In 1904, the 37tn year of Meiji period.
SAIGŌ Kikujirō is appointed to a mayor of Kyoto City. He has an artificial leg because of the wound he suffered in the Satsuma Rebellion. When he enters his office, KAWAMURA Ryujirō, deputy mayor of the city remembers that he worked with him in Taiwan and was impressed that he sympathised with local people there. And he tells him that he is worthy of the heir of SAIGO Takamori. Then Kikujirō says that he doesn't want to be regarded so and he is not the heir as his name is Kikujirō, not Kikutarō (*). He tells Ryujirō that he doesn't know everything about him but he has known him since around 1869. He starts talking to him about his old days in Kagoshima.
In 1904, Saigō kikujirō (Toshiyuki Nishida) goes to the city office of Kyoto using a carriage
In 1869. Satsuma becomes to be called Kagoshima after Hanseki Hokan (**) and Kichinosuke changes his name into Takamori and helps farmers. At the same time, Ito visits Aikana in Amami Oshima accompanied by Kumakichi to take Kikujirō to Kagoshima and educate him. Aikana tells her that she brought up Kikujirō and his sister Kikusō as the children of kichinosuke. And she asks Ito to make Kichijiro as a respectable man of Satsuma. Then Ito thanks her for having saved Kichinosuke (Takamori) in the past when he was exiled but Aikana says it's so natural to save a man whom she loved. Kikujiro is taken to the new house of the Saigo family whose members increase by the marriage of Shingo. Toratarō, son of Takamori and Ito feels awkward at first but he introduces him Goja and Tsun, two dogs kept by the family. Then Takamori returns home and Kikujirō sees his father but he feels depressed. Because the image of him is far from a true samurai that his mother told him repeatedly.
In 1869, Kichinosuke (Ryōhei Suzuki) changes his name into Takamori and helps farmers
Aikana also told her son that the heir of the Saigo family is Toratarō. So Kikujirō tries to respect Totatarō who is younger than him. On the following day, he started studying in Gochū but is not yet used to it. At that moment KAIEDA Takeji visits Takamori and tells him that SHIMAZU Hisamitsu calls him. The lords of the domains now lose their powers because of Hanseki Hokan. After Hisamitsu returned his land and people to the Emperor to show his loyalty, the domain is occupied by the samurais who returned to Satsuma after the Boshin War and expelled his advisers. He asks to Takamori,
"Is this the restoration you told me, Saigō?"
And Kikujirō is confused that other children ask Toratarō why he is called Kikujiro though he is elder than him (*).
Kikujirō (Kairi Jō) meets his father Takamori for the first time in ten years
In Tokyo, a violent argument breaks off in the government. KIDO Takayoshi objects to the official rank of Takamori as it is higher that that of his lord SHIMAZU Tadayoshi. And he blames OKUBO Ichizō, who changed his name into Toshimichi for doing everything in haste. And the opinions of the councilors and some people who holds important positions are divided over which problem should be solved at first. Takayoshi spits out at them that they should be more careful and in reality there are complaints against the government here and there. BEPPU Shinsuke, cousin of NAKAMURA Hanjirō brings YOKOYAMA Yasutake, who is also a samurai to Takamori and Yasutake says that the powerful men of the government live in luxury. He adds not only common people but samurais will go broke in the future and asks Takamori to go to Tokyo to appeal it to them. But Takamori decides to take a wait-and-see attitude and tells him the days of samurai will end soon.
Kido Takayoshi (Tetsuji Tamayama, right) blames Ōkubo toshimichi and leaves the room but Itō Hirobumi (Kenta Hamano) ignores him
Kikujirō sees his father receiving Yasutake while studying. He feels disappointed with the attitude of Takamori because he heard that he is the most ardent spirit in Japan. However, he does not do so intentionally to stop hot-blooded youth from acting rashly. But Yasutake goes to Tokyo and commits suicide in front of Shūgi-in(***), putting a letter to appeal his plight in front of him. After that many people raise riots and IWAKURA Tomomi feels unsafe with it at Toshimichi's house in Tokyo. Ōmura Masujirō was killed by radical samurais in the same year. Though Tomomi worries whether he can trust Takamori or not but Toshimichi tells him that he is trustworthy and that's why he asks Tomomi to invite his brother Shingo. Then Saigo Shingo who changes his name into Jūdō who returned from France visits them. He is persuaded to send his brother to the government to realise Haihan Chiken (****).
TOKOYAMA Yasutake (Shō Kasamatsu) asks Takamori to go to Tokyo with him
In Kagoshima, Takamori visits the houses of the samurais who were killed in the Boshin War to mourn them. He talks to a small shrine in his house that he is sorry. Kikujirō thinks his father bears a burden for having killed many people. Soon after Jūdō returns home and hugs his wife Kiyo suddenly. Kiyo is very surprised but he tells her that it's a French-stye greeting. He is appointed to Hyobu Gon no Daijo, one of the staff of Hyōbu-sho (current Ministry of Defence). He gives his souvenirs to his brothers, sisters and sisters-in law and shows a toy of a steam locomotive to children. He makes Kichijirō who stands at the corner of the room join the party of children and let them play with it. Kichijiro smiles and is delighted to play with other children. Jūdō decides to take Kiyo to Tokyo and it surprised his family (*****).
He tells them that it's natural to be accompanied by his wife everywhere he goes. Takamori says he's really westernised and smiles.
Saigō Shingo (Ryō Nishikido), who changes his name into Jūdō returns home from France
That night Jūdō drinks sake beside irori (fireplace) and offers it to his brother but he gave up drinking after the war. He thanks Judo for making Kikujirō feel happy and the souvenirs. Then Jūdō tells him about establishing police system in Japan. He explains the policemen are the samurais who maintain public order. Takamori thinks it's a desirable position for samurais. Besides Jūdō asks him to go to Tokyo. Takamori knows he was asked by Tomomi and Toshimichi to do so but he thinks that he has no right to govern Japan because he killed many people in the war. Jūdō himself hopes he will help him establish a military force because he experienced the war as commander. He also hopes there will be no more war but it needs to strengthen a military force.
Kiyo (Mone Kamishiraishi) is delighted with her husband's souvenir
Takamori sees the shells, keepsakes of Amami Oshima and tells Ito that he should join the government and take responsibility of the changes he and his comrades brought to Japan. But she opposes it because she wants him to be with Kikujirō a bit longer. Kikujiro,who sleeps in the next room is awaken and hears their conversation. On the next morning, he sits down in front of his father and asks him to go to Tokyo. Then he asks Ito to let him go to Tokyo. Kikujirō thinks that he can understand his father a bit. And he practices swordsmanship with confidence and it satisfies Takamori. But his joining the government decides his fate as a result.
Kikujirō (left) sits down in front of Takamori (right) and asks him to go to Tokyo
(*) Men's name Tarō is for the eldest son born between a man and his legal wife. Kikujirō’s mother Aikana is not a legal wife. There are exceptions to it, however.
(**) Returning the land (fief) and people to the Emperor.
(***) Though the word "Shūgi-in" means the House of Representatives now, it meant a kind of legislature at that time.
(****) Abolishing domains and establishing prefectures. It meant the centralisation of Japan.
(*****) At that time, wives never accompanied their husbands and stayed at home.
And the below is a link to the movie of a new backgroud to the credits. The white flower that falls on the water surface is a kind of Lecythidaceae. In the movie, Takamori and Toshimichi part from each other.
The images are from the official website of "Segodon".