Trivia

William Adams, the historical figure which the character John Blackthorne was based on, spoke a number of languages, including Portuguese.

The wife of a Samurai would receive a small tanto called a kwaiken, a small dagger, as a wedding gift.

Traditionally, the home of the Emperor is considered the capital. From 794 through 1868, the Emperor lived in Heian-kyo, modern-day Kyoto. After 1868, the seat of the Government of Japan and the location of the Emperor's home was moved to Edo, which it renamed Tokyo.

Magellan's Pass refers to Strait of Magellan is a 350-mile navigable passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It's located in the southernmost part of South America, between Chilean Patagonia and the the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. It was named after Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer who led the first successful attempt to circumnavigate the world. He planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the East Indies across the Pacific Ocean to open a maritime trade route, and achieved the first European navigation to Asia via the Pacific. He died during the expedition, but his crew picked up the mantle.

The Samurai carried two swords: Katana (long sword) and Wakizashi (mid sword). The Katana was used by foot soldiers, and provided a longer reach to initiate and prevent attacks, while the Wakizashi (pronounced wa-kee-za-she) is a shorter sword that is primarily used in close combat situations, especially indoors.Moreover, Wakizashi was used as a backup in case the katana became unusable, and to commit seppuku if necessary. A third worn weapon, the Tanto (dagger) was employed for combat and seppuku as well. The generic names for the Katana and Wakizashi are called Daito (long sword) and Shoto (short sword), and worn together they are called Daisho (long and short).