Date Masamune, the one-eyed dragon

//Summary - Level-C2//

Date Masamune (1567-1636), a prominent northeastern Japanese daimyo known as "The One-Eyed Dragon" for his distinctive appearance after contracting smallpox, played a pivotal role in the Sengoku period, working closely with Tokugawa Ieyasu to unify Japan. He founded Sendai, and his leadership and dragon emblems symbolise charisma, ambition, and authority. His legacy extends beyond military achievements to promoting Japan's international diplomacy and cultural contributions, including the Keicho Embassy and culinary innovations.

1)
Date Masamune (1567-1636), a prominent daimyo from northeastern Japan, is widely recognised as one of the great military leaders of the Sengoku period in Japan. He is also known as the founder of Sendai, where he established his court. He was one of the closest allies of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who unified the country in the early 17th century and proclaimed himself Shogun of Japan.

2)
Masamune was also known by the awe-inspiring nickname "The One-Eyed Dragon" to both allies and enemies. This was because he lost one eye to smallpox as a child, leaving him with only one eye, a physical trait that added ferocity to his authoritative and noble appearance.

3)
Indeed, this brave samurai connected significantly with the dragon, as evidenced in various aspects of his private, public and military life. This connection was particularly evident in his leadership and courage during campaigns. The relationship between Masamune and the dragon was more than a superficial or legendary symbol; it was deeply integrated into his identity and political strategy, as seen in various encounters and conflicts with Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

4)
Masamune, who strongly identified with the qualities associated with the dragon, adopted this mythological creature as a central symbol throughout his life. This aesthetic symbolic choice conveyed his charismatic leadership, great ambition, cunning and power to his followers, associates and especially his fierce opponents. By appropriating one of the symbols associated with the ancestors of the imperial house, Masamune sent a powerful message and established his legitimacy as a leader.

5)
The cloudless moon of my heart is my guide,
shedding light on the darkness of this sad world
as I set out on my journey.
(Death poem of Date Masamune)

6)
The "One-Eyed Dragon" left a significant and undeniable legacy in a turbulent period of Japanese history, nationally (he made a fundamental contribution to unifying the fragmented and war-torn Japanese territory) and internationally. He promoted and sponsored the famous Keicho Embassy, a delegation of samurais sent aboard the Date Maru. The Embassy primarily established diplomatic and commercial relations with Spain and the Pope in Rome and sought support for Christianity in Japan.

7)
Did you know that... Masamune was known for his wide range of interests, including Noh theatre, Japanese and Chinese poetry, tea ceremony and cooking. He is best known as the alleged inventor of dishes such as fried tofu and soybean paste rice cake and for his devotion to cooking.

One-Eyed Dragon Masamune

https://samuraimarket.net/pages/date-masamune-the-one-eyed-dragon

What did Masamune Date do? This is a detailed introduction to his achievements, famous quotes, cause of death, descendants, and family crest.
https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20211103-2164801/

Famous quote by Masamune Date
Date Masamune left behind many famous sayings. Here are some of the most popular ones.

This passage, also known as "Jin-Gi-Rei Chi-Shin" for short, is based on the Date family's Gojo no Country.

It can be translated into modern language as follows:
Too much compassion makes you weak as a person. If you stick to justice, you become hard-headed. Too much politeness, and you become a sycophant. If you understand things too well, you become a liar. Trusting others too much can be damaging.

These words can serve as a lesson for us today, such as the fact that even if we do something generally considered a virtue, it can be detrimental to us if we overdo it and that we should not go overboard with anything.

"In matters, the essential things emerge rather than the small things. Be on your guard."

This quote says: "Things are a series of small events that become big events. You must not let your guard down".

If you let your guard down because of a minor complaint or mistake in your daily life, it can become the seed of a significant incident or accident. This is a word typical of the military commander Date Masamune, who noted that even small events must be dealt with firmly.

One-Eyed Dragon Masamune is the 25th NHK Taiga drama, aired from January 4, 1987, to December 13, 1987. Starring Ken Watanabe .
The highest viewer rating was 47.8%.

The original work is the novel "Date Masamune" by Sohachi Yamaoka. It depicts the life of Date Masamune, a Sengoku warlord from Oshu who built the foundation of the Sendai domain with 620,000 kokus in his lifetime.

In "Favorite Taiga Drama Leading Actor Chosen by 1,000 Readers," Ken Watanabe's work first place, Masato Sakai's "Sanada Maru (2016)" in third place and Masaharu Fukuyama's "Ryomaden" in second place.

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"Taiga" Drama: Stories from Japanese History on Prime-Time TV

https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h01925/

For over 60 years, the annual NHK taiga drama has been a fixture of Japanese television. It is a historical drama typically centred on a well-known figure from the past, such as Murasaki Shikibu, the author of The Tale of Genji in the 2024 series, or the shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu in 2023. Episodes are usually broadcast every week throughout the year.

In 1987, Watanabe Ken became a household name in Japan, playing the warlord Date Masamune in Dokuganryū Masamune (Masamune the One-Eyed Dragon). One of the best-remembered series, it earned an average viewership rating of 39.7%, which is still a record high. This was among the regular entries during the Warring States period (1467–1568).

Shōgun star Sanada Hiroyuki took a support role in Dokuganryū Masamune before playing the lead Ashikaga Takauji, the fourteenth-century founder of the Ashikaga shogunate, in the 1991 drama Taiheiki. This was based on an adaptation by novelist Yoshikawa Eiji of an earlier epic. Many of the series are based on works by famous historical fiction writers like Yoshikawa and Shiba Ryōtarō.

Taiga means "big river," reflecting the epic scale of the production. While "taiga drama" can describe any such show, it is particularly associated with the NHK series.

Viewers worldwide can watch the current drama Dear Radiance with English subtitles on the NHK World Premium channel. Dear Radiance, Many past series are available in Japan only at NHK On Demand.

Recent NHK Taiga Drama Series
Dear Radiance (2024)
Stars Yoshitaka Yuriko as Murasaki Shikibu, the author of The Tale of Genji
What Will You Do, Ieyasu? (2023)
Stars Matsumoto Jun as Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate
Reach Beyond the Blue Sky (2021)
Stars Yoshizawa Ryō as Shibusawa Eiichi, an influential entrepreneur and business leader in the Meiji era (1868–1912)
Sanada Maru (2016)
Stars Sakai Masato as Sanada Yukimura, a samurai leader known for his heroic but unsuccessful defence of Osaka Castle against the Tokugawa shogunate