DVDs to View Before Reaching Kyoto -- Shogun as well as Memoirs of a Geisha
It is clear that the 1980 miniseries "Shogun" makes Osaka Castle and the Tokagawa Shogun's building in Nijo castle make more sense. (In the miniseries, the antagonist [Lord Ishido] commands Osaka castle while the protagonist [Lord Toranaga] commands Nijo.) The attired dummies in the chambers of the Shogun's building look like scenes in the audience rooms from the "Shogun" movie. Great production values! The movie was 100% shot and produced in Japan; the designers had the real sets and costumes as inspiration for bringing alive a true slice of history.
William Adams (represented by the Blackthorne or Anjin-san character) was a real person whose adventures are chronicled in the miniseries. Adams is buried in Japan and he was a valued retainer to the first shogun whose line of leaders represent the Tokagawa shogunate.
The DVD of Memoirs of a Geisha was helpful for the visit to the Gion ("entertainment") section of Kyoto and for the entertainment evening when the Geisha-in-training performs (and answers all of our questions).
Any suggestions on movies that feature Tokyo as backdrop?
