The first episode of the NHK Taiga drama "Toyotomi Brothers!" (General TV, Sundays at 8:00 PM and other times), starring actor Nakano Taiga, titled "Two Monkeys," will be broadcast on January 4, 2026, with an extended run of 15 minutes. The story centers on Toyotomi Hidenaga, and depicts the miracle of the Toyotomi brothers, who, together with his older brother Hideyoshi, achieve the great feat of unifying Japan through their strong bond. There are only five days until the start of the series. Here, we introduce Tōkichirō (Toyotomi Hideyoshi), played by Ikematsu Sosuke.
Fujiyoshiro is the ambitious older brother of Koichirō (Toyotomi Hidenaga), who dragged him into the turbulent times.
He was born and raised in a poor farming family in Nakamura, Owari, but he rose to prominence under his lord, the Sengoku period warlord Oda Nobunaga, and eventually unified the country.
In the first episode, "Two Monkeys," Koichiro (Nakano), born into a poor farming family in Nakamura, Owari, spends his days contentedly cultivating the fields and living with the soil. One day, a group of bandits attacks the village, and his childhood friend, Nao (Shiraishi Sei), is about to be kidnapped. His older brother, Tokichiro (Ikematsu), returns to the village after an eight-year absence and saves him from peril.
The story goes that Tokichiro, who dreams of becoming a great success in the service of the young Sengoku warlord Oda Nobunaga (Shun Oguri Shun), asks Koichiro to become his retainer.
