following the shogun - Following The Shogun

Exploring the Legacy of William Adams (Miura Anjin): A Journey Through Historic Hirado

Follow William Adams, the real-life John Blackthorne from Shogun, through Hirado’s historic sites. Discover Saiwaibashi Bridge, Anjin no Yakata, and Hirado Castle in this immersive travel guide.

Anjin Travel Journal

Hirado — The City Where the Western Samurai, William Adams, Rests

Think SHŌGUN was fiction? Discover the real English samurai who inspired John Blackthorne. Explore Hirado’s hidden sites and walk where history began.

Anjin Travel Guide

Taiga Drama Gō: Hime-tachi no Sengoku – Plot, Cast and History vs. Fiction

A guide to NHK's 2011 Taiga drama Gō: Hime-tachi no Sengoku (46 episodes): cast, plot, Gō's three husbands, history vs. fiction, and three sites you can visit.

Historical Other TopicsTaiga Drama

Osaka Castle: A Visit to the Toyotomi Stone Wall Exhibition – A Historical Immersion Journal

A first-hand visit to Osaka Castle's Toyotomi Stone Wall Museum, opened April 2025 — the preserved underground stone walls of Toyotomi-era Osaka Castle, traces of Summer Siege fire damage, and firsthand hours, admission, and access details.

Hideyoshi Travel JournalKansaiOsaka

Itō: Tracing Miura Anjin and Japan’s First Western Ship

Discover Itō, where SHŌGUN’s Anjin built Japan’s first Western-style ship. Explore memorials, hot springs, and a riverside town shaped by history.

Anjin Travel GuideChubu/Central JapanShizuoka

Miura Anjin’s Legacy in Tokyo: Historical Spots to Explore

Just steps from Tokyo Station, find the real site of SHŌGUN’s Anjin. Explore William Adams’ Edo-era residence on Anjin Street in modern Nihonbashi.

Anjin Travel GuideKantoTokyo

Uraga — Historic Sites Associated with Miura Anjin

Discover the port town where SHŌGUN’s Anjin helped shape Japan’s global future. Explore Uraga, where William Adams dreamed of international trade.

Anjin Travel GuideKanagawaKanto

Etchū-no-I (Etchū Well): The Final Moments of Hosokawa Gracia

Etchu Well is where Hosokawa Gracia, the figure behind Lady Mariko, died in 1600. Visit all 3 nearby sites, 11 min walk from Morinomiya Station in Osaka.

Gracia Travel GuideKansai

Sōzen-ji Temple: The Resting Place of Hosokawa Gracia

A 10-min walk from Shin-Osaka Station, Sōzen-ji holds a grave of Hosokawa Gracia, inspiration for Lady Mariko in Shogun. Access tips and field photos included.

Gracia Travel GuideKansaiOsaka

The Historic Stage of Lady Gracia’s Newlywed Life

A first-hand guide to Shōryūji Castle, Hosokawa Gracia's newlywed home in Nagaokakyō, Kyoto. Free admission, 5 spots, and the North Gate stone walls.

Gracia Travel GuideKansaiKyoto