Shōgun

A hulking and stoic samurai, Toda Hirokatsu, is known by his nickname, Buntaro.

Buntaro's marriage to Mariko soured when tragedy and scandal struck her family. He disregarded her wishes and caused a great rift between them. As her hatred of him grows, his grip on her tightens.To endure the confusion and anger caused by the early death of his mother and the traumas of war, Buntaro turns to heavy drinking and the occasional violent outburst. But on the battlefield, he never loses control. He is aggressively conscientious and is considered unyielding and exacting.Buntaro is highly precise and meticulous. As a renowned tea master, Buntaro studied with the most famous tea makers in the country. Tea ceremonies are of great political significance, and Buntaro often prepares tea for important meetings. He is highly detailed and takes great care in creating the perfect atmosphere for a tea ceremony. Given Buntaro's skillful navigation between warrior and tea master, it is fair to say he embodies the very essence of the samurai and all the power and discipline that comes with it.

The character of Toda Buntaro Hirokatsu is based on the historical figure of Akechi Tama (Mariko in Shōgun)'s husband, the warlord Hosokawa Tadaoki. As the son of the warlord Hosokawa Fujitaka (Toda Hiromatsu in Shōgun), Tadaoki took part in the battles that Fujitaka fought on behalf of Nobunaga (Kuroda in Shōgun).&nbsp;At the age of 14, Tadaoki participated in the siege of one of the enemy's strongholds, Kataoka Castle. He was the first to enter the enemy castle, a prestigious feat that resulted in Nobunaga taking up his brush to write a letter of praise in his own hand. This was rare, as lords usually didn't write their own letters, but dictated them to their secretaries.

In another letter to Akechi Mitsuhide (Akechi Jinsai in Shōgun), Nobunaga wrote that Tadaoki would become the leader of the samurai class. Tadaoki had all the qualities of the perfect samurai. He was a strong warrior, bold and daring, but he also excelled in cultural endeavors such as poetry, calligraphy, painting, Noh performance, and the tea ceremony. Nobunaga recruited him as one of his koshōs, young samurai who served as bodyguards for their lord.

After a year of service, Nobunaga ordered him to marry Tama, Mitsuhide's daughter. The couple settled in Tadaoki's parental castle in Nagaoka, and later moved to Miyazu Castle in Fujitaka's newly conquered territories.&nbsp;In 1582, however, Tadaoki was shocked to hear that Tama's father was involved in the political struggle later known as the Honnōji incident. Furious, Tadaoki divorced Tama. But he loved her so much that he hid her in the mountains near Miyazu so that she wouldn't be killed by Hideyoshi (the Taikō).

Tadaoki became Hideyoshi's loyal vassal. After two years, Hideyoshi pardoned Tama and the two married again. While Tama lived as a hostage in the Hosokawa mansion south of Osaka Castle, Tadaoki fought many battles for his new lord.&nbsp;When he returned from the Kyushu campaign, he discovered that Tama had converted to Christianity shortly after Hideyoshi had banned the religion. Their relationship became strained, but Tama refused to denounce her faith. Eventually, Tadaoki tolerated Tama's faith because Hideyoshi softened his stance against Christians. After Hideyoshi's death in 1598, Tadaoki became a vassal of Ieyasu (Toranaga in Shōgun).

Every legend begins with a story.&nbsp;Explore the vision and artistry behind FX's Shōgun's groundbreaking series. Join host and staff writer Emily Yoshida as she sits down with the creators, cast, and crew that brought Sengoku Era Japan to life.

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A hulking and stoic samurai, Buntaro's strength is matched only by his skill for battle.

Shinnosuke Abe as Buntaro for FX's Shogun

Toda Hirokatsu “Buntaro” | FX's Shōgun

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