Episode One: Edo Love Song starts in 1862, second year of the Bunkyuu Era, in Shinagawa Gotenyama during the Expulsion of Foreigners movement started by the Chōshū (Choushuu) clan of which Kusaka Touma is a member. Kusaka differs from his clan believing in peace and opening Japan up to foreigners where it can do trade and stand with equal footing on the world stage, the Open the Country movement. While trying to stop other Chōshū clan members from setting fire to the British Embassy, Kusaka is confronted by a Bakufu (Shogunate) samurai who helps him and a comrade, Aizawa, escape from the authorities.