Usami Fuji (宇佐見 藤) is a character in the FX limited series, Shōgun, who is portrayed by Moeka Hoshi.
Fuji’s young life is marked by terrible tragedy, which would make her the saddest character if it weren’t for her unwavering sense of self as a highborn lady of special pride and nobility. She is the granddaughter of Hiromatsu, Toranaga’s closest friend.
Biography[]
Losing her Family[]
After her husband, Tadayoshi, speaks out of turn and offends the Council of Regents his punishment is to kill his own son. Fuji, devastated, refuses to hand the baby for for execution. She even holds a knife to her own neck. Lady Mariko tries to calm her down and convinces her put the knife down and hand the baby over to be killed.
Days later, Hiromatsu brings Fuji her husband and child’s remains and tells her their lord requests that she go to Ajiro that evening. She agrees and goes with them to Ajiro.
Consort to John Blackthorne[]
In Ajiro, Fuji begs Mariko to let her leave and become a nun because she would rather that than serve a barbarian. Mariko insists she trusts Lord Toranaga and only asks for a year of service from Fuji, acting as John's consort. Fuji compromises and agrees to six months. She moves in with him in his new home.
Fuji follows John around, which initially annoys him. Later he apologizes and gifts her one of his best guns. In return, she gives him her family's samurai swords which is a great honor. They seem to start to form a friendship.
Sharing her Home with Buntaro[]
Fuji welcomes Buntaro to her home, where he will stay as a guest of the Anjin and with his wife Mariko. Buntaro is displeased about the situation but Fuji tries to maintain her pride and position as consort to a hatamoto, disregarding Buntaro's rude remarks. They all eat dinner together and Fuji is forced to watch Buntaro threaten and be rude to Mariko.
Later, John returns to his home where the stinking, fly-covered pheasant (that was a gift from Toranaga) is gone, after John explicitly told no one to touch it. Fuji reveals it was the gardener and tries to explain that he has been put to death for the crime. This horrifies John. She begs him to end her life but he tells her to go away.
An earthquake rocks the ground around Ajiro and Fuji gets injured, but survives the ordeal. John rushes to help her.
After Toranaga gifts John a night with Kiku, Mariko and Fuji negotiate and arrange for her visit.
Later, Fuji welcomes her grandfather Toda Hiromatsu who complements her clean home. She tells him she waits for death after her service to Toranaga to rejoin her husband and son but he asks her why not choose life instead.
Becoming a Nun[]
Fuji tells Anjin she is leaving the following day to become a nun. She tells him she is no longer his consort and that her service to Lord Toranaga is now complete.
Later, John takes Fuji onto the water to release the ashes of her late husband and child. John releases Mariko’s rosary into the water as well to say goodbye.
Personality[]
Fuji is a graceful, caring person who is protective of the ones she loves.