Shōgun

Fishing Villages in Feudal Japan

While the model for Blackthorne, William Adams, washed ashore at Usuki (modern Ōita Prefecture) on Kyushu Island in Shōgun, Blackthorne's ship was wrecked at Ajiro in Izu on the main island of Honshū.&nbsp;Located between Osaka and Edo, the Izu Peninsula was the perfect place for the story to begin. Most of the peninsula is mountainous, with villages clustered in the valleys and lowlands along the coast. Therefore, despite its size, Izu was a relatively small domain. It was one of the 8 provinces of the Kantō under Tokugawa Ieyasu (Toranaga in Shōgun) and was ruled by his younger brother.In Shōgun, however, Ajiro is ruled by Kashigi Omi, a minor lord, nephew and retainer of Kashigi Yabushige. The relationship between the lord and his retainers was dominated by land. In exchange for his loyalty and services, the retainer received a lordship from the lord. The value of the land was measured by how much rice it produced, which was expressed by the term "kokudaka" (meaning "crop yield").The retainer had samurai under him, their number depending on the amount of the kokudaka, from which he had to provide them with food. Since there was not much rice to be grown in the barren lowlands of a village like Ajiro, the income from fishing was most welcome.&nbsp;The village of Ajiro in Shōgun also specialized in whaling. Whaling was widespread in the Sengoku period, and was done in a primitive manner by spearing whales that came close to shore with harpoons from small boats. Watchtowers were built in the whaling villages to keep track of the whales. Stranded whales and dolphins were also used as food. The capture of a whale provided an abundance of food for the village and contributed greatly to Omi's otherwise meager income.&nbsp;

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.

Ajiro Village | FX Shōgun Viewers Guide

The Humble Fishing Village

Fishing Villages in Feudal Japan

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