Elder people like to watch Jidaigeki in TV. Jidaigeki is a period play and a kind of entertainment.
The title "Mito Komon " is the most famous and popular Jidaigeki and character in Japan. Mito Komon is an actual person in Edo period. He is a member of Tokugawa family. Tokugawa family is the sovereign in Edo period. This program is series drama and periodically has been on air every Monday night about for forty years.
This drama is like road movie. The story is fiction and so simple. Mito Komon is an old man and has some followers. He travels with them around Japan masquerading as merchant party. Main followers are two strong bodyguards, Suke-san Kaku-san, beautiful ninja, Ogin, male ninja, Kazaguruma(pinwheel) no Yashichi and funny guy, Hachibei. Almost Japanese will know these characters.
They stay a town for a while and there is definitely a trouble there. He investigates it and the party heat bad guys. They are almost powers or officers (Daikan) in the town or village. They torment with the commoners or poor people.
The biggest highlight in this drama is a scene in last 10 minutes. Kaku-san put out "inrou" after battling with the villains. Inrou is a kind of small case with a crest. Mito Komon's inrou is "Aoi" (geranium) crest for Tokugawa Shogun Family. Kaku-san shouts showing this inrou to everyone, "Look at this crest. He is Mito Komon " Everyone has thought he was just a normal retired, however, the people including villains are surprised with confession and know that he is a Mito Kokon. After the confession, everyone grovels before Mito-Komon.
This climax of drama is always same but dramatic for the audience. They wait for the scene. That is to say, they want to see that justice always wins and villains are beaten.
One season of this drama is for half a month. If you stay in Japan for one year, you will definitely be able to see Mito Komon in TV.
This is the title song. (It is well known song for us.)
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4 comments:
I enjoyed watching Mito Komon many years ago. I do not speak Japanese, but I did see the program in Los Angeles with subtitles. At that time the Mito Komon was Tohno Eijiro. I like the theme song also.
Thank you for your comment.
Tohno Eijirou was Mito Koumon the first. I think he was just right for the role of Mito Koumon. Now Satomi Kohtaro is Mito Komon. He is very famous actor of Jidaigeki.
I am surprised at being able to this program in Los Angels!
Do you have an interst for Japan ?
My English sometimes might be wrong. However, I hope you enjoy my blog in future.
Thank you for your blog, I lived in Okinawa for two years and I watched Tokyo Friends gameshow and Mito Komo every week. Even though my knowledge of Japanese was minimal I still enjoyed both.
Mark Bigelow
North Monmouth, Maine, USA
Thank you for your comment!! I'v never seen to Okinawa. This is a place that I want to go someday.
I'm glad you enjoyed Japanese TV programs. The phrases in Jidaigeki is sometimes a little different from present ones. However, the story of Mito Komon is so simple and always happy ending. Also we can know easily who are bad guys. These are reasons that Mito Komon is popular for televiewers, especially old people.
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