiri to take Sen to her father Hidetada if the crunch comes and then return to Numata. But she says that she will return to the castle.
"I will serve Yodo Dono (Lady Chacha) until the end because I don't want to survive without you."

At that moment, Yukimura draws Kiri closer to himself.
"It's too late," says Kiri.
"I'm sorry," says Yukimura.
 

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Episodes of Sanada Maru

Episode 46 Hodan (Cannonball)

Hideyori praises Yukimura for his exploit. But he tells Hideyori to be cautious and make Ieyasu irrititated. And Hatsu (Joko-in), younger sister of Chacha asks Yukimura to persuade her to be calm. She seems to believe that she will die in the flames of war like her parents.

Ieyasu orders SANADA Nobutada who serves him to scheme Yukimura to betray Hideyori. Nobutada thinks it's impossible but it makes him happy to meet his nephew for the first time in more that twenty years. Then he hands letter of Ieyasu to him. It says how he will treat him when he betrays Hideyori. Nobutada tells him that he doesn't need to read it and later tells Ieyasu that it results in failure.

ODA Urakusai supposes Hideyori, Yukimura, Ono Harunaga and his mother Okurakuyo no Tsubone that they should make peace with Ieyasu because it's the golden opportunity to do it. Though Hideyori hopes to postpone it, he finally agrees with the negotiation. But Chacha refuses it strongly. Yukimura who wants to triumph Ieyasu is not keen also thinks so. Then Ieyasu orders his soldiers to fire a culverin and its cannonball hits the keep of Osaka Castle where Chacha lives.

Episode 47 Hangeki (Counterattack)

The hit kills some of the maids of Chacha and it unsettles her mind. It is the plot of Ieyasu to threaten her and from this, the trend towards making peace with Ieyasu becomes to grow.
Hideyori says that he will accept the condition however it's inconvenient for him if the world becomes peaceful. Ieyasu says that he hopes reconciliation on the surface but in reality he plans to pressure Hideyori to obey him and make the castle defenseless.

Urakusai hopes to sit at the negotiation table but Yukimura stops it because he feels him suspicious about him. Then it has been arranged that two women, Acha no Tsubone, concubine of Ieyasu and Hatsu discuss what to do after the battle. But Hatsu is ignored and Acha no Tsubone makes Okurkuyo no Tsubone, who accompanies Hatsu agree with her idea and it's decided that the moats of Osaka Castle are filled.

Because of this, the castle becomes defenseless. Yukimura droops his shoulders but his comrades in arms encourage him. Espacially Hideyori says that he will continue fighting against Ieyasu, quoting Yukimura's word "Those who always have a hope can clear his own future". It makes Yukimura renew his determination.

Episode 48 Hakka (Firing)

GOTO Matabei and MORI Katsunaga assault the headquarter of Ieyasu at night. On the other hand, Urakusai tries to inform Ieyasu that some ronins will attack him on the following day. But he is detected that he is a spy of Ieyasu by Yukimura and leaves Osaka Castle. Sasuke attacks Ieyasu and kills him but it is his double.

Hideyori's vassals worry that the provisions in Osaka Castle become to decrease and ronins are eager to fight against Ieyasu again. Then Hideyori permits them to meet their wives and children to make themselves at ease. Meanwhile Yukimura plans to construct a new fort. And he also visits his nephews, sons of Nobuyuki with Daisuke.

He meets them at the headquarter of Nobuyoshi. He is a gentle young man but his brother Nobumasa is rude and opposes Daisuke. After returning to Osaka Castle, Yukimura finds something at the corner of the garden and finds it is a flintlock (*).

Yukimura hurries Hideyori and ONO Harunaga up to prepare for next battle to take back some of Toyotimi's territories to supply the provision. And ronins are given money from the treasury by Ono Harufusa and purchases guns. Soon after Nobuyuki receives a letter from Yukimura that hints at his death.

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Episode of Sanada Maru

Episode 43 Gungi (War Council)

TOKUGAWA Ieyasu who stays at Nojo Castle asks KATAGIRI Katsumoto about the ration in Osaka Castle. He says that there is only six-month supply of ration in store. At Osaka Castle, KIMURA Shigenari, one of the vassals of TOYOTOMI Hideyori suggests holding the castle. ONO Harunaga, ODA Urakusai and the Osaka Five except Yukimura agree with it but Yukimura is dissatisfied.

To begin with, Hideyori has no reinforcement to support him during the siege. And Yukimura plans to divide and confuse the enemies much more than Hideyori’s army in number. However Harunaga uses something that profits some of the Osaka Five as lures to make the agree with the holding the castle.

Then Yukimura proposes to Harunaga that thsy should fight against the Tokugawa Army outside the castle to protect the Toyotomi clan. Though Urakusai shows disapproval,　Hideyori agrees with his plan at last.However Chacha insists holding the castle and Yukimura has to work out another measure.

Episode 44 Chikujo (Construction)

Yukimura finds that the defense of south side of the castle should be strengthened. He plans to construct a fort there but Matabei has the same idea. However Yukimura plans to construct it to win while Matabei intends to die brilliantly in the upcoming war. Yukimura shows him his plan of the fort that is designed to slow the advance of enemy. Not only Matabei, but Hideyori is satisfied with the plan also.

But Okurakyo no Tsubone, who always looks down on the ronins suspects Yukimura who has such an idea. Then Harunaga and Shigenari don’t allow the ronins to take up the position and Yukimura’s plan of constructing a fort is cancelled.  Urakusai also tells Hideyori that he should not trust Yukimura because his father Masayuki was a man who promoted himself by betraying many people.

Yukimura still keeps constructing the fort though he is disturbed by Urakusai. Hideyori finally allows him to construct it. And the red armours are completed and Yukimura, Daisuke and TAKANASHI Naiki who wear the armours clombs the tower. Naiki asks Yukimura the name of the fort and he says proudly,
“Needlass to say…it’s SANADA Maru!!”  (*)



Episode 45 Kanpu (A Complete Victory）

The winter campaign of the Siege of Osaka began but Hideyori’s army is defeated by that of Tokugawa. It seems that somebody communicate with the Tokugawa Army secretly. Yukimura becomes to suspect Urakusai. And he tells Haru, Ume and Daihachi not to go out of the castle. Kiri becomes a maid of Chacha.

Sanada Maru is a great menace to TOKUGAWA Ieyasu. Then he orders Uesugi Kagekatsu who was closed with Yukimura to attack him with the Sabadas’ soldiers. Sasuke hands a secret letter to Yukimura and he tried to avoid fighting against his family. Then he plans to put his enemies up and then make themselves overreach as his father Masayuki did in the Siege of Ueda in 1585.

Other members of the Osaka Five and KIMURA Shigenari help him. He makes Shigenari disorder the armies of the Iis and the Maedas using matchlocks and fallen rocks. Then Yukimura rides on a horse and announces his name,
“I am SANADA Saemonnosuke Yukimura!”
He beat the enemies with HOTTA Sakubei with many soldiers perfectly. It moves UESUGI Kagekatsu though he is his enemy now.

Uesugi Kagekatsu (Keinichi endo, left) and his vassal Naoe Kanetsugu (Shingo Murakami) see Yukimra and Sanada Maru.

(*) In the scene, Takanashi Naiki finds the soldiers wear red armours in the enemy's position. Yukimura tells him that it's the army of the Iis and the clan must have their own history as the Sanada clan have. Naiki tells his master that he would like to hear about them. Many viewers thought it's the public relations of "Onna Joshu Naotora".

The images are from the DVD series of "Sanada Maru".
 

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Episodes of Sanada Maru

Episode 40 Yukimura

AKASHI Teruzumi draws Nobushige and KATAGIRI Katsumoto together. Katsumoto is expelled from Osaka Castle. A little while ago, He was ordered to explain the meaning of the inscription on the bell of Hokoji Temple to Ieyasu. There are some words that mean the misfortune of Ieyasu and the prosperity of the Toyotomi clan. Katsumoto wasted time in Sunpu.

While he stayed in Sunpu, Okurakyo no Tsubone visited there and talked about it with Ieyasu. He planned to cajole her out of discussing it so she insisted that there was no reason to worry. Though Katsumoto said that he schemed for something, she would not listen to it. Finally he was expelled and Ieyasu regarded the relationship between them had cut.

Katsumoto asks Nobushige to participate in the war of the Toyotimis and the Tokugawas. But he refuses it and returns to his house where Kiri is waiting for him. She urges him to join them and says that there is someone who needs him repeatedly. Though her words irritates him, he thanks for her that gives him a boost.

He changes his name from Nobushige to Yuykimura. Yuki is the letter his brother abandoned when he changed one of the letters in his name (:). And mura is after Kudoyama mura (village).


Episode 41 Nyujo (Entering Osaka Castle)

Yukimura tells TAKANASHI Naiki, Sasuke, Haru and Kiri that he will escape from Kudoyama and enter Osaka Castle to take the side of Hideyori. Ieyasu also knows that there are many ronins gather in the Castle. So Kudoyama becomes to be watched strongly. And SANADA Nobuyuki makes Nobuyoshi as his heir and in case a war occurs, he will lead the Sanada clan but Nobumasa is dissatisfied with it.

One night Yukimura invites the villagers and TAKEMOTO Gidayu who is in charge of watching them. He and his family, Naiki, Kiri and Sasuke dance Karigane odori (**) and they go out of the room one by one and never appeared in front of them again. Then they hide themselves in an abandoned temple and depart for Osaka secretly.

Yukimura disguises himself as an old man and enters Osaka Castle. There are many ronins who were famous daimyos or samurais but beaten in the Battle of Sekigahara. Yukimura takes off his kimono and wig and wears Kamishimo to greet Hideyori. He throws out his chest in front of Hideyori and manages the transport of provisions. Hideyori feels reassured about it.

Episode 42 Mikata (The Comrades in Arms)

Nobushige meets Chacha for the first time in fourteen years. Her uncle ODA Urakusai, who occasionally counsels her says that he is useful in some cases. Hideyori gives him a room but he refuses it and applies for a shared room. Then he live in a room with CHOSOKABE Morichika. His family and vassals are given several rooms apart from that.

Ieyasu dispatches his army to Osaka led by TOKUGAWA Hidetada. And Sasuke delivers Yukimura’s letter to Nobuyuki in Edo and brings HOTTA Sakubei to Osaka though stopped by Nobuyuki. Sakubei goes to Osaka after the marriage of his niece Sue. At Osaka Castle, Yukimura is offered to become a general of his army.

At the war council in the castle, ONO Shuri Harunaga announces that Hideyori hopes that Yukimura will lead the army but it is refused by GOTO Matabei. The council becomes uncontorollable and results in dividing the ronins into five troops and each of them has it own leaders (The Osaka Five). Though TAKANASHI Naiki worries about it, Yukimura says that their ambition is strong and is different from the soldiers of the Tokugawa Army in this respect.

(*) In regard to this, please see the episode 37 "Nobuyuki"
(**) A local dance of Shinano. KO (Sei-in in) dances it in the wedding ceremony of Nobushige (Yukimura).

SANADA Yukimura (Masato Sakai, left) who disguises himself as an old man enters Osaka Castle.

The image is from the DVD series of "Sanada Maru"

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She was a daughter of SANADA Nobutsuna, heir of Yukitaka and the eldest brother of Masayuki. She was a wife and became to a concubine of Sanada Nobuyuki and a mother of Nobuyoshi.

She married Nobuyuki after her father was killed in the Battle of Nagashino. It is thought that Masayuki, new heir of the Sanada clan took leaving offspring of Nobutsuna into account. Later she became a concubine by the marriage of Nobuyuki and Ina (Komatsu hime) to strengthen the relationship between the Sanadas and the Tokugawas. She died in 1619.

In this series, she is of a delicate health but becomes to be healthy later (*). After the marriage of Nobuyuki and Ina, she serves her former husband and understands Ina. She gives birth to Nobuyoshi one month earlier than the birth of Nobumasa, son of Nobuyuki and Ina.

(*) The change of her appearance attracted the viewers of "Sanada Maru".

The image shows Satomi Nagano as Ko
(From the DVD series of "Sanada Maru")

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