Sekigahara

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1

Sekigahara, September 14, 1600 (Lunar)

The eve of battle

Small though it be

this god may remember

the ancient rebellion

of Prince O-amano

Indeed

Father, did the prince fight here

in Sekigahara?

The war began with a blockade

of this road

Yonder is Momokubari Hill

named for the peaches he gave out

Storm's abrewin' in my belly

I can smell it

Pee-ew

Mercy!

Good God

Reinforcements are arriving daily

from Satsuma afar

Only 1,000 of them, but fierce

The army of the East is 100,000

We, the West, are 80,000

Yet half are in the hills,

watching from safety

This is a war of justice and injustice

We cannot lose

The author recalls visiting

the temple in Omi as a boy

Climbing stone steps

in the hot summer

I don't recall the sect

Hideyoshi was sitting right here

where I'm sitting

Wearing his falconer's outfit

How long ago, Mr. Kaiware?

Oh, about 350 years ago

It was a hot summer's day

A day like today when sweat

stings your eyes

As I struggled to write about

the Battle of Sekigahara...

this incredible human comedy,

or tragedy...

such scenes from my boyhood

wisped through my mind

like a dream in a nap

Henry Miller once said

something like this:

You are thinking of something

right now. Start writing from there

50, that? What I'll do

with this story

Around 1572, Hideyoshi was

the Lord of Omi

a vast territory granted to him

as one of Nobunaga's generals

Ishida Mitsunari was called Sakichi

when he was a boy

It is unclear if he was a student

or a servant at this temple

Hideyoshi was in the area

for falconry

He was so thirsty he entered

unannounced

Historical texts say

the first cup of tea was:

brought in a great tea bowl

filled three quarters and warm

He drained the cup and smacked his lips

He ordered another cup

in good humor

This time it was hotter and

half the amount

Damn good. Gimme more

The third cup was mostly empty

and scalding hot

Kid. What's your name?

Sakichi, from lshida village

in your territory, sir

What if I grant you land

worth 100 barrels of rice?

I would rather receive the tax

charged for harvesting

the reeds on the banks of Lake Biwa-

How much?

Sakichi, don't bother his lordship-

Priest! I like this kid

I'm takin' him with me

16 years later

Osaka Castle, 1588

Sakichi

My lord

Once this triple moat is finished

I'll build a castle in Fushimi

Destroy and build

That's the work of power

Got it? Fushimi is next

And then?

What do you think?

We'll beat down Ming of course

Choson and its culture

block our way there

I'll conquer Choson

after I unify the 66 states

War will never end

Won't ever end until I rule them all

Seven years Ia ter

Where is the foyer?

Tokugawa Ieyasu's new mansion, Fushimi, 1595

Where is the foyer?

Please, Your Highness

Take off traveling gloves

Take that around back

Sir Masanobu

His Highness is wearing travel garbs

to meet the Imperial Regent

Your Highness!

Those are your travel garments

All the lords in the land are broke

from invading Choson

We can barely afford to get here

Formal wear is not required

They will mock you as a bumpkin

His Highness wants to show Mitsunari

what a trouble it is to get here

Shut it, Naomasa

I couldn't change anyway

They can't find my wardrobe trunk

Fushimi Castle

There is tension between the Supreme Taiko

and his nephew, the Regent

On July 3, despite the concern of war

The Regent offered the Emperor

3,000 coins of gold and silver

This is most grave

Formal wear is not required,

but this is too crude

Every house is bankrupt from invading Choson

Look at leyasu. Has he no shame?

He rushed from Edo. He means well

I doubt it

He's displaying the trouble it took

to get here

...in the end the Regent quit his post

and became a monk in Mt. Koya

And still there are signs of rebellion

Thus, Lord Fukushima was ordered

to besiege Mt. Koya...

where the Regent took his own life

Now, for the treatment

of his women and children

They shall be beheaded tomorrow

as collective punishment

I rushed down from Edo upon

the news of the rebellion

I know not the details, but...

the outcome of Choson is still uncertain

after three years

To demonstrate the authority of the Taiko

and eliminate any challenge to his son

little Hideyori

I believe it is only natural to terminate

the bloodline of the rebel

Very good, Hideyori

May I plead with His Highness?

He shall hear you

Princess Koma of the Mogami house

will be executed tomorrow

Will she?

She traveled far to serve the Regent

but he was dead when she arrived

Could you spare her life as you did...

the sister of Lord Ikeda?

Sakichi, remember when we first met

you brought me tea in a huge cup?

You drank it up and asked for more

The second cup was half of the first

The third in a tiny cup...

and it was scalding hot

I couldn't make up my mind

Should I punish this little snot

or make him my servant

One's life turns on a whim

Forget about Koma

Her old man gave her to the Regent

Shamelessly trying to cozy up

Why shouldn't he be punished?

You're so good, Hideyori

Clear the way

Sanjo Riverbank, Kyoto

I plan to resign my post

as commissioner today

Because of your condition

or the unreasonable demands?

My left eye's mostly blind

The right is also clouding up

An incurable disease

Why must it be you?

I may resign,

but my heart is one with you

A cruel task. Leading to execution

the widow and children

whom he loved as his family

- His Highness' popularity has plummeted

- Mind your words, Gyobu

It's what you're thinking

Koma never even met the Regent

She's only 14

Why must she be punished?

If I survived, no words would I have

Surveying the cruel world

Nothing more sorrowful than parting

Here at the waters of the river

Mitsunari, you promised

Were you lying about saving Koma?

I promised to do my best-

Do you mock me?

Your rage will not serve you

Will Hideyoshi's commissioners

let such injustice stand?

Kill them!

MY lord!

Stay calm

Maintain your dignity

Koma's maids are fighting

Have you no mercy?

Fighting women and children?

You disgrace the name of Ishida

Ignore him

I think that was Shima Sakon

Hold

Hold, I say. Step back!

Stop! Step back!

Nobody touch her

Enough

Don't die on me

Sukeza, a robe

Please tend to the injured

Gyobu, take care of the rest

IWilI

What do you want?

- I serve the Toyotomi house-

- What do you want?

I believe you are Sakon

formerly of the house of Tsutsui

I've searched high and low for you

the last several years

Thank you

I want your service

Do you know what I was doing?

Testing your blade?

My blood is aboil, so I pretended

these were Hideyoshi's men and

cut them down

And you want me to serve him?

I don't

What?

I am enlisting your service

You want me to serve you?

The Supreme Taiko will grant me

the Sawayama Castle shortly

My fief will grow from 40,000 to 190,000

I'll give you half

Never heard of a samurai taking

half his lord's territory

It is an obvious price

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