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FX Networks released the first official trailer for Shogun on November 2, 2023, on YouTube. Since its release, the trailer has garnered widespread recognition from the masses and piqued the interest of those who have already read James Clavell's 1975 novel of the same name, on which the mini-series is based.
The show's events are based in 16th-century Japan, a time characterised by great political turmoil. However, an article published by Esquire on February 27, 2024, pointed out that the show was not shot in Japan.
Interestingly, besides initial principal photography, the show was entirely shot in Canada. Most parts of the show were reportedly shot in Port Moody and Ucluelet in British Columbia, Canada. The place has been a shooting hotspot for other period dramas in the past as well.
With that being said, some parts of the show were also filmed in Japan and the United Kingdom, the locations the two key characters of the show hail from.
Which locations were used for filming Shogun 2024?
As mentioned already, despite being set in Japan, Shogun was not filmed in the country. This is because present-day Japan looks a lot different from the Japan the show was set in, during the 16th century. Besides some pivotal scenes shot at original locations, most of the show was filmed in Canada. In Canada, the show was entirely shot in Port Moody and Ucluelet in British Columbia.
1) Port Moody
As mentioned, excerpts of Shogun have been shot in Port Moody, a city in British Columbia, Canada. It encompasses the east end of Burrard Inlet, which serves as its primary water source. There are more than 41 streams that flow into Burrard Inlet through Port Moody.
The natural topography of the area served as an ideal location for the shooting of the show. The city still boasts prime locations that have mostly remained unaltered since it was given the status of town in 1859. Prior to that, the settlement's origins can be traced to as early as 7000 BCE.
2) Ucluelet
Parts of Shogun have been shot in Ucluelet, which is a municipality in British Columbia, Canada. The location has been a favorite among makers developing historical dramas in recent times. The place has been one of the top picks, especially to imitate areas located in parts of East Asia.
Ucluelet is a melting pot of various cultures. It houses people from European, Filipino, Japanese, and Indigenous backgrounds. The topography of the area is therefore an amalgamation of all these cultures. This was reportedly one of the prime reasons for the show being shot in the location.
What is Shogun about?
Goodbye Kansas Studios describes Shogun's plot as chronicling the events set off by two "ambitious men":
"...the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious female samurai; John Blackthorne, a risk-taking English sailor who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, a land whose unfamiliar culture will ultimately redefine him; Lord Toranaga, a shrewd, powerful daimyo, at odds with his own dangerous, political rivals; and Lady Mariko, a woman with invaluable skills but dishonorable family ties, who must prove her value and allegiance."
The show stars Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira, Tommy Bastow, and Fumi Nikaido in major roles.
The first two episodes of Shogun have already been released on Hulu and FX on February 27, 2024. The other eight episodes of the show will be released on a weekly basis.
