In the late 6th century, the leaders of the Yamato Dynasty had no clear plan for the creation of a unified state. Battles still raged among various warrior clans. Prince Shotoku, second son of Emperor Yomei, strived to create a new nation out of this chaos. NHK captures this great man from a time in history rarely depicted on screen, in a story of epic proportions.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Masahiro MotokiPrince Shōtoku | Prince Shōtoku |
 Miki NakataniTojiko no iratsume | Tojiko no iratsume |
 Akira TakaradaPrince Anahobe | Prince Anahobe |
 Sul Kyung-guYi Jin | Yi Jin |
 Ken OgataSoga no Umako | Soga no Umako |
 Keiko MatsuzakaEmpress Suiko | Empress Suiko |
 Masaya KatōEmperor Sushun | Emperor Sushun |
| MMasaomi KondoEmperor Yōmei | Emperor Yōmei |
| Akira TakaradaMononobe no Moriya | Mononobe no Moriya |
 Jun KunimuraHata no Kawakatsu | Hata no Kawakatsu |
 Sabu KawaharaOtomo Kui | Otomo Kui |
 Koji ImadaOno no Imoko | Ono no Imoko |
 Toshinobu MatsuoPrince Kume | Prince Kume |