"Uchikowashi" Trends as NHK Taiga Drama "Berabou" Depicts Public Discontent and the "Power of Words"
The 32nd episode of the NHK Taiga Drama "Berabou: Tsutajū Eiga no Yume Banashi" (Berabou: The Dream Tale of Tsutajū's Prosperity) garnered significant attention and sparked widespread discussion on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), with related terms trending, due to its tense depiction of the historical event known as "Uchikowashi." The episode vividly portrayed the escalating public discontent stemming from rice shortages caused by the Tenmei Famine, and how the "Uchikowashi" riots that began in Osaka spread to Edo. Many viewers drew parallels between the historical context and contemporary societal issues, with comments such as, "The immersion is incredible! I feel like I'm one of the citizens involved in the Uchikowashi." The protagonist, Tsutajū (Tsutaya Jūzaburō, played by Ryusei Yokohama), along with Shinnosuke (Jun Hashimoto), who was inspired by Hiraga Gennai's teachings, proposed a "Uchikowashi where n...