Chapter 51
Contains spoilersOverview
Before dawn, Yabu covertly relocates Erasmus to Yokohama and strikes a pact with Blackthorne to help seize the Black Ship, tightening their wartime alignment. Mariko secures Father Alvito’s aid to protect Blackthorne and carries a warning to the Church. A loyalty test triggers an assassination attempt; discipline hardens aboard.
Summary
Before dawn, Naga guides Yabu, Blackthorne, Uraga-noh-Tadamasa, and six samurai out of Yedo Castle. Unchallenged through guarded gates, they reach Erasmus, where Blackthorne boards, rallies his apprehensive crew, and readies for a tow. A galley arrives; under Naga’s oversight the ships ease into the harbor stream, and Yabu takes station aboard Erasmus.
At sea Yabu seeks a fresh start, proposing a partnership with Blackthorne to seize the Portuguese Black Ship and promising men for the assault. He recalls obtaining Toranaga’s assent to move Erasmus to Yokohama for storm safety, leave Naga to command there, then sail on to Osaka and beyond. Yabu privately dreams of command of the sea while leveraging Toranaga’s orders.
Ashore, Father Alvito and Brother Michael watch the departure in dismay and plot to warn their superiors, lacking carrier pigeons. At the future cathedral site, Mariko requests an improvised Mass and offers intelligence in exchange for efforts to spare Blackthorne. She outlines Toranaga’s ruse and rumors that Onoshi may poison Kiyama, implicating Uraga’s past. Alvito agrees to do all he can within Church bounds and sends Mariko with a verbal dispatch to the Father-Visitor.
By sunset Erasmus lies anchored in Yokohama’s superb harbor, the galley moored nearby. Uraga urges a test for Christians; he performs fumi-e and compels the samurai to follow. One samurai suddenly attacks Blackthorne but is intercepted, then kills himself in the sea. Blackthorne repeats the test for all, forces his crew to comply despite their anger, promotes the four divers (led by Nawa Chisato) to captaincies, and goes ashore with Uraga, rewarding him richly.
Blackthorne recalls the previous night: with Fujiko and Kiku present, Mariko warned him against Yabu and Uraga. Yabu then arrived with Toranaga’s urgent orders to move Erasmus at once; Mariko refused to travel with him, departing at dawn for Osaka. Exhausted yet resolute, Blackthorne weighs Yabu’s usefulness against the danger, fears Catholic plots, and—despite Gyoko’s warning—chooses to trust Uraga for now.
Who Appears
- John Blackthorne (Anjin-san)
Commands Erasmus’ secret tow to Yokohama, forges a pact with Yabu, enforces fumi-e, survives an assassination attempt, and rewards Uraga.
- Yabu
Orchestrates the covert move, proposes alliance to seize the Black Ship, plans sea power, and proceeds toward Osaka.
- Uraga-noh-Tadamasa
Engineers the fumi-e test, helps expose a traitor, gains Blackthorne’s trust and a raise to 100 koku despite lingering doubts.
- Father Alvito
Witnesses Erasmus depart, despairs for the Church, conducts an improvised Mass, and accepts Mariko’s intelligence and dispatch.
- Toda Mariko (Maria)
Bargains for Blackthorne’s protection, reveals Toranaga’s ruse and deadly rumors, carries a verbal message to the Father-Visitor.
- Brother Michael
Assists Alvito, seeks couriers, and supports the plan to warn Church authorities.
- Naga
Leads the escape from Yedo, rides the towing galley, and is left to command at Yokohama.
- Baccus van Nekk
Questions the hurried departure, helps calm the crew, and takes charge when Blackthorne goes ashore.
- Johann Vinck
Helms during the tow; voices fear and resentment toward the samurai.
- Jan Roper
Challenges Blackthorne’s authority over arms and law, then backs down under samurai threat.
- Nawa Chisato
Dives after the attacker’s body and is appointed temporary ship captain by Blackthorne.
- Kiku
Attends Blackthorne’s gathering, relays Gyoko’s warning about Uraga, and entertains Toranaga.
- Fujiko
Supports and warns Blackthorne, yields privacy for Mariko, and shares concern over Yabu and Uraga.
- Toranaga
Offstage; authorizes the move to Yokohama, empowers Yabu and Naga, and remains central to Mariko’s plea.