Lady Ochiba (落葉の方 Ochiba-no-kata) is a character in the FX limited series, Shōgun, who is portrayed by Fumi Nikaido.
Lady Ochiba is the feared and admired mother of Yaechiyo, the heir. As the only consort to bear the late Taikō a child, she is ruthless and calculating. Ochiba keeps her alliances to herself and will do anything or be anybody to keep her son safe.
Biography[]
Lady Ochiba visited the castle of Lord Toranaga when his daughter-in-law went into labor. She was granted permission to return after the birth, calming fears that she was being kept in the castle as a hostage until Toranaga was safely released from the Council of Regents.
Lady Ochiba returned to Osaka, thanking Lord Ishido for helping her in her release from Edo. She mentioned hearing that the Council was outmaneuvered but Ishido insisted it will all be restored. Lady Ochiba now insists the Council answer to her.
Lady Ochiba brushes her son’s hair and has a flashback to her time as a young girl and her friendship with Lady Mariko. She remembers hearing that her father was murdered in Kyoto and getting rushed to safety. She then met with Daoyoin, who told her she couldn’t give the Taikō a son and instead needs a consort, her, to give birth to an heir.
Before the Council votes again, Ochiba-no-kata speaks to Lord Ishido about the late Taiko and her dislike of Lord Toranaga. Later, after the vote is still not resolved, Lord Ishido requests patience from Ochiba-no-kata. Ochiba-no-kata tells Ishido that Toranaga planned the death of her father -even if Mariko’s father was the one who killed him. She tells him how she became the mother of the heir even though hundreds of women could not - she said she “compelled fate to look at me, so I could scratch out its eyes”.
Receiving a Proposal[]
Ishido informs Ochiba-no-kata that her plan was a great success. He then suggests they strengthen their partnership with marriage and leaves her to think on it. She later accepts.
Welcoming Mariko in Osaka[]
Mariko arrives and congratulates Ishido and Ochiba-no-kata on their engagement. Ochiba-no-kata welcomes Mariko herself. They invite her to enter a poetry contest but Mariko informs Ishido that she won’t be around for the contest because she needs to escort Kiri-no-kata and Lady Shizu back to Edo to reunite with Toranaga. Ishido denies her request and is shocked by her impolite requests. Mariko tells him her loyalty is to her lord and that she must leave. Later after she is refused the right to exit, Mariko threatens to commit suicide as not leaving Osaka is a great offense to her lord.
Ochiba-no-kata clarifies the situation to Ishido and the Council of Regents - if Mariko dies, every noble family will revolt in protest. If they let her leave, the hostages will demand to leave as well.
Later, she tries to play some games of her own. The heir requests John’s presence, which means Mariko must join to translate. Ochiba-no-kata is there and welcomes them but Mariko immediately suspects it’s a ruse. Ochiba-no-kata immediately asks her to stop her games. She recounts their childhood and closeness to John. She then asks how killing herself will help her son. Mariko and John leave.
Mourning Mariko and Pledging Loyalty[]
After Mariko dies, Ochiba-no-kata insists they hold a funeral for her in Osaka. She secretly sends a letter, through Lady Shizu and Kiri-no-kata, to Lord Toranaga. She grew tired of her relationship with Ishido, and pledged to Lord Toranaga that she would not send the heir’s army to support Ishido in war. This gives Lord Toranaga the power to become a shōgun.
Personality[]
Ochiba-no-kata is ruthless and calculating.