What Happened To John Blackthorne’s Gardener In Shogun Episode 5

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Shōgun episode 5.

The fate of John Blackthorne’s gardener in Shōgun episode 5 nearly causes the newly appointed Hatamoto to leave Japan for good. Shōgun episode 5 “Broken to the Fist” sees the return of Lord Yoshii Toranaga from Edo and the surprise reveal that Lady Mariko’s samuari husband Toda Buntaro survived and escaped Osaka. Blackthorne is confronted and tested by Buntaro as they are ordered to live together under the same roof along with Lady Mariko and the consort Usami Fuji.

As a reward for successfully training Lord Yabushige’s troops while he was away in Edo, Lord Toranaga gives a pheasant to Blackthorne who treats it like a delicacy. In order to prepare it the way he knows how, Blackthorne hangs the pheasant up in the garden where it rots for days and produces a fowl odor. Due to the fact that the new Hatamoto in Shōgun hardly knows any Japanese, he does his best to explain that no one is allowed to touch the pheasant by inappropriately and facetiously using the word for death.

The Ajiro Gardener Was Killed For Removing The Dead Bird In Shogun Episode 5

Due to his esteemed status as a Hatamoto given to him by Lord Toranaga, Blackthorne wielded an absolute power over Usami Fuji and the people who worked in the Ajiro living quarters he was given as part of his rank. This includes the gardener, who was revealed to be the one to dispose of the dead bird against Blackthorne’s wishes. While Blackthorne obviously did not mean that touching the pheasant would be met with a death sentence, his consort took his words literally and seriously.

The Hatamoto, who had been mostly curious and humored by the Japanese customs up until that point, became horrified that his words led to the death of the gardener Uejiro. He did not understand how devout his subordinates would be in carrying out his wishes and demands, no matter how brutal or bizarre they seemed to be. It goes to show just how different Blackthorne’s world is from the ritualistic culture of feudal Japan as portrayed in Shōgun.

Why Blackthorne’s “If Touch…Die” Warning Was Taken So Seriously

Lady Mariko later explains to Blackthorne that regardless of what he says, his instructions as the Hatamoto have incredible weight and significance. Without Mariko around to translate, Blackthorne did his best to get his point across, but his misuse of the language ultimately caused the problem. Blackthorne fully takes on the guilt for Uejiro’s senseless death, which is eventually given purpose when Muraji frames him as Toranaga’s spy. Blackthorne requests that Toranaga allow him to leave Japan permanently, something that the Hatamoto likely won’t be able to do in future episodes of Shōgun.