Japan. 1862. The heir of a brilliant Noble House, conducting its affairs in the Land of the Rising Sun… A direct descendant of the first shōgun, Toranaga, who struggles to ensure that his homeland abandons medieval ways and steps into a new era… A young, enchanting Frenchwoman, torn between ambition and feeling… Their fates converge on a mysterious land that has opened up to foreigners once again—gaijin. Their passions intertwine with the interests of monarchs and diplomats, hired assassins, courtesans, and spies.