Shot in Los Angeles, California, Takeshi Kitano plays Yamamoto, a lone yakuza officer. Defeated in a war with a rival family, his boss killed, he heads to L.A.
As time passes, Yamamoto and his new gang emerge as a powerful force, gradually expanding their turf to an extent that they must confront the Mafia. The Mafia's attacks are ruthless, and soon Yamamoto and his gang are driven into a disastrous situation of no return as they are hunted down one by one.
Set in the southern city of Nagasaki during the 1920s, the story depicts the romantic involvement between a beautiful aging woman who used to be a legendary geisha, Aihachi, and an equally aging businessman and amateur scholar and historian, Jujiro Koga, that take place in the city of Nagasaki. Smitten with her talent and mature beauty, Koga invites Aihachi to record Nagasaki folk songs before they disappear forever.
Adapted from Rei Nakanishi's award-winning novel.
The 35th NHK Taiga Drama is Hideyoshi, the story of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle. He is noted for a number of cultural legacies, including the restriction that only members of the samurai class could bear arms. Hideyoshi is regarded as Japan's second "great unifier".
The drama won 11th Television Drama Academy Awards (1996-Dec-20) for best drama.