Kaze no Toge ~ Ginkan no Fu

Official Website
www.nhk.or.jp/jidaigeki/ginkan

Broadcast
Thurdays, 8.00 – 8.43 p.m. from 15 January 2015

Station
NHK

Story
Kusakabe Gengo, a patrol officer of the Tsukigase domain in Western Japan, gets a visit from his son-in-law, Tsuda Iori. Tsuda probes if it is true that Gengo and the chief retainer, Matsuura Shogen, are truly childhood friends. Gengo and Shogen were childhood friends and went to the same kendo training school. 40 years ago, the two men were bound by such a firm friendship that they avenged Shogen’s parents together. However, they had differing opinions regarding an uprising raised by a mutual friend, Juzo, and fell out 20 years earlier. Gengo is handed a command from the lord of the domain to assassinate Shogen. Shogen, who quelled the uprising with ruthless methods, rose to become the chief retainer, but the rumours are that he has incurred displeasure because he is hindering the rise of the lord of the domain. However, Shogen is known to the public as an artist so it would look bad if he were publicly executed. Gengo, who has been ordered to handle it as a fight due to a personal grudge, searches for the place for Shogen to die. He decides to visit Shogen for the first time in 20 years. When the paths of the two men cross again as they approach old age, fate starts moving again … …

Characters
Nakamura Masatoshi as Kusakabe Gengo
A patrol officer of the Tsukigase domain. When was once a gunner in his youth and had the best shooting skills in the domain. He fell out with his old friend, Matsuura Shogen over dealing with the uprising that their peasant friend, Juzo, raised. After Juzo is put to death, he took in Juzo’s daughter, Fuki, as a servant in his household and raised her like his own daughter. He is the type who is honourable and sentimental. One day, his son-in-law Tsuda Iori, approaches with the proposal that he execute Shogen on the command of the lord of the domain.

Shibata Kyohei as Matsuura Shogen
The chief retainer of the Tsukigase domain. He is widely known to the public as a painter. He and Kusakabe Gengo had such a firm friendship that Gengo helped him to avenge his parents. However, they parted aways over dealing with a peasant uprising. He is still called his childhood name by Gengo. He rose to chief retainer on the merit of this, and has single-handedly shouldered the politics. But he incurs the displeasure of his lord who has set sights on joining the Shogun’s cabinet and starts to get isolated.

Sakuraba Nanami as Fuki
A servant in the Kusakabe household. She is the daughter of Kusakabe Gengo’s peasant friend, Juzo. She lost her father when she was 7 years old and was taken in by the Kusakabes.

Hira Takehiro as Washizu Kakubei/Seiemon
Washizu Kakubei: He was responsible for the assassination of Matsuura Shogen’s father when he was caught in a fight for power.
Washizu Seiemon: Washizu Kakubei’s son. He aims to avenge his father.

Ikeda Tetsuhiro as Tsuda Iori
Kusakabe Gengo’s son-in-law. A cunning man who has quick wits and a way with words. He is always thinking of getting ahead in life.

Yoshida Yo as Tatsu
Kusakabe Gengo’s only daughter who married into the Tsudas. She hates her father who never thought about the family.

Nakamura Shido as Yamazaki Tamon
The steward, next in rank to the chief retainer, Matsuura Shogen. He plots the execution of Shogen who has incurred the displeasure of the lord of the domain. He is a schemer who considers every detail before making a move.

Takahashi Kazuya as Juzo
He helped Matsuura Shogen to take revenge and became good friends with him and Kusakabe Gengo even though he was a peasant. He became the mastermind of an uprising and was executed.

Aso Yumi as Mitsu
Matsuura Shogen’s wife. A childhood friend of Kusakabe Gengo. A woman of fortitude, she supports her husband, who lost both parents at a young age, behind the scenes.

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