Chapter 3 Kakumei (Restoration) (3)
Kichinosuke returns home with O-Ryō and it surprises his family includes Ito. But he tell them that she is the wife of SAKAMOTO Ryōma who accompanies him. And Kichinosuke visits Sir Harry Parkes in HMS Princess Royal by himself. As Parkes is irritated with SHIMAZU Hisamitsu and Mochihisa who are indecisive, he intends to have a heart-to-heart talk with him. He says that he will unite Japan under the Emperor. That night Ito also has a heart-to-heart talk with Kichinosuke and asks him about Aikana. She then holds his hand ans says she also do her best.
Kichinosuke (Ryōhei Suzuki, left) has a heart-to-heart talk with Harry Parkes (Thane Camus)
TOKUGAWA Iemochi commands the second subjugation of Chōshū but his army is beaten by that of Chōshū with latest model weapon purchased from Satsuma through the medium of Ryōma. And Iemochi himself dies in Osaka Castle. Then Yoshinobu becomes the 15th shogun and shows his authority to many important persons from abroad. And it is said that Lēon Roches is eager to rule Satsuma so Kichinosuke meets Ernest Satow in Osaka and says he plans to overthrow the shogunate by force of arms. He and ŌKUBO Ichizō visits Tosa and Chōshū and persuade the lords to cooperate with Satsuma. Besides IWAKURA Tomomi prepares the Imperial sanction for it that is false. But Yoshinobu announces TAISEI Hōkan, the restoration of government to the crown to forestall Kichinosuke's plan.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu (Shōta Matsuda, centre) announces Taisei Hōkan
Kichinosuke meets Ryōma who agrees with Yoshinobu's decision. Kichinosuke raises his voice to him saying that it doesn't change anything. In November 1867, Ryōma and his friend NAKAOKA Shintarō are assassinated. O-Ryō assumes that it's Kichinosuke who killed her husband. Kichinosuke orders three samurais who serve Satsuma domain to fire and run riot in Edo. The outer keep of Edo Castle is fired also and it makes the army of Yoshinobu make a move. IWAKURA Tomomi attempts the Restoration of Imperial Rule in December. In January 1868, the Battle of Toba-Fushimi occurs and the imperial standards are raised.
Kogosho kaigi is held and the Restoration of Imperial Rule is proclaimed
The New government Army heads east but YAMAOKA Tesshū sent by KATSU Kaishū visits him and tries to stop the all-out attack on Edo at the risk of his life. Then Kichinosuke meets Kaishū at the residence of Satsuma domain in Edo and decides to stop the attack. Kaishū tells him that it's meaningless to establish a new country at the expense of ordinary people and it moves him. He also meets Yoshinobu who is confined in house in Mito and appreciates him who escaped from Osaka not to make Japan be invaded by foreign countries. On the day of the surrender of Edo Castle, Kichinosuke meets Tsnshō-in (Atsu hime) and Ikushima. Tenshō-in gives him books stocked in the castle includes the one written about agricultural administration.
Tenshō-in (Keiko Kitagawa, right) and Ikushima (Yōko Minamino, left) meets Kichinosuke
However Shōgi-tai whose members support the shogunate tries to resist the New government army and is suppressed by ŌMURA Masujirō from Chōshū. The New Government army then fought against the domains in Tōhōku region that support the shogunate. During the campaign, Kichinosuke's brother Kichijirō is wounded but Kichinosuke cannot treat him specially. Later he visits a field hospital to meet him but he dies. Kichinosuke returns to Tokyo, former Edo tells Ichizō that he leaves everything to him and says he will return to Satsuma. He says he should take responsibility for those died in the war. and hands Ichizō the paper on which "Cangoxina" is written. Ichizō who sees it laughs but looks sad. Kichinosuke returns to Satuma cuts his topknot by himself.
Kichinosuke (left) tells Ōkubo Ichizō (Eita, right) that he will leave him everything and return to Satsuma
