Arts

If you’ve been watching the epic Disney+ remake of Shōgun (and if you’ve not, you need to remedy that!) then you most likely have been impressed by the character Lady Mariko. A strong woman in a male-dominated world, she is by far the best (or at least well-rounded) character. Perhaps what makes her so intriguing is that much of her strength comes from her desire to atone for her father’s treachery. However, her character becomes even the more impressive when you realise that she is based on a real person – Hosokawa Gracia. Furthermore, not only was the treachery of her father just as real, monumentally shifting the passage of Japanese history, it has its origins right here in the Chūbu region. Who was Akechi Mitsuhide? The name Akechi Mitsuhide echos down the centuries for his betrayal of Japan’s first great unifier, Oda Nobunaga, an act that some consider the defining moment of the late Warring States era. However, that one ruthless incident should not entirely define him. Born around 1528 in Mino Province (modern day Kani in Gifu Prefecture),  he was destined for greatness from childhood, groomed in warfare by the ruthless warrior Saitō Dōsan, the “Viper of Mino”.…