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A SAMURAI CHRONICLE

HIGURASHINOKI

By Takashi KOIZUMI

TOHO CO., LTD. - as SALES All rights, World

Epic - Completed 2014

Human drama which reminds us of Akira Kurosawa’s “Red Beard”.

- Year of production
- 2014
- Genres
- Epic, Drama
- Countries
- JAPAN
- Languages
- JAPANESE
- Duration
- 129 mn
- Director(s)
- Takashi KOIZUMI
- Writer(s)
- Takashi KOIZUMI, Motomu FURUTA
- Cast
- Koji YAKUSHO, Junichi OKADA, Maki HORIKITA
- Synopsis
- Shozaburo DANNO (Jyunichi OKADA) is ordered to watch over Shukoku TODA (Koji YAKUSHO) until he commits “Hara-Kiri” (i.e., committing suicide by cutting one’s belly) in three year time. Shukoku was charged for having an affair with the feudal lord’s concubine seven years ago, and had been confined with his family. Shukoku is ordered by his ex-feudal lord to compile the feudal domain’s history. Shozaburo’s task was to report how the incident seven years ago is written in the feudal domain’s history, and if Shukoku tries to run away with his family after discovering the domain’s hidden secret to punish them to death. Shozaburo visits Shukoku and his family. Once Shozaburo meets Shukoku, he is overwhelmed by Shukoku’s dignified humanity. When Shozaburo sees Shukoku’s diary (“HIGURASHINOKI”) and the history of the feudal domain which Shukoku has been compiling, he is shocked by the way Shukoku sincerely followed his ex-feudal lord’s word, “Record everything as it is”.
  Shukoku starts to talk about the incident seven years ago. There was no affair between Shukoku and the chief retainer’s concubine but the fact was Shukoku protected her from a thief who broke into her room. Later, Shozaburo finds a secret document which would solve the mystery of the incident. Back then, the feudal domain was politically separated into two sides, the feudal lord’s legal wife’s side, and the concubine’s side. Chief retainer, Nakane, was trying to cover up the legal wife’s family background as a merchant’s daughter. Nakane tries desperately to retrieve the secret document. During one of his attempt, a farmer’s son, Genkichi, in protecting Ikutaro (Shukoku’s son), is beaten to death by the feudal domain’s inspector. Shozaburo and Ikutaro feel strong anger which they have never felt before. How are Shozaburo and Shukoku going to act? Will the feudal domain’s history going to be completed? What will the destiny of Shozaburo, Shukoku and his family going to be….
- Beginning of shooting
- Apr 01, 2013