Shinsengumi

For the 1969 jidaigeki film, seeShinsengumi (1969 film).For the Taiga drama, seeShinsengumi!

TheShinsengumi(Tân tuyển tổ,"Newly Selected Corps" )was a small, elite group of swordsmen that was organized bycommonersand low ranksamurai,commissioned by thebakufu(military government) duringJapan'sBakumatsu period(lateTokugawa shogunate) in 1863. It was active until 1869.It was founded to protect the shogunate representatives inKyotoat a time when a controversial imperial edict to exclude foreign trade from Japan had been made and theChōshūclan had been forced from the imperial court. They gained considerable fame in theIkedaya incidentand the August 18 coup events, among others.The men were drawn from the sword schools ofEdo.

Shinsengumi
Tân tuyển tổ
Flag ofShinsengumi
Active	August 18, 1863(August 18, 1863)
Disbanded	June 23, 1869(June 23, 1869)
Country	Kyoto,Japan
Allegiance	Tokugawa bakufu
Branch	Rōshigumi(disbanded in 1863) Bakufu Army
Type	Military unit
Role	To protect theTokugawa bakufurepresentatives and Kyoto
Size	302
Colors	light blue, white
Engagements	Ikedaya incident Kinmon incident Zenzaiya incident Akebonotei incident Sanjo Seisatsu incident Aburanokōji incident Tenmaya incident Boshin War Battle of Toba–Fushimi Battle of Kōshū-Katsunuma Battle of Utsunomiya Castle Battle of Shirakawa Battle of Bonari Pass Battle of Aizu Battle of Miyako Bay Battle of Futamata Battle of Hakodate
Commanders
Notable commanders	Serizawa Kamo(1863) Kondō Isami(1863–1868) Tonouchi Yoshio(1863) Hijikata Toshizō(1868–1869) Saitō Hajime(1868) Sōma Kazue(1869)

History

Rōshigumi

Main article:Rōshigumi

Japan's forcedopening to the west in 1854,which required it to open its shores for trade or face military conflict, exacerbated internal political instability. One long-standing line of political opinion wassonnō jōi(meaning, "revere the emperor, expel the barbarians" ).Loyalists (particularly inChōshū Domain) inKyotobegan to rebel. In response, theTokugawa shogunateformed theRōshigumi(Lãng sĩ tổ,"therōninsquad ")on October 19, 1862. TheRōshigumiwas a squad of 234rōnin(samuraiwithout masters) drawn from the sword schools ofEdo.

The squad's nominal commander was thehatamotoMatsudaira Katamori,and their leader wasKiyokawa Hachirō,arōninfromShōnai Domain.TheRōshigumi's mission was to protectTokugawa Iemochi,the 14thshōgun,during an important trip toKyototo meet with theEmperor Kōmei.There had not been such a meeting since the thirdshōgunof the Tokugawabakufu,Tokugawa Iemitsu,had visited Kyoto in the 17th century.Tokugawa Iemochi,the head of the military government, thebakufu,had been invited to discuss how Japan should enact the recent imperial edict calling for the expulsion of foreigners.

Although theRōshigumiwas funded by the Tokugawabakufu,the leader Kiyokawa Hachirō and others had strong loyalties to the emperor and planned to gather otherrōninin Kyoto to police the city frominsurgents.On March 26 (lunar calendarFebruary 8), 1863, Kiyokawa led theRōshigumiout ofEdoas the vanguard ofshōgunIemochi's procession to Kyoto, which they arrived on April 10 (lunar calendar February 23), 1863.

Mibu Rōshigumi

When Kiyokawa's scheme was revealed in Kyoto, he immediately commanded theRōshigumito return to Edo. The members were disbanded and then returned to Edo where they would later form theShinchōgumi(Tân trưng tổ)under the patronage ofShōnai Domain.However, nineteenRōshigumimembers, mainly from the Mito clan, remained and formed theMibu Rōshigumi(Nhâm sinh lãng sĩ tổ).

Founding members

Serizawa's faction:

• Serizawa Kamo
• Niimi Nishiki
• Hirayama Gorō
• Hirama Jūsuke
• Noguchi Kenji
• Araya Shingorō
• Saeki Matasaburō

Kondō's faction:

• Kondō Isami
• Hijikata Toshizō
• Inoue Genzaburō
• Okita Sōji
• Nagakura Shinpachi
• Saitō Hajime
• Harada Sanosuke
• Tōdō Heisuke
• Yamanami Keisuke

Tonouchi's faction:

• Tonouchi Yoshio
• Iesato Tsuguo
• Abiru Eisaburō
• Negishi Yūzan

Initially, theMibu Rōshigumiwere calledMiburō(Nhâm sinh lãng),meaning "rōninofMibu".At the time, Mibu was a village south west of Kyoto, and was the place where they were stationed.Mibu Rōshigumiwas initially formed in three factions under Serizawa (theMitogroup), Kondō (theShieikangroup) and Tonouchi. Abiru Eisaburō later died of illness, a month after arriving in Kyoto.

Internal strife soon developed within the group, Tonouchi was assassinated by Kondō on Yojō bridge, Serizawa had ordered a member, Iesato Tsuguo, to commitseppukufor deserting, Negishi Yūzan also deserted and returned to Edo, where he joined theShinchōgumi.

Shinsengumi

Flag of theShinsengumi,with thekanjicharacterThành(makoto), meaning 'sincerity' or 'fidelity', and a serrated border at the lower edge to match the distinctive 'white mountain stripes' of theiroutfits.

Matsudaira Katamori,after the careful evaluation of the political scene in Kyoto, felt it was needed to change the scope of theMibu Rōshigumi's mission from protecting the shogunate to patrolling the streets of Kyoto and restoring order in the name of the Tokugawabakufu.On August 18, 1863, theMibu Rōshigumiwas renamed theShinsengumi.

The new nameShinsengumimay have been coined by Matsudaira Katamori (thedaimyōof the Aizu clan) around this time.The opposition forces included theMori clanof the Chōshū and theShimazu clanofSatsuma.

TheShinsengumiwere led bySerizawa Kamo(born1830, Mino Province),Niimi Nishiki,andKondō Isami(born1834, Musashi Province – he came from a small dojo in Edo calledShieikan). TheShinsengumisubmitted a letter to the Aizu clan, another powerful group who supported the Tokugawa regime, requesting permission to police Kyoto. The request was granted.

Saeki Matasaburō, having killed Araya Shingorō, was believed to be killed by a Chōshū samuraiKusaka Genzuion September 22, 1863.

On September 30, 1863 (lunar calendar August 18), theChōshū(anti-Tokugawa) clan were forced from the imperial court by the Tokugawa, Aizu andSatsumaclans. TheShinsengumiwere sent to aid the Aizu and guard the gates of the imperial court. The opposition forces included theMori clanof the Chōshū and theShimazu clanofSatsuma.

Serizawa's erratic and disruptive behavior in Kyoto eventually led to Matsudaira Katamori ofAizugiving theShinsengumian order to assassinate Serizawa and his group. On October 19, 1863, Niimi Nishiki, a member of the Serizawa faction was forced by Yamanami Keisuke and Hijikata Toshizō to commit seppuku for breaking regulations. On October 30 (or October 28), a few selectedShinsengumimembers led by Hijikata went into the Yagi Gennojō's house and assassinated Serizawa, his woman Oume, and Hirayama Goro, with Hirama Jūsuke being the only survivor who fled that night. All this infighting left Kondō as leader. Three months later, Noguchi Kenji was ordered to commitseppukufor an unknown reason.

On July 8, 1864, in an incident at theIkedaya Innin Kyoto, thirtyShinsengumisuppressed a cell of twenty Chōshū revolutionaries, possibly preventing the burning of Kyoto. The incident made the squad more famous and led to soldiers enlisting in the squad.

Squad hierarchy after Ikedaya

• Commander(Cục trường,Kyokuchō):Kondō Isami,fourth master of theTennen Rishin-ryū
• General Commander(Tổng trường,Sōchō):Yamanami Keisuke
• Vice Commander(Phó trường,Fukuchō):Hijikata Toshizō
• Military Advisor(Tham mưu,Sanbō):Itō Kashitarō
• Spies:Shimada KaiandYamazaki Susumu.

Troop Captains(Tổ trường,Kumichō):

• Okita Sōji(instructor inKenjutsu).
• Nagakura Shinpachi(instructor inKenjutsu).
• Saitō Hajime(instructor inKenjutsu).
• Matsubara Chūji(instructor inJujutsu).
• Takeda Kanryūsai(instructor in military strategies).
• Inoue Genzaburō
• Tani Sanjūrō(instructor in spearing skills).
• Tōdō Heisuke
• Suzuki Mikisaburō
• Harada Sanosuke

Members of the group

AncientKondō Isami's quarters atNagareyama,Chiba Prefecture,Japan.One of the formerShinsengumiheadquarters

At its peak, theShinsengumihad about 300 members. They were the first samurai group of the Tokugawa era to allow those from non-samurai classes (farmers and merchants, for example) to join. Many joined the group out of a desire to become samurai and be involved in political affairs. However, it is a misconception that most of theShinsengumimembers were from non-samurai classes. Out of 106Shinsengumimembers (among a total of 302 members at the time), there were 87 samurai, eight farmers, three merchants, three medical doctors, three priests, and two craftsmen. Several of the leaders, such as Sannan, Okita, Saitō, Nagakura, and Harada, were born samurai.

Shinsengumiregulations

The code of theShinsengumi,famously created by Hijikata Toshizō, included five articles, prohibiting deviation from the samurai code (bushido), leaving theShinsengumi,raising money privately, taking part in others' litigation, and engaging in private fights. The penalty for breaking any rule wasseppuku.In addition, if the leader of a unit was mortally wounded in a fight, all the members of the unit must fight and die on the spot and, even in a fight where the death toll was high, the unit was not allowed to retrieve the bodies of the dead, except the corpse of the leader of the unit.

Uniform

Mannequins dressed inShinsengumiuniform

Coat of mail and helmet ofKondō Isami

The members of theShinsengumiwere highly visible in battle due to their distinctive uniforms. Following the orders of theShinsengumicommanderSerizawa Kamo,the standard uniform consisted of thehaoriandhakamaover akimono,with a white cord called atasukicrossed over the chest and tied in the back. The function of thetasukiwas to prevent the sleeves of the kimono from interfering with movement of the arms. TheShinsengumiwore a lightchainmailsuit beneath their robes and a lighthelmetmade of iron.

The uniform was best defined by thehaori,which was coloredasagi-iro(Thiển thông sắc,light blue).In the old days of Japan, during the ritual, the samurai committingseppukuwould wear anasagi-iro kamishimo.Thus the colour, in the samurai's eyes, characterized an honourable death.Thehaorisleeves were trimmed with "white mountain stripes", resulting in a very distinctive uniform.

Boshin War

In 1867, whenTokugawa Yoshinobuwithdrew from Kyoto, theShinsengumileft peacefully under the supervision of thewakadoshiyori,Nagai Naoyuki.The new emperorhad been named the head of a new government (meaning the end to centuries of military rule by theshōgun). This marked the beginning of theBoshin civil war.

Following their departure from Kyoto, theShinsengumiwere one of the shogunate forces fought in theBattle of Toba–Fushimiagainst theImperial forcesconsisting of allied forces ofChōshū,SatsumaandTosain January 1868 where Kondō would suffer a gunshot wound at Fushimi during the battle.

Kōyō Chinbutai

TheShinsengumireturned to Edo, where it was later reformed into a unit known as theKōyō Chinbutai(Giáp dương trấn phủ đội,"Pacification Corps" )and departed from Edo forKōfu Castleon March 24 on orders to suppress uprisings there. However, upon receiving news on March 28 that the Kōfu Castle was taken by the Imperial forces led byItagaki Taisuke,they settled at a town of Katsunuma 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Kōfu.

On March 29, 1868, theKōyō Chinbutairesisted an attack by the Imperial forces at theBattle of Kōshū-Katsunumafor about two hours but lost, with eight dead and more than thirty wounded, while the Imperial forces had only one dead and twelve wounded. The surviving members were scattered and retreated to Edo.

Right after the Battle of Kōshū-Katsunuma,Nagakura Shinpachi,Harada Sanosukeand some of the members left theKōyō Chinbutaiafter disagreements with long-time comrades Kondo and Hijikata and later formed a new unitSeiheitaiwith a former Tokugawa retainer Haga Gidou as its commander.

On April 11, 1868, theKōyō Chinbutaideparted Edo again and set up a temporary headquarters at the Kaneko family estate, northeast of Edo. They would later move to a new headquarters inNagareyamaon April 25, 1868.

However, on the same day, the Imperial forces' Staff OfficerKagawa KeizōofMito Domainreceived news that an armed unit had set up camp at Nagareyama and dispatched the forces there.

Death of Kondō Isami

During their training at Nagareyama on April 26, 1868, theKōyō Chinbutaimembers were caught by surprise by the 200-strong Imperial forces, the Imperial forces' vice-chief of staffArima TotaofSatsuma Domainordered Kondō to go with them to their camp at Koshigaya. Kondō was later brought toItabashion April 27 for questioning. Kondō was declared guilty of participation in the assassination ofSakamoto Ryōmaon April 30, 1868 and was beheaded three weeks later at theItabashi execution groundson May 17, 1868.

Battle of Aizu

Due to Hijikata being incapacitated as a result of the injuries sustained at theBattle of Utsunomiya Castlein May 1868, theKōyō Chinbutaifought in defense ofAizuterritory underSaitō Hajimein theBattle of Shirakawain June 1868. After theBattle of Bonari Passin October 1868, when Hijikata decided to retreat from Aizu, Saitō and a small group ofShinsengumiparted with Hijikata and continued to fight alongside the Aizu Domain against the Imperial forces until the very end of theBattle of Aizu,where he and a handful of surviving members were apprehended and became theprisoners-of-war.

Joining with the Republic of Ezo

In December 1868, Hijikata and the rest of the survivingShinsengumijoined the forces of theRepublic of Ezoin the north.

TheShinsenguminumbers decreased to around one hundred in this period and they fought on despite the fall of Edo and clear defeat of Tokugawa.In theBattle of Miyako Bayon 6 May 1869, Hijikata led a daring but doomed raid to steal the imperial warshipKōtetsu,in the early morning, from theKaitenwarship, a number of oppositionists, includingNomura Risaburō,managed to board the ship, but were soon mowed down by itsGatling gun.Many others including the captain ofKaitenwere also killed by gunfire from the Imperial ships. The battle lasted only thirty minutes and the survivors andKaitenretreated to Hakodate.

On the fourth week of May 1869, Hijikata led 230 Republic of Ezo forces and the survivingShinsengumiagainst the 600 strong Imperial forces during theBattle of Futamatafor sixteen hours and were forced to retreat. The Imperial forces attacked again on the next day, only to retreat. On the following night, Hijikata led a successful raid on the Imperial forces' camp, forcing them to flee. Hijikata and his forces would later retreat to Hakodate on June 10.

End of theShinsengumi

Hijikata was killed from a gunshot wound on June 20 (lunar calendarMay 11), 1869, during theBattle of HakodateinHokkaido.Before his death, he wrote of his loyalty to the Tokugawa on the death poem sent by his pageIchimura Tetsunosuketo the house of his brother-in-law:

Though my body may decay on the Island of Ezo,
My spirit guards my lords in the East.

— 

A remaining group of survivors, under the last commanderSōma Kazue,who had been underNagai Naoyuki's supervision atBenten Daiba,surrendered three days later on June 23, (lunar calendarMay 14), 1869, marked the end of theShinsengumi.The forces of the Republic of Ezo would later surrender on June 27, (lunar calendarMay 18), 1869, which marked the end of the Boshin War.

A few core members, such as Nagakura Shinpachi, Saitō Hajime, and Shimada Kai survived the war. Some members, such asTakagi Teisaku,went on to become prominent figures.

Monument

In 1875, Nagakura Shinpachi, with the help of the physicianMatsumoto Ryōjunand several surviving formerShinsengumicomrades includingSaitō Hajimeamong others, erected the monument for Kondō Isami, Hijikata Toshizō, and the fallen comrades of theShinsengumiat Jutoku-ji temple boundary known as Graves ofShinsengumiinItabashi,Tokyo and held requiems for their past comrades' souls.

In popular culture

During theMeiji(1868–1912) andTaisho(1912–1926) periods, the Shinsengumi were generally unpopular. At that time, the Japanese considered theMeiji Restorationa great achievement and regarded the current system centered around Satsuma and Choshu as just. Therefore, the Shinsengumi were perceived as a foolish group resisting the Meiji Restoration. This prevailing notion began to change withKan Shimozawa's novel "Shinsengumi Shimatsuki" (1928). Furthermore, after World War II, there was a reevaluation of history among the Japanese.Ryōtarō Shiba's novel "Moeyo Ken"(1964) gained popularity, spreading empathy towards the way of life of the Shinsengumi. Today, the Shinsengumi is depicted and beloved by people through various media such as novels, movies, dramas, anime, and more.

• TheShinsengumihave often been adapted in television drama, for exampleShinsengumi Shimatsuki(Shinsengumi,its birth to end) (TBS, 1961); andShinsengumi Keppuroku(NTV, 1967). In 2004, the Japanese television broadcasterNHKmade a year-long television drama series following the history of theShinsengumi,calledShinsengumi!,which aired on Sunday evenings.
• An early film,The Legend ofShinsengumi(1963) was based on a 1928 novel of the same name.
• In 1969, a full-length film,Shinsengumi:Assassins of Honour,starringToshiro Mifunewas released.It depicted the rise and fall of theShinsengumi.
• The main characters ofSpace Battleship Yamato(Japanese:Vũ trụ chiến hạm ヤマト,Hepburn:Uchū Senkan Yamato)were named after the Shinsengumi.
• The 1999 filmTaboo(Gohatto) depicted theShinsengumione year after the Ikedaya affair. The film shows theShinsengumi's strict code and acceptance of homosexuality among the samurai members.
• In 2003, a Japanesesamuraidrama,When the Last Sword Is Drawn,depicted the end of theShinsengumi,focusing on various historical figures such asSaitō Hajime.
• Manga artistNobuhiro Watsukiis a self-proclaimed fan of theShinsengumiand many of his characters inRurouni Kenshinare based on its members, includingSagara Sanosuke(inspired by Harada Sanousuke);Shinomori Aoshi(modeled after Hijikata Toshizō);Seta Sōjirō(based on Okita Souji); andSaitō Hajime.
• The 2003manga,Getsu Mei Sei KiorGoodbyeShinsengumiby Kenji Morita depicted the life of Hijikata Toshizō. The mangaKaze Hikarupresents a fictional tale of a girl joining theShinsengumiin disguise and falling in love with Okita Soji.
• The mangaPeacemaker Kuroganeby Nanae Chrono is a historical fiction taking place during the end of the Tokugawa period, following a young boy.Ichimura Tetsunosuke,who tries to join theShinsengumi.
• The anime seriesSoar High! Isamifeatures three 5th graders who are fictional descendants of theShinsengumiand they fight against the evil organization, the Black Goblin.
• The game series/anime series/anime movie franchiseHakuōki(Hakuōki Shinsengumi Kitan,lit. 'Demon of the Fleeting Blossom: The Mysterious Tale of theShinsengumi') follows a girl, looking for her lost father (a doctor who worked with theShinsengumi). The premise mixes supernatural elements and fictional enemies and historical events. TheShinsengumicharacters are fictionalized adaptations of the real members and retain their real names throughout the show.
• Touken Ranbu(2015) is afree-to-playcollectible cardbrowser video gamedeveloped byNitroplusandDMM Games.It has spawned multiple different anime series,Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru(2016) andZoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru(2018), both for a younger audience, as well as the more sophisticatedKatsugeki/Touken Ranbu(2017). In theTouken Ranbuuniverse, the legendary swords, spears, and guns of famous warriors from Japan's feudal past are granted human form and come to life in a swashbuckling historical adventure. The swords ofShinsengumiheroes like Okita Souji, Hijikata Toshizo, and Isami Kondo are featured. One of the most prominent characters inTouken Ranbuis Hijikata's long sword, which bore the name Izuminokami Kanesada.
• The 2004 video gameFu-un Shinsengumi,which was developed byGenkiand published byKonami,is based on theShinsengumi.
• In March 2012, a stand-alone expansion forTotal War: Shogun 2set during the Boshin War was released.Fall of the Samuraifeatures theShinsengumias recruitable agents used for assassination and bribery, and as an elite combat unit capable of fighting both at range and in melee.
• Moeyo Kenis a video game and also an anime series about girl members of theShinsengumi.
• Moeyo Ken( "Burn My Sword" ) is the name of a famous 1964 novel byRyōtarō Shibaabout theBoshin War(1868 to 1869CE) from the point of view of Hijikata Toshizō. It is regarded byShinsengumifans as the 'bible' ofShinsengumifiction and was the first literary work to focus on Hijikata; previously,Shinsengumistories tended to focus on the commander Isami Kondo. Shiba also published short stories about theShinsengumi.HisShinsengumifiction has not yet been translated into English; it is available in Japanese and Chinese.
• Shinsengumi KeppūrokuJapanese televisionjidaigekiperiod drama was broadcast onTV Asahiin 1998.
• TheShinsengumiappear in the mobile gameFate/Grand Orderas one of two teams players can side with during the GUDAGUDA 2: Meiji Restoration event. Members of this team include Servant versions of Okita Souji and Hijikata Toshizo, which are both limited Servants.Shinsengumiis also the name of Toshizo's Noble Phantasm, which gets much stronger as his HP gets lower. Furthermore, in GUDAGUDA 5: Yamanataikoku, servant versions of 3 other members, Saitou Hajime, Keisuke Yamanami and Serizawa Kamo, are introduced, with Saitou Hajime and Keisuke Yamanami being currently playable.
• TheShinsengumifeature heavily in the plot of the 2014 video gameRyū ga Gotoku Ishin!.In this game, main protagonistSakamoto Ryoma,a 19th-centurydoppelgängerof main series protagonistKazuma Kiryu,becomes the group's third unit captain under the alias of Saito Hajime.
• TheShinsengumiappears in the app"Bakumatu Hanafuda".Players are confrontations toShinsengumimembers byKoi Koi.
• In the mangaGolden Kamuyand its anime adaptation, Hijikata appears as the leader of one of the contending groups trying to locate a cache of gold on Hokkaido soon after the Russo-Japanese War. He would have been in his seventies at the time the story takes place.
• The manga and animeGintamafeatures its own alternate reality version of the Shinsengumi as regular characters, including members with surnames such as Kondo, Hijikata, and Okita.

See also

• Battotai
• Hwarang
• Ishin shishi
• Ryōtarō Shiba
• Samurai

Further reading

• Stephane Lun luân thế hào.A Guide on Shinsengumi: the background and management.2021 Kindle Paperwhite version. Amazon.com
• Ryōtarō Shiba,Moeyo KenNhiên えよ kiếm(Burn My Sword).1972ISBN410115208X
• Ryōtarō Shiba,Shinsengumi Keppu Roku tân tuyển tổ huyết phong lục(Shinsengumi: Chronicles of Blood and Tempest).2004ISBN4041290074
• Hillsborough R.Shinsengumi: the Shogun's last samurai corps.2005ISBN0-8048-3627-2.
• Hillsborough R.Samurai sketches: from the bloody final years of the shogun.2001ISBN0-9667401-8-1
• Kikuchi A. Cúc địa minh and Aikawa T. Tương xuyên tư.Shinsengumi JitsurokuTân tuyển tổ thật lục ". Chikuma-shobō trúc ma thư phòng, Tokyo, 1996.
• Ōishi M. Đại thạch học.Shinsengumi: Saigo no Bushi no JitsuzōTân tuyển tổ: Tối hậu の võ sĩ” の thật tượng.Chūōkōron-shinshaTrung ương công luận tân xã, Tokyo, 2004.
• Sasaki S. Tá 々 mộc khắc.Boshin sensō: Haisha no Meiji ishinMậu thần chiến tranh: Bại giả の minh trị duy tân.Chūōkōron-shinshaTrung ương công luận xã, Tokyo, 1977.

External links

• SHINSENGUMITân tuyển tổ Shinsengumi Website
• HajimenokizuA site dedicated to Saitou Hajime and the Shinsengumi in various fictional and historical incarnations.
• Samurai archives – Shinsengumi