Mito Komon illustration (Wikipedia Commons illustration)

Tokugawa Mitsukuni, aka Mito Komon (1628 – 1700), is a lord of the Mito Clan and vice Shogun who founded the Mito School and is often considered one of the wisest Mito lords. While contributing to the Mito Clan and feudal Japan by committing to editing and publishing voluminous works of Japanese history, he is often considered a lovable person who was a wine and yogurt aficionado.

Since Mito Komon was featured in a Japanese TV jidaigeki samurai drama series on TV from 1969 to 2011, it is the longest-running TV drama. In the TV drama, the retired Lord Mito Komon, who is disguised as a mere merchant, travels around the nation with two samurai retainers to fight crime and injustices. When he visits and discovers a crime, injustice or corrupt official, Mito Komon and the samurai quietly investigate before revealing his rank and the Tokugawa Family seal. Mito Komon sets things straight before continuing his journey to the next town in need of his crime-fighting skills.

Tasty note: Mito is famous for natto (fermented beans) and dishes of anglerfish and shamo chicken. Be sure to sample them while you are there!

natto (fermented beans) (File photo)

anglerfish (File photo)

Shamo Chicken Oyakodon (Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)