Shogun takes a break from depicting brutal conflict engagements in its sixth episode. The series demonstrates its mastery of tension by keeping its audience on the edges of their seats through every conversation. "Ladies of the Willow Wood" provides a powerful flashback while exploring the knock-on effects decades later. The focus slips away from John Blackthorne and Lord Toranaga, centering Lady Mariko, Ochiba-no-Kata, and Kiku for some of the show's most moving moments.