Series synopsis
Atsuhime is a Japanese drama television series that premiered on NHK BS1 on January 6, 2008. It ended on December 14, 2008. It was created by Tomiko Miyao. It stars Aoi Miyazaki, Eita Nagayama, Maki Horikita and Rie Tomosaka.
The 47th NHK Taiga Drama is a life story of Princess Atsu, who was born in Kagoshima Prefecture, then called Satsuma, and became the wife of Tokugawa Iesada, the 13th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. She accedes to the highest rank in Ooku, the inner palace of the Edo castle where women related to the reigning shogun resided. Iesada dies soon after their marriage and Atsuhime assumes the name Tenshoin at the age of 23. She exerts herself for the Tokugawa clan and for the nation during the uphea ...
Premise
The 47th NHK Taiga Drama is a life story of Princess Atsu, who was born in Kagoshima Prefecture, then called Satsuma, and became the wife of Tokugawa Iesada, the 13th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. She accedes to the highest rank in Ooku, the inner palace of the Edo castle where women related to the reigning shogun resided. Iesada dies soon after their marriage and Atsuhime assumes the name Tenshoin at the age of 23. She exerts herself for the Tokugawa clan and for the nation during the upheaval in the Meiji Restoration, headed by those from Satsuma.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Aoi Miyazaki as Okatsu / Atsu-hime
- Eita Nagayama as Kimotsuki Naogoro
- Maki Horikita as Princess Kazu
- Rie Tomosaka
- Ikki Sawamura as Komatsu Kiyomichi
- Hideki Takahashi
- Taizo Harada
- Kimiko Yo as Hisa-hime
Supporting cast
- Hiroshi Tamaki
- Kanako Higuchi
- Atsuko Takahata as Honjuin
- Kyōzō Nagatsuka
- Mayu Tsuruta
- Yuriko Yoshitaka
- Mikako Ichikawa as Oryu
- Masato Sakai as Tokugawa Iesachi
- Kinya Kitaoji
- Masao Kusakari as Abe Masahiro
- Tomoko Nakajima
- Kenichi Yajima
Guest cast
- Asami Abe as Tokiwa
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 50 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 50 | January 6, 2008 | December 14, 2008 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Child of Destiny The episode starts off in Satsuma in 1835, 20 years prior to the arrival of the Black Ships led by Matthew C. Perry. People in Satsuma are excited by the arrival of the heir to the domain, Shimazu Nariakira, from Edo. Meanwhile, a long-awaited daughter is born in one of the cadet families of Shimazu clan, the Imaizumi Shimazu family. The father of the girl, Shimazu Tadatake, and the mother, Oyuki, name her “Katsu,” wishing the child’s happiness. Okatsu grew up as a tomboy, much stronger than her brothers, yet is warm-hearted and full of curiosity. |
January 6, 2008 |
| 2 |
Vow at Sakurajima Zusho's financial reform successfully clears Satsuma clan's debt, however, many people are still badly off. Young samurai, including Saigo Kichinosuke and Okubo Shosuke, feel hatred toward Zusho. Meanwhile, Zusho invites Okatsu and Naogoro to his place, asking Okatsu a favor before he heads for Edo. |
January 13, 2008 |
| 3 |
Satsuma Divide Oyura, concubine of Shimazu Narioki, the clan head, plots to make her son Tadayuki an heir to the Satsuma clan which provokes a serious confrontation within a group of samurai who stand by Nariakira, Narioki's legal wife's son. Shosuke is punished for his involvement in the family quarrel. Wishing to help Shosuke's family make ends meet, Okatsu offers food and money, however, Shosuke's mother, Fuku, refuses. |
January 20, 2008 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | NHK BS1 |
|---|---|
| First aired | January 6, 2008 |
| Last aired | December 14, 2008 |
| Runtime | 45 minutes |
| Status | Ended |
| Schedule | Sunday at 20:00:00 |