I just finished a multi-week trip across Japan, in part inspired by Shogun. Just about every historical sight I went to would inevitably mention figures like Tokugawa Ieyasu (Toranaga) or Toyotomi Hideyoshi (the Taiko) and events like the Battle of Sekigahara (the flash-forward we see in the final episode of Season 1). Then there's figures like William Adams (the real life Anjin) and Hosokawa Gracia (Mariko) who also showed up when exploring Kyushu. The more I explored Japan, the more familiar the historical figures felt to me thanks to the series.

With Season 2 jumping 10 years into the future, I'm wondering which figures from the 1510's might show up in the story too. The timing seems like it would work well to have a character based on Miyamoto Musashi since he would have been a vassal of the Shogun around that time, and his two-sword style and meditative musings would make for some great television. I think a parallel for Mizuno Katsunari would similiarly make a great addition to Toranaga's council. And there's a distinct chance that the Siege of Osaka will play a role at the end of Season 2 or 3 if they continue on the path they've already foreshadowed.

What figures and/or events from Japanese history would you like to see make an appearance in the upcoming seasons?

Lord Ishido had made every move right, he had rightly recognised Toranaga's ambitions to be Shogun. He had successfully swayed the council of regents to be on his side, and out manoeuvred Toranaga to get Lady Ochiba back to Osaka.

He had everything going on his side. Toronaga was massively outnumbered with his army decimated by the earth quake. And then he started simping lady Ochiba and got swayed to start keeping the other council of regents as prisoners.

Granted I know his affections for Lady Ochiba were largely because he wanted to elevate his peasant lineage but he could have done that after the war was done rather than use defeating Toronaga as a carrot to woo Lady Ochiba