NHK drama '豊臣兄弟!' episode 26 portrays Nobunaga's last days and Hideyoshi's Tottori siege

The NHK historical drama "豊臣兄弟!" aired its 26th episode, titled “笑わせろ！”, focusing on Oda Nobunaga’s stay at Long Ham Castle, his uneasy mental state, and the events that lead to the upcoming Honnō‑ji Incident. The episode shows Nobunaga being entertained by the Toyotomi brothers, a wine‑tasting contest with Hideyoshi, and introduces a speculative plotline in which Nobunaga’s nephew Oda Shin‑suke and Akechi Mitsuhide’s father‑in‑law are portrayed as possible hidden conspirators.

A separate commentary on the same episode highlights that the drama does not depict Hideyoshi’s historically brutal siege of Tottori Castle in 1581, known as the "Tottori famine killings," where a 200‑day siege ended in famine‑related deaths before the castle fell to Hideyoshi’s forces. The commentary links the siege to the broader military campaign that preceded the Honnō‑ji Incident.