Emmy Awards honor Sanada’s dedication to showing ‘the real Japan’; experts and props flown in to ensure authentic costume drama

Hiroyuki Sanada’s long-cherished desire to portray the “real Japan” was recognized Sunday at the U.S. Emmy Awards when he became the first Japanese to win the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in “Shogun.”

Sanada moved his base of operations abroad about 20 years ago. His latest success has been aided by changes within the American entertainment scene, which deepens the understanding of different cultures.

“It was an East meets West dream project with respect,” Sanada said in English after taking the stage to loud applause at the Emmy Awards ceremony. “‘Shogun’ taught me that when people work together, we can do miracles.”

As he spoke, he held his prize and it seemed as if he deeply felt every word he said.

Sanada is from Tokyo and made his full-time acting debut in 1978. He rose to fame in Japan for starring in many films, including “Satomi Hakkenden” (Legend of the Eight Samurai) and “Tasogare Seibee” (“The Twilight Samurai”), and many TV shows, such as NHK’s year-long historical epic “Taiheiki”.

After starring opposite Tom Cruise in “The Last Samurai” in 2003, Sanada moved to Hollywood.

While he continued to give memorable performances on screens big and small, Sanada was always aware that he was Japanese. He got an offer to appear in “Shogun” around 2016, and his first thought was to end the era of inaccurately portraying Japan so that his generation would be the last to endure it.

Sanada accepted the offer on the condition that Japanese actors play Japanese characters and that the production bring in period drama specialists from Japan. He also served as producer. Props and wigs were shipped from Kyoto to filming locations in Canada, and instructors taught the cast samurai manners and swordplay.

“I would like to thank everyone who passed away and supported historical shows,” he said in Japanese during his speech.

His dedication to using authentic dialogue is reflected in the fact that 70% of the lines in “Shogun” are spoken in Japanese and subtitled. It was a big gamble, but viewers accepted it and were able to experience the grandeur of Japanese period dramas.

“I hope this production will help pass on costume dramas and create productions that will be accepted all over the world, even though they come from Japan,” Sanada said at a press conference after the awards ceremony.

Anna Sawai won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Mariko, a Christian woman who remains loyal to Lord Toranaga (played by Sanada) despite all her suffering. Sawai was a member of a girl group in Japan before moving her base of operations to the United States, where she appeared in the 2021 film “Wild Speed: Jet Break,” among others.

She was in tears when she accepted the award.

“[Sanada] has really opened doors and continues to open doors for people like me,” Sawai said as she held her trophy aloft.