The prologue details the storm that sends the ship to land at Japan. The crew is in poor condition with many dead. In chapter one, John Blackthorne, pilot-major of the trading ship Erasmus, wakes in a very neat room. He is given food and realizes that he remembers little from the storm and the arrival in this bay. The ship is intact. A priest arrives who says that Blackthorne is going to die, but does not elaborate. A samurai arrives and the priest says the samurai's name is Kasigi Omi. The people gathered with the priest to threaten Blackthorne bow at Omi's arrival and when one man fails to bow, the samurai uses his sword to slice off the man's head. As everyone leaves, the samurai laughs aloud then hacks up the body into small pieces. (read more)