The excitement was palpable in a Washington, D.C. hotel room last February as the “Shogun” team gathered to celebrate the global release of their show. Producer Miyagawa Eriko, with champagne in hand, felt a mix of pride, terror, and love as the clock ticked toward launch. Reflecting on the moment during her keynote address at the MPA seminar at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Miyagawa likened it to sending a child off to college after pouring years of her life into the project.
For Miyagawa, the journey to this moment was a full-circle one. A Yokohama native who graduated from Georgetown University in 2002, she saw the nation’s capital as where her “international adventure began.” Returning to D.C. to screen episodes at MPA headquarters just before the series launched, she presented “a Japanese jidaigeki, a period drama born of genuine cross-cultural collaboration.”
The significance of the event was further highlighted when a deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Japan shared how the original 1980 “Shogun” miniseries had served as a diplomatic tool during his teenage years in the U.S. Americans were captivated by the stories from a faraway land with unfamiliar customs, creating a cultural connection through a shared love for the show.
Miyagawa’s own childhood experiences of cross-cultural connection played a role in shaping her career. Moving to Dubai with her family, she befriended a Dutch neighbor girl with whom she shared no common language. Bonding over a viewing of “Alice in Wonderland,” Miyagawa realized the power of storytelling in bridging cultural divides.
Her career in bridging Hollywood and Japanese cinema began with a role as a translator on the set of “Kill Bill: Vol. 1.” Working on Martin Scorsese’s “Silence” further shaped her approach to storytelling, emphasizing the importance of humility and curiosity in the creative process.
Joining FX’s “Shogun” after the success of “Silence,” Miyagawa found herself at the forefront of a new wave of global storytelling. The series, reinvented for contemporary audiences, was a testament to the changing landscape of television and the growing appetite for diverse stories.
As the production delved into the intricacies of authenticity, Miyagawa stressed the importance of patience, curiosity, and respect in the creative process. Every detail, from costumes to dialogue, was meticulously discussed and refined by a diverse team of collaborators.
Reflecting on her career, Miyagawa noted that her work has always involved translation, not just of language but of worldview. From “Kill Bill” to “Silence” to “Shogun,” she has navigated the intersection of Hollywood ambition and Japanese precision, finding magic in the spaces where misunderstandings are treated kindly.
Looking ahead, Miyagawa remains open to the possibility of filming future seasons of “Shogun” in Japan, the land where the story is set. She concluded with a call to action, urging storytellers to continue creating narratives that transcend cultural boundaries and unite audiences from around the world.
