Toyotomi Kyodai! drama faces historical accuracy criticism

The NHK Taiga drama ‘Toyotomi Kyodai!’ is generating significant discussion regarding its narrative direction and historical accuracy. Recent episodes have introduced Hojo Ujimasa, portrayed by Daisuke Tanihara, as a major antagonist in the struggle for national unification.

However, the production has faced criticism from local governments. The cities of Taketa and Ibaraki have submitted formal expressions of regret to NHK, citing depictions of the warrior Nakagawa Kiyohide that they claim deviate significantly from historical facts. The cities requested that the broadcaster respect historical accuracy more closely in works based on history.

Behind the scenes, production chief Hirotaka Matsukawa has discussed casting choices, such as Ryosuke Yamada as Toyotomi Hide次, noting the character’s role as a key figure who will introduce new conflicts within the Toyotomi family. The drama continues to see high viewer engagement, particularly during intense emotional scenes involving the daughters of Oichi.