Shogun Itoh is the ruler of Japan in practice, if not name (the Emperor has higher prestige, but has no real power and remains in Kyoto) and the head of the Itoh samurai clan. His base of power is Edo Castle.
Shogun Itoh keeps Japan closed to the outside world apart from limited trade with the Chinese, Dutch and a few other Caucasian smugglers (who he forces to remain in isolated, secret fortresses) to acquire new technology and goods, which increases his family's personal wealth. Although he largely keeps the peace in Japan established by his forefathers, he is blind to a conspiracy brewing among some of his advisors, disaffected samurai lords such as Heiji Shindo and Tokunobu Daichi, and the Irish smuggler Abijah Fowler. This conspiracy leads to the Shogun's death and the destruction of Edo during their coup, but the conspirators' army is ultimately destroyed by a fire due to Mizu's intervention, and Itoh's wife, sons and daughter-in-law survive, ensuring the Itoh Shogunate's succession.
Trivia[]
- Shogun Itoh is chronologically based on Tokugawa Ietsuna (the fourth Tokugawa shogun, who would have ruled Japan at that time).
- The Itō clan while real were never the shoguns of Japan. The shogunate was controlled by the Tokugawa clan, and the Itoh were only a moderately powerful clan thanks to their support of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Sengoku period. Their status as not only powerful daimyo, but directly controlling what can be called the Itō Shogunate indicates that the series is not just historical fiction but alternate history.