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CJKDramas.com  Japanese Drama   J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) Support board & forum SearchRSS CJKDramas.com   |   Runboard       註冊 / 登録 / Register (learn about it) | Sign in (lost password?) Page:  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20   21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39  40   41  42  43  44  45  46  47  48  49  50  51  52  53  54  55  nchristi Moderator Global user (premium) Registered: 03-2004 Location: Hotel California Posts: 8809 Quote Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) I don't remember if Bubu referenced this website in the past, but I found it very interesting. There are historical facts that are spoilers for our Atsu-hime drama, so venture in at your discretion. Lesley Downer is the daughter of a Chinese-Canadian mother. Her father is Canadian and a professor of Chinese. She has authored a number of books on Japan, which is her passion. Currently she is on tour in Japan and Europe for her latest book, The Last Concubine. The article refers to info from a scholarly study in the 1890s, in which a few remaining ladies-in-waiting and maids from the 14th and 16th Shogun palace were interviewed. Since all were forbidden to reveal anything that went on within the Women's Palace walls, there was nothing recorded down through the centuries until this effort was made, after the Shogunate had been disbanded and all the thousands of women within were turned out into the street to fend for themselves. This scholarly effort was made to document the secret life and ways before all first person accounts would forever be lost, silenced in death. I found it fascinating and a real eye opener to what life would have been like on a daily basis for Atsu. Lesley Downer: Secrets of the Shogun's Harem [Article contains spoilers] 6/26/2008, 10:23 pm    brad6 Member Global user Registered: 07-2004 Posts: 2266 Quote Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) nchristi. This is such fascinating information. I have logged it and hope to find that book. I notice the piece about Yoshinobu the last Shogun. He seemed to have many children and presumably some of them lived. Therefore it seems to me that his family line must still be carried on. I think I will try and find something about his family tree somewhere on the internet. Thanks for the post nchristi. Peg 6/26/2008, 11:00 pm    Hiroshi66 Moderator Global user (premium) Registered: 02-2004 Location: Northridge, California Posts: 8795 Quote Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) Nchristi, thanks so much for posting up that interesting article! Downer is right, even today it is so difficult to find much information on the Ooku or on the lives of the ladies-in-waiting and concubines who lived within its walls. I think she mentioned that there has been a recent surge of interest in the Ooku lately because of the taiga drama airing as well as the Ooku films. I'm also going to keep an eye out for that book, it will be a great read after watching Atsu-hime. From the sounds of it, this is going to be a superb taiga. 6/27/2008, 1:00 am    brad6 Member Global user Registered: 07-2004 Posts: 2266 Quote Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) This is a fascinating subject and the prints must be vivid and beautiful. The art of presenting anything on paper is one of the most entertaining and satisfying things the Japanese can do. In fact everything they do is always intricate and reaches many levels. Peg 6/27/2008, 12:00 pm    Hiroshi66 Moderator Global user (premium) Registered: 02-2004 Location: Northridge, California Posts: 8795 Quote Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) Thanks for posting up those scans, Bubu! Woodblock prints are my favorite style of Japanese art and the ones from the Edo Period are especially interesting because they convey all parts of daily life. But I sure do feel bad for both the shogun and his concubine, LOL! How unpleasant for them that they were able to have no private time to themselves and had to have people there the entire time. I found it interesting that these ladies in waiting who "supervised" the private moments of the shogun were portrayed in the woodblock prints -- I guess it was a way of documenting these day-to-day occurances in the Ooku! 6/27/2008, 12:39 pm    nchristi Moderator Global user (premium) Registered: 03-2004 Location: Hotel California Posts: 8809 Quote Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) I thought the comment in the article appropos that it was no wonder the Shoguns didn't have a lot of children. Except for the 'children of the bath' (can't remember the exact phrase) where there was only one lowly female attendant there washing the Shogun's back—until a stop was put to it and women attendants were replaced with males only. But really, the main thought I'm left with is how inhumanly isolated royals of any nation are, though seemingly surrounded by droves and living a life of luxury. I haven't followed the royals in Japan, but I've wondered whatever happened to that young wife who went from a productive life on the outside to marriage and having every minute of her life controlled by the staff within the palace to the point of her rumored breakdowns. It is all glorified in Atsu-hime, but even this show gives me a near claustophobic feeling when I think of the free-spirited Atsu in Satsuma now confined to the ooku. Yuk. 6/27/2008, 8:08 pm    brad6 Member Global user Registered: 07-2004 Posts: 2266 Quote Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) Actually cannot speak to Japanese royals. However, strange as it may be, the upper sections of society who mingle with the royals in UK don't really know what it is like to be anything 'below the salt'. they are born into families which have money and position bequeathed from hundreds of years. They do not know how to do ordinary things and mostly have everything done for them. Their education is different and they honestly live in a rarified atmosphere. The women are brought up to think only of making the right marriage. In fact arranged marriages certainly exist to have the correct bloodlines matched. The men go to Army, Diplomacy or the Church. There is undoubtedly a loosening of the society... but when push comes to shove the older standards will prevail. Peg 6/28/2008, 5:00 pm    Hiroshi66 Moderator Global user (premium) Registered: 02-2004 Location: Northridge, California Posts: 8795 Quote Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) Peg, that's really interesting because the higher levels of British society are so similar to the upper sections of Japanese society. In Japan also, the families of the upper class have their children marry to solidify political or business dealings. In that respect its much like the old days. Often times, the children of politicians or business CEO's follow in their parents footsteps. One notable exception I can think of is Junichiro Koizumi's son -- the young actor we just saw in Haken no Hinkaku. It seems he has no interest in politics and has found a career in the entertainment circle instead! Last edited by Hiroshi66, 6/28/2008, 5:39 pm 6/28/2008, 5:37 pm    Hiroshi66 Moderator Global user (premium) Registered: 02-2004 Location: Northridge, California Posts: 8795 Quote Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) Atsu-hime #20 - The Wedding Night Tonight's episode was awesome! Atsu and Shogun Iesada are finally wed, and they have their first meeting. What a disaster..... until the end. That last scene at the end was great -- after twenty episodes we finally receive some confirmation that Shogun Iesada isn't the fool he pretends to be, and this was discovered by Atsu without her having to go through anyone else. I think the way she realized it was when he saved her from falling in, and then said "That was close" in a serious, calm, and collected tone. Then he went back to his crazy façade while chasing after the duck. Speaking of which.. I think Atsu pretended to fall. She had mentioned to Ikushima that she was going to find out herself.. and maybe setting him up was the way she could get her answer. Good one Atsu-hime! I enjoyed today's episode because we were able to be introduced to some of the Edo period wedding rituals.. what a tiring day! No wonder Atsu-hime fell asleep before she finished her "fairy tale". During that scene where Atsu and the Shogun were preparing for the wedding night ritual, I noticed that the ladies-in-waiting were waiting on the other side of the screen just like the article said. Poor Atsu... she felt pretty weird about it too! The Edo Ooku is sure full of some loons... Lady Honjuin (Atsu's mother-in-law) "fainting" when she heard Atsu went to sleep before Iesada during the wedding night ritual. What a drama queen! It seems all she wants is for Atsu to bear Iesada an heir. She and her servant (that lady who she is always seen with) don't seem to have many other concerns! And then there's O-shiga, Iesada's concubine. I wonder how Atsu will deal with her now that Ikushima told Atsu about who Shiga really is. It looks like the two are competing for Shogun Iesada's affection... Meanwhile back in Satsuma... looks like Naogoro will never be truly over Atsu-hime. I think Ochika suspects this as well. Atsu was Naogoro's first true love, so I think he will always be thinking about her no matter how good his relationship with Ochika is. What a shame since it does seem that Ochika cares very deeply for Naogoro and she is doing her very best to make him happy. Episode 21 airs next Saturday. This drama is really getting good.... 6/28/2008, 9:16 pm    bubu13 Member Global user Registered: 07-2006 Posts: 1357 Quote Re: J-Drama: 篤姫 (Atsu-hime) This is just a fun Taiga to watch, I'm really enjoying it so far. The Midaidokoro sure looked embarrassed when Ikushima unrolled the shunga scroll. Hiroshi66, That maid that's always with Lady Honjuin is Utahashi... see chart below. • The Women Who Support Midaidokoro (御台所を支える女性たち) • Keypersons of Oh-oku (大奥のキーパーソン) --- 6/29/2008, 10:40 am    Add a reply Page:  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20   21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39  40   41  42  43  44  45  46  47  48  49  50  51  52  53  54  55  Link to us   -  Blogs   -  Hall of Honour   -  Chat You are not logged in (login)      11/29/2009, 11:17 am

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