On Monday, NHK formally announced the main cast of its 2009 taiga drama, "Tenchijin." The series is based on Masashi Hisaka's novel about Naoe Kanetsugu, a military leader who served under Uesugi Kagekatsu. It was revealed at the end of last year that Satoshi Tsumabuki is starring in the role of Kanetsugu.

Tsumabuki is being joined by Kazuki Kitamura, who is playing Kagekatsu. Other major characters are being played by Takako Tokiwa (as Kanetsugu's wife Osen-no-Kata), Hiroshi Abe, Masami Nagasawa, and Saki Aibu. Manami Higa, Reiko Takashima, Masanobu Takashima, Misako Tanaka, and Kotaro Koizumi have also been named as cast members.

Filming starts in August, with the series scheduled to begin its broadcast in January.