(Voice actor) Mr.Akira Daniel Duncan

Outstandingly tall towers are the distinction of Japanese castles. Numerous castles, including Himeji, Osaka, and Nagoya Castle, are renowned for their magnificent towers. However, Edo Castle, the greatest castle in Japan and where the Shogun, the head of the Tokugawa regime, resided does not have a tower. This story will explain why. One man’s decision forever altered the silhouette of Edo Castle. That man’s name was Masayuki Hoshina, a younger brother of the third Shogun, Iemitsu Tokugawa. Born in 1611, Masayuki was adopted by the family of a small feudal lord in the Shinshu province, hidden from the Tokugawa Clan. Why? His existence was hidden in order to protect his life. Masayuki’s elderbrother, Iemitsu Tokugawa, was a grandson of Ieyasu Tokugawa. However that did not automatically made Iemitsu the Shogun. Iemitsu won the position by defeating his younger brother, Tadanaga Tokugawa. Losing the competition, Tadanaga committed Seppuku and died. Of course, Iemitsu did not hate his own brother, with whom he spent his childhood, but should there be over one heir to the Tokugawa Clan it could allow succession races to break out that would weaken the regime. Such succession races had caused many families to die out. The warring states period had just ended when Iemitsu Tokugawa became the Shogun. The war could have been resurrected if the Tokugawa regime who had ended the provincial wars lost their powers. Iemitsu chose to protect the clan and national peace by sacrificing his brother’s life. Ultimately, Iemitsu found out about his hidden brother, Masayuki Hoshina. Iemitsu summoned Masayuki to Edo and met him face to face. Masayuki Hoshina then swore to Iemitsu that he would serve him as a vassal, not as a brother. And he kept his promise. Masayuki Hoshina came to be Iemitsu’s right hand man. As Iemitsu Tokugawa died of illness in 1651, he entrust his son, Ietsuna Tokugawa, to the care of Masayuki. Masayuki proved worthy of his trust and became a major supporting figure in the Tokugawa regime. When a large fire broke out that destroyed most of the Edo town in 1657, Edo Castle lost its tower to the flames. Masayuki Hoshina provided food for the victims who had lost their homes and proceeded with the reconstruction of the town. Some strongly argued for the Edo Castle tower to be rebuilt. Masayuki turned down these arguments and decided not to reconstruct the castle tower. Why did he make the decision? Please find out in this story of the lost tower of Edo Castle.