Shōgun

A former peasant, Ishido Kazunari raised himself to become an all-powerful warlord, a member of the Council of Regents, and the Protector of Osaka Castle.

For Ishido, admiration turned to envy as the Taikō basked in his winnings, while his contributions became relegated to bureaucracy.&nbsp;Ishido's jealousy was further stoked by the Taikō's ethereally beautiful consort, Ochiba, who represented everything he couldn't have. Living in a city surrounded by the highborn, Ishido still felt like an outsider.Despite this, Ishido used his discipline to cement his place in Japanese politics. When the Taikō died, he was made protector of Osaka Castle and a member of the illustrious Council of Regents.Having achieved some measure of greatness, Ishido still finds himself unsatisfied. Toranaga sits on the Council, more revered, with greater power, and from a respected lineage. Ishido will do anything to eliminate him and move one step closer to becoming like the beloved Taikō.

The historical model for Ishido is Ishida Mitsunari. His father was Ishida Masatsugu, a regional lord in the Omi province under the rule of the Azai clan. When Hideyoshi (the Taikō) took control of the region after the defeat of the Azais by Oda Nobunaga (Kuroda in Shōgun), he made the Ishidas his vassals.&nbsp;At the age of 14, Mitsunari became one of Hideyoshi's koshōs (young samurai who served as bodyguards for their lord) and joined Hideyoshi's army when he invaded Mōri Terumoto's territory in western Japan. In 1582, he accompanied Hideyoshi on his 150-mile journey from Takamatsu to Yamazaki near Kyoto, where his lord defeated the army of a vassal who betrayed Nobunaga.

While Hideyoshi consolidated his position as Nobunaga's successor, Mitsunari followed him in all his battles and gradually rose to prominence, becoming one of Hideyoshi's trusted generals by his early twenties. From Mitsunari's surviving letters, it is clear that he was a competent administrator rather than a warrior.&nbsp;These qualities did not go unnoticed by Hideyoshi, and he used Mitsunari in various administrative roles. Later, Mitsunari became one of the five commissioners who took care of the government of the areas directly controlled by Hideyoshi.

In addition to being a born diplomat, Mitsunari was also a shrewd politician and a master of manipulation, which earned him some friends but also many enemies. This was evident when he served as an inspector in the Korean campaigns.&nbsp;Mitsunari gave low ratings to some of the hard fighting generals, including Hosokawa Tadaoki (Buntaro in Shōgun). These generals were furious, and Tadaoki, along with six other generals, attacked Mitsunari in his Osaka mansion after Hideyoshi's death.&nbsp;Mitsunari barely escaped and was saved by Ieyasu, who had intervened to restore order. Mitsunari soon developed a personal grudge against Ieyasu for his strong role in governing the country. He searched for an opportunity to get rid of Ieyasu, and one soon presented itself.

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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Ishido raised himself to become an all-powerful warlord and the Protector of Osaka Castle.

Takehiro Hira as Ishido Kazunari for FX's Shogun

Ishido Kazunari | FX's Shōgun

The Peasant Warlord

Historical Background

Hostage

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Toranaga

Blackthorne

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