The episode title is "Eightfold Fence". In China and Japan there is a heavy contingent which practices Buddhism. One of the tenets of said faith is The Eightfold Path, or astangika-marga in Sanskrit, a set of principles and practices that Buddhists believe can end suffering. The eight steps are: Right understanding Right thought Right speech Right action Right livelihood Right effort Right mindfulness Right concentrationAlso, the number 8, is considered a lucky number in both China and Japan due to past trading and cultural exchange between the two countries. The number 8 is associated with happiness, wealth, prosperity, and status. In ancient Japanese writings the number eight was used to represent "many" or "from all directions". So an eightfold fence is no ordinary protection, a manyfold fence protects from every direction. The perfect place to hide.
In Japan, moss is regarded as an essential element: a symbol of harmony, age, and tradition. For at least 1,000 years, Zen monks have celebrated its presence in written descriptions of temple landscapes. Even in these tiny spaces, moss joins the disparate pieces, knits rock to earth, pulls individual plants into unified compositions. Covering the surface of the earth, mosses strongly express the landform. But at the same time, they are so fragile that you cannot step on them. Because moss doesn't grow dramatically overnight, it takes years and years to cover the surface of a stone, and it is also perfect for erosion control. This coexistence of visual strength and physical fragility is what makes mosses so compelling to the human mind.
In order to become a Hatamoto, Blackthorne must be adopted into a samurai family. As Blackthorne's legal wife ("seishitsu"), Fuji is now in charge of Blackthorne's household. When the arrangement has been formally recognized, she takes on another role, the "okugata", which means the lady who stays in the innermost part of the house. There she will take care of the house, the servants and all financial matters.
Gunpowder was invented in China, probably around 800 A.D. and reached Europe from the East shortly before 1300. Firearms appeared during the 14th century. Throughout the 15th century, firearms, the means to launch fired projectiles using gunpowder, and crossbows continued to be used side by side. It was this cut-throat competition on the European continent, where rival factions battled for supremacy over a hotly contested space, that accelerated arms development light years ahead of China and Japan. In summation, the Chinese created gunpowder, but the Europeans perfected the formulation and applications thereof, many times over.
When Blackthorne and Mariko's conversation turns to tragic plays, Blackthorne mentions Doomed lovers (and) Cursed Kings. It could be assumed he was speaking of Romeo and Juliet, written 1594-96, and Richard III written 1592-3. Shogun is set in 1600 and most of William Shakespeare's other plays about tragic kings would not have been written yet.