From SHŌGUN to Sekigahara

01

From Toranaga to Tokugawa Ieyasu

FX’s SHŌGUN, first broadcast in 2024 and based on James Clavell’s novel, is set in Japan in 1600. Lord Yoshii Toranaga navigates a struggle for power; English navigator John Blackthorne, known as Anjin, arrives from abroad; and Toda Mariko moves between languages, loyalties and cultures.

Toranaga was inspired by Tokugawa Ieyasu, a real historical leader. Toranaga himself is fictional, however, and the drama’s conversations and relationships are not a biography of Ieyasu.

Who should you trust? When should you act? The questions that drive the drama offer a way into the real history of Sekigahara. This journey follows that historical connection; it does not present Sekigahara as a filming location.

This article starts with Season 1 of the FX adaptation. A separate expandable note in the train-window section discusses the season finale and is labelled for spoilers.

02

Why Sekigahara mattered

At the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Ieyasu’s eastern army defeated the western coalition associated with Ishida Mitsunari. In 1603, Ieyasu became shogun, Japan’s military ruler, and established his government in Edo, the city now called Tokyo. Tokugawa rule would last for more than 250 years.

1. 1600
   Battle of SekigaharaThe eastern army wins, strengthening Ieyasu’s position.
2. 1603
   The Tokugawa shogunate beginsIeyasu becomes shogun and establishes his government in Edo, now Tokyo.
3. 1615
   The summer siege of OsakaThe Toyotomi family falls. Conflict had continued after Sekigahara.

The battle did not bring an immediate end to every struggle. Victory at Sekigahara, the founding of the shogunate and the consolidation of Tokugawa power were different stages. The conflict with the Toyotomi family continued until 1615.

You do not need to remember every commander or battle plan to enjoy this stretch of railway. Knowing why this place mattered gives the passing landscape another layer.

03

A place you pass through today

The Tokaido Shinkansen passes through Sekigahara between Gifu-Hashima and Maibara stations. This historical landscape lies along the route connecting Tokyo with Kyoto and Osaka.

Start with the shape of the land: the town, fields and surrounding hills. Rather than trying to identify every former military position, look at the place as a whole. People live here, roads cross it, and your train is part of its present-day life. Recognising where you are can be enough to make the view memorable.

The sign may pass before you are ready with a camera, so consider watching with your own eyes first. Our illustrated guide shows what to look for.

04

Step off the train and explore

If you have more time, visit from Sekigahara Station on the JR Tokaido Main Line. Change from the Shinkansen at Nagoya or Maibara, then continue by conventional train to Sekigahara. This is a separate stop to plan into your journey, rather than a station served by the Shinkansen.

The Gifu Sekigahara Battlefield Memorial Museum makes a useful starting point. Its exhibits introduce the battle and the positions of the opposing forces. Exploring the surrounding area afterwards gives those place names a sense of distance and scale.

Visitors with advance reservations have priority for the first-floor audiovisual exhibits. Check reservations, opening days and current admission information on the official website before travelling.

A glimpse from the window and a walk through the area are both ways to get to know Sekigahara. Choose the one that fits the time you have.

From Toranaga to Ieyasu, and from a drama to a real landscape: the next time you travel between Tokyo and Kyoto or Osaka, this stretch of the route may mean a little more.