Mito Kōmon
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese jidaigeki
or period drama that has been on prime-time television since 1969. The title character is the historic Tokugawa Mitsukuni
, former vice-shogun
and retired second daimyo
of the Mito
domain. In the guise of Mitsuemon, a retired crêpe merchant from Echigo
, he roams the realm with two samurai
retainers, fun-loving Sasaki Sukesaburō (Suke-san) and studious Atsumi Kakunoshin (Kaku-san). Episodes typically conclude with a brawl in which the unarmed, disguised protagonists better a crowd of samurai and gangsters, culminating with the presentation of the inrō
that reveals the hero's identity.
Five actors have portrayed the lead character in the series. Eijirō Tōno
created the part and appeared in 13 seasons. His successor was Kō Nishimura
. Asao Sano followed, and Kōji Ishizaka took the role in two series, quitting for cancer treatments. Kōtarō Satomi
, has played Mitsuemon since 2002.
The character normally sports a pointed white beard. He wears the lavish garb of a wealthy retiree, and carries a walking stick.
Singer-actor Ryōtarō Sugi
was the series' first Suke-san, followed by Kōtarō Satomi (who many years later took the lead role). Teruhiko Aoi was next, then Yūji Kishimoto, and Ryūji Harada. Opposite them, Tadashi Yokouchi
, Shin'ya Ōwada, Gorō Ibuki, Jundai Yamada, and Masashi Gōda
have played Kaku-san.
In each of the show's 42 seasons, various other regular characters have joined the retinue. For many years it was the food-loving commoner Hachibei, the reformed thieves Kazaguruma no Yashichi and his wife Kasumi no Oshin, and the ninja Tsuge no Tobizaru and Kagerō Ogin. Portrayed by Kaoru Yumi
, Ogin was the lead character in a light-hearted spinoff, Mito Kōmon Gaiden Kagerō Ninpō-chō. The same actress took on a new role, Oen, in which she continues as of 2007.
Many former regular actors appeared in the show's gala 1000th episode, which aired on December 15, 2003. A 1978 film distributed by Toei Company
shared the cast, production crew, and title.
Since its inception, the program has been a mainstay of the Panasonic Drama Theater (formerly known as the National Theater), sponsored by Panasonic
. The TBS
network airs the show throughout Japan, and shows reruns on both its analog stations and its CS satellite
channel. For nearly three decades, Mito Kōmon shared the time slot with Ōoka Echizen
, and various actors and actresses appeared in both series.
An unusual feature of the series is that the credits list the maker of the inrō
. The TBS website (see below) has announced that the show will end in December 2011.
Mito Kōmon is also a part of title of over 70 Japanese films.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese jidaigeki
Jidaigeki
is a genre of film, television, and theatre in Japan. The name means "period drama" and is usually the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—Portrait of Hell, for example, is set during the late Heian period—and the early Meiji era is also a popular...
or period drama that has been on prime-time television since 1969. The title character is the historic Tokugawa Mitsukuni
Tokugawa Mitsukuni
or was a prominent daimyo who was known for his influence in the politics of the early Edo period. He was the third son of Tokugawa Yorifusa and succeeded him, becoming the second daimyo of the Mito domain....
, former vice-shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
and retired second daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of the Mito
Mito, Ibaraki
is the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan and has a central location, moderately offset towards the coast in that prefecture. As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 263,748 and a total area is 217.45 km², giving a population density of 1,212.91 persons per km²...
domain. In the guise of Mitsuemon, a retired crêpe merchant from Echigo
Echigo Province
was an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It was sometimes called , with Echizen and Etchū Provinces. Today the area is part of Niigata Prefecture, which also includes the island which was the old Sado Province. This province was the northernmost part of the...
, he roams the realm with two samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
retainers, fun-loving Sasaki Sukesaburō (Suke-san) and studious Atsumi Kakunoshin (Kaku-san). Episodes typically conclude with a brawl in which the unarmed, disguised protagonists better a crowd of samurai and gangsters, culminating with the presentation of the inrō
Inro
An is a traditional Japanese case for holding small objects. Because traditional Japanese garb lacked pockets, objects were often carried by hanging them from the obi, or sash. Most types of these sagemono were created for specialized contents, such as tobacco, pipes, writing brush and ink, but...
that reveals the hero's identity.
Five actors have portrayed the lead character in the series. Eijirō Tōno
Eijirô Tono
was a Japanese actor who took supporting roles in such films as Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Yojimbo , as well as Yasujiro Ozu's Tokyo Story and An Autumn Afternoon ....
created the part and appeared in 13 seasons. His successor was Kō Nishimura
Kô Nishimura
was a Japanese actor who appeared in supporting roles in such films as Akira Kurosawa's The Bad Sleep Well and Yojimbo, Kihachi Okamoto's Sword of Doom, Yoshitaro Nomura's Zero Focus, and Kon Ichikawa's The Burmese Harp .-Film:* The Burmese Harp *Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate（1957）*The...
. Asao Sano followed, and Kōji Ishizaka took the role in two series, quitting for cancer treatments. Kōtarō Satomi
Kotaro Satomi
is a Japanese actor from the city of Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He appears in both contemporary and jidaigeki roles.-Selected filmography:Satomi has appeared in over 130 films...
, has played Mitsuemon since 2002.
The character normally sports a pointed white beard. He wears the lavish garb of a wealthy retiree, and carries a walking stick.
Singer-actor Ryōtarō Sugi
Ryotaro Sugi
is a Japanese singer and actor. He was born in Kobe. He is the father of actor Jundai Yamada.Among Sugi's roles is a role in Sukima Kaze, which sold over a million copies. His acting credits include eighteen films...
was the series' first Suke-san, followed by Kōtarō Satomi (who many years later took the lead role). Teruhiko Aoi was next, then Yūji Kishimoto, and Ryūji Harada. Opposite them, Tadashi Yokouchi
Tadashi Yokouchi
is a Japanese actor. Born in Dalian, Manchuria, he graduated from high school in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. A member of the 13th group of actors and actresses trained at the Haiyū-za, he counts Tetsuo Ishidate, Toshiyuki Hosokawa, Tomomi Satō, and Gō Katō as classmates. His older...
, Shin'ya Ōwada, Gorō Ibuki, Jundai Yamada, and Masashi Gōda
Masashi Goda
is a Japanese actor from Kanagawa Prefecture. He is best known for his portrayal of Yuuji Mita/OHBlue in Chōriki Sentai Ohranger. In 2009, he joined the cast of Samurai Sentai Shinkenger in the recurring role of Shiba Retsudō, the first Shinken Red....
have played Kaku-san.
In each of the show's 42 seasons, various other regular characters have joined the retinue. For many years it was the food-loving commoner Hachibei, the reformed thieves Kazaguruma no Yashichi and his wife Kasumi no Oshin, and the ninja Tsuge no Tobizaru and Kagerō Ogin. Portrayed by Kaoru Yumi
Kaoru Yumi
is a Japanese actress.-Biography:In junior high school, Kaoru joined the Nishino ballet group. She gained popularity with her appearance in the 1967 program Re Gaaruzu with Katsuko Kanai and Etsuko Nami in a mini-skirt number. In 1973, she did her first nude scene in the movie . In the same...
, Ogin was the lead character in a light-hearted spinoff, Mito Kōmon Gaiden Kagerō Ninpō-chō. The same actress took on a new role, Oen, in which she continues as of 2007.
Many former regular actors appeared in the show's gala 1000th episode, which aired on December 15, 2003. A 1978 film distributed by Toei Company
Toei Company
is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, a modest vertically-integrated studio system by the standards of the 1930s United States; operates studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a...
shared the cast, production crew, and title.
Since its inception, the program has been a mainstay of the Panasonic Drama Theater (formerly known as the National Theater), sponsored by Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
. The TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
network airs the show throughout Japan, and shows reruns on both its analog stations and its CS satellite
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
channel. For nearly three decades, Mito Kōmon shared the time slot with Ōoka Echizen
Ooka Echizen
was a long-running prime-time television jidaigeki in Japan. From March 16, 1970 to March 15, 1999, 402 episodes were broadcast. Also, a two-hour special aired on March 20, 2006, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the National Gekijō, which occupies the Monday evening 8:00–8:54 time slot on...
, and various actors and actresses appeared in both series.
An unusual feature of the series is that the credits list the maker of the inrō
Inro
An is a traditional Japanese case for holding small objects. Because traditional Japanese garb lacked pockets, objects were often carried by hanging them from the obi, or sash. Most types of these sagemono were created for specialized contents, such as tobacco, pipes, writing brush and ink, but...
. The TBS website (see below) has announced that the show will end in December 2011.
See also
Mito Kōmon is a title of other films:- Mito Kōmon (1957 film) http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1957/cg003140.htm
- Mito Kōmon (1960 film) http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1960/cj003690.htm
- Mito Kōmon (1978 film) http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1978/db003590.htm
Mito Kōmon is also a part of title of over 70 Japanese films.
External links
- Mito Kōmon at TBS (in Japanese)
- Mito Kōmon at C.A.L (in Japanese)
- Set report on Mito Kōmon (in English)
- http://us.imdb.com/title/tt1172114/
- "Don’t You Know Who This Is?"