Shogun season 1 episode 5: What is Tatarigami? 

Shogun season 1 episode 5 was a slow yet content-heavy episode. It had a mention of the Japanese term “Tatarigami,” which the villagers believe has taken up residence in Blackthorne’s house. The term refers to spirits that bring death and destruction.

True to the reference, the episode also showed how an earthquake caused damage to the village and injured Fuji.

Shogun is a Japanese-American production of a historical fiction series created by Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo. Adapted from an eponymous 1975 James Clavell novel, the television series was preceded by a 1980 miniseries, also of the same name. The ten-episode show premiered on FX and Hulu on February 27, 2024.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers. Reader’s discretion is advisable.

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What is the Tatarigami reference in Shogun season 1 episode 5?

A still from the show (Image via FX Network)

As mentioned before, episode 5 of Shogun, titled Broken to the Fist, showed how the villagers are wondering if the Anjin, Blackthorne’s home is housing the Tatarigami. Moreover, the episode presented various dark plot threads, including Buntaro’s return and his assault on Mariko.

The servants of the Anjin’s house were also in a difficult spot. On the one hand, they were enduring the decaying pheasant that their master had asked to leave hanging, whereas on the other, they were also tolerating rumors of Tatarigami in the house.

The episode also displayed the paradox of obedience when gardener Uejiro followed headman Muraji’s instruction and buried Blackthorne’s dead pheasant. As a result, Fuji punished him for disobeying the Anjin by ordering his death. She also asked Blackthorne to punish her for not saving his pheasant.

The story of Tatarigami loomed large when the village faced damages caused by an earthquake. While Blackthorne managed to rescue Toranaga, who was a victim of a landslide due to quake, he returned to find Fuji badly injured.

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What is Tatarigami and what are its powers?

Tatarigami are Japanese spirits of destruction (Image via FX Network)

Tatarigami refers to the Japanese belief in evil spirits who work as powerful gods of destruction. They may be mythical gods or ghosts of malevolent historical figures. They are believed to be vengeful spirits who wreak havoc on those they believe to be their enemies.

The powers of Tatarigami range from earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis to diseases and other torturous deaths.

Traditionally, various ceremonies, rituals and festivals were followed to appease the spirits in an attempt to lift or abate the curses.

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What led to the Tatarigami effect in the Shogun episode?

In episode 5 of Shogun, the belief of Tatarigami stands valid with Mariko being assaulted by her husband, Uejiro dying, and Fuji injured, all in the Anjin’s house. The earthquake may also be viewed by the villagers as Tatarigami’s curse.

They started gossiping about the Anjin household and Tatarigami’s residence inside it after Blackthorne hung the dead pheasant. After he was gifted a freshly killed bird, he decided to age it and hung it in the front yard. He further forbade all people in his house from touching it.

However, the villagers considered it a bad omen. When Blackthorne’s gardener Uejiro buried the rotting bird under the village headman’s order, he was executed for disobeying making the Tatarigami curse seem true.

The destruction and injuries caused in this episode will be followed up with conflicts among various concerned parties in the upcoming episodes. Watch out for Shogun season 1 episode 6, to arrive on March 26, 2024, to know what happens next in the FX show, also available on Hulu.