One very stinky pheasant helps drive home the cultural differences at play in Shogun.
This article contains spoilers forShogunepisode 5.
Food plays an important role in FX miniseriesShogun.
Through two dishes English rabbit stew, and fermented pheasant Shogunreveals that mistranslations can extend beyond even language.
What is English Rabbit Stew?
Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai) believed her husband Toda Hirokatsu a.k.a.
Buntaro (Shinnosuke Shin Abe) to have died in battle.
Its exactly what it sounds like: a simple stew with some rabbit and other available vegetables and spices.
Unfortunately none of his Japanese guests are interested in trying it.
Or it could be a commentary on how much Buntaros presence has upended the Blackthorne household.
What Is Fermented Pheasant?
So what the hell was Blackthorne doing with that rotting pheasant?
The bird must be strung up in the courtyard to rot and ferment for at least a week.
Then it will be served.
But a full week out in the elements seems pretty aggressive for poultry, no?
Well it turns out that this barbarian just might know what hes doing on this one.
Hank endeavored to hang his pheasants for at least for at least three days at 50-55 degrees.
Recall that it isnt summer currently inShoguns timeline.
The temperature in Ajiro is likely in the 40-59F range.
That pheasant probably would have tasted great … if anyone ever got the chance to eat it.
Why is Food in Important in Episode 5?
Of course,Shogunisnt just about the safe and sanitary preparation of meats.
There is a reason for the fermented pheasants inclusion in episode 5.
Blackthorne hasnt been in Japan very long but he is slowly developing a formidable vocabulary of Japanese words.
The best he can muster is something akin to a hyperbolic joke: If touch die.
Well someone touches Blackthornes bird, the gardener Uejirou, and he is indeed killed.
Up to this point things had been going pretty well for Blackthorne in Japan.
This misunderstanding over simple food prep ends with him doubting his entire destiny in Japan.
Interestingly, this episode also ends with a reminder as to why feudal Japanese culture is so strict.
Blackthorne endures another particularly violent earthquake in episode 5.
Hopefully theres some space in the middle between obedience and executions.
Blackthorne now seems determined to find it.
Five episodes of Shogun are available to stream on Hulu now.
New episodes premiere Tuesdays on Hulu and Tuesday nights at 10 p.m.
