In Kyoto, HITOTSUBASHI Yoshinobu entertains Michel Jules Marie Léon Roches, French Ambassador to Japan with the dance of Fuki. Then he asks him to make French ships sail toward Kobe. As he expects, they threaten the people in Kamigata (Kansai region) includes those in Kyoto and they are in panic. ŌKUBO Ichizō thinks that Yoshinobu attempts to shake the Imperial Court to obtain the Imperial sanction of subjugating Chōshū again (*). Kichinosuke regrets having broken the appointment of meeting Katsura Kogoro in Shimonoseki. If he could met him then, the alliance of Satsuma and Chōshū must be formed now. And Yoshinobu tells Emperor Kōmei if he ha cannot obtain the sanction, the shogunate give up the politics. So he finally gets the order of the second subjugation of Chōshū.
Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu (Shōta Matsuda) attempts to obtain the Imperial sanction by shaking the court
Kichinosuke and Ichizō visit IWAKURA Tomomi who is angry with the sanction and He doesn't need the help of Satsuma domain any more. Ichizō tells Kichinosuke that he puts up a bluff as usual but at that moment he suffers from stomachache, his chronic disease. Kichinosuke brings him to the house where he lives with O-Yū who becomes his lover. After taking medicine, he shows Kichinosuke his document that says the Imperial sanction is not a sanction unless it achieves a consensus of the people and he obviously opposes detaching the troops to the second subjugation of Chōshū. Kichinosuke worries about him but he declares that Satsuma domain will be regarded as rebel if he doesn't decide it. Kichinosuke is surprised with his decision but signs the document (**).
Sakamoto Ryōma (Shun Oguri, left) test-fires a Minié rifle in Chōshū
The copies of the document become widespread among the aristocrats and the samurais of some domains. Some of them are delighted with Ichizō's idea but Yoshinobu is dissatisfied with it, needless to say. And Kogorō still has a distrust of Satsuma domain disagrees the idea. Many samurais of Satsuma domain claims about it also because they don't trust Chōshū domain. But Ichizō is eager to meet Kogorō. Kichinosuke goes to Nagasaki to visit Kameyama Shachū, a company of Sakamoto Ryōma to supply arms as Chōshū domaincannot purchase them by themselves because of being emperor's enemy. Ryōma and his partner NAKAOKA Shintarō also know about the document. After that, they go to Chōshū to sell Minié rifle, the latest model rifle at that time.
Katsura Kogorō (Tetsuji Tamayama) is surprised with the power of Minié rifle
Ryōma meets Kogorō there and tell the words of Kichinosuke to send rice to Satsuma instead of buying arms for Chōshū. But Kogorō refuses it flatly because he still holds a grudge against Kichinosuke who broke the appointment. And he says the samurais of Chōshū are prepared to die but Ryōma stands in his way and says,
"Give me a breaK. You are going to kill all Japanese".
But Kogorō tells him his real purpose is making a good profit by selling arms and such a man cannot understand the pride of samurai. Kogorō leaves the room and sees the garden where soldiers who undergo military training rumours that they don't like satsuma but the latest model gun is attractive. It touches his heart. After he left, Ryōma hands a photograph and letters to ITŌ Shunsuke (later Hirobumi), who accompanies Kogorō. He advises Shunsuke to think big.
Kichinosuke (Ryōhei Suzuki, far left), Ōkubo Ichizō (Eita, second from the left) and Murata Shinpachi (Arata Horii, second from the right) meet Kogorō and Itō Shunsuke
In January on the following year, Kogorō and Shunsuke who are in disguise visit Kagiya. He shows Kichinosuke, Ichizō and MURATA Shinpachi the terms of the agreement but they are so advantageous to Chōshū. Kichinosuke asks him to give him some time and argues it with his comrades including the chief vassals as KATSURA Hisatake and KOMATSU Tatewaki. As the meeting is scheduled to be hold on the next day, they have no time to ask for Hisamitsu's instructions. Besides one of the terms says that Satsuma will fight together with Chōshū when the time comes. Tatewaki tells Hisatake, Kichinosuke and Ichizō that they should not say anything until the representatives of Chōshū domain bow their heads.
Komatsu Tatewaki (Keita Machida) tells Kichinosuke not to say anything until Kogorō and Shusuke bows their heads
On the following day, both sides do nothing but glare each other. Suddenly the samurais of Satsuma who are is dissatisfied with the alliance intrude into the residence of Tatewaki where the meeting is hold. Both Kakunosuke and Takeji are included in them and insist the alliance should not be formed as Chōshū people are emperor's enemies. Kogorō who becomes irritated tries to go out but Shusuke shows him the photograph of the students at that moment. In the photograph, the students from Satsuma and Chōshū who study in the UK (***) are relaxed. And it is said a student from Chōshū is provided financial support by the other student from Satsuma. Ryōma tells them not to oppose each other because of the difference of the domains they belong to. At last Kichinosuke bows his head to Kogorō and Shunsuke.
In the photograph, young men from the domains of Satsuma and Chōshū seem to be happy
(The photograph is collodion process to produce the atmosphere of the mid-nineteenth century)
Then other Satsuma samurais includes Tatewaki bow their heads to Kogoro. Takeji, who hesitates to do so finally bows his head to them unwillingly. Kogorō says that the Satsuma samurais are good diplomats. Then Ryōma tells Kichinosuke to "shéku hando" (shake hands) with Kogorō and then he shakes hands with Ichizō. After that, another term is added and the Satchō Alliance is formed secretly on the 21st January, 1866 (****).
They shake hands to celebrate the agreement of Satsuma and Chōshū
(*) In actuality, Yoshinobu didn't tell Léon Roches such a thing and the Imperial sanction of subjugating Chōshū again was already given to him at that time.
(**) Some say that Ichizō already told some aristocrats about this idea and it was not his idea but that of Satsuma domain then.
(***) Shunsuke studied in the UK also.
(****) As the alliance was a secret agreement, they gather at Tatewaki's residence with the lesson of playing the biwa (Japanese lute) as an excuse. In the party after the alliance was hold, a performer called KODAMA Tennan played the biwa. KOMATSU Tatewaki was good at playing the instrument also.
The images are from the official website of "Segodon".
