We're here to help! Here are the basics of what you need to get by: The show opens with the death of Japan's former ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi, paving the way for Shogun's power struggle.

As the story goes on, John seeks to have a close relationship with Lord Toranaga to gain access to trade in Japan and also to gain his ship back so that he can travel back to his homeland.

During the Tokugawa era (A.D. 1603–1868), much of Japan was ruled by the country’s military governor, called the shogun, or his retainers. The rest was divided up into several hundred ...