Ejima and Ikushima

Synopsis

This period film is inspired by one of the most notorious scandals to have taken place in Edo-period Japan. The heroine, Ejima, was a lady of the Ooku, the harem of Edo Castle in which the Shogun’s mother, wife and concubines resided, forbidden from contact with any other man except in the presence of the Shogun. The institution played a key role in the Byzantine world of Japanese court politics during the Edo era. In 1714, Lady Ejima was sent to pay her respects at a Buddhist temple in the city, and chose to pay an unauthorised visit to the kabuki theatre – a violation of protocol that was to have tragic consequences.

Chikage Awashima

絵島

Ichikawa Danjūrō XI

生島新五郎

Mitsuko Kusabue

宇津

Mieko Takamine

月光院

Kuniko Miyake

天英院

Ichikawa Sadanji III

家宣

小林きよし

家継

阪東彦三郎

紀州公吉宗

Teiji Takahashi

間部越前守

Tatsuya Ishiguro

新井白石

Eijirō Yanagi

土屋相模守

Joji Kaieda

秋本但馬守