Hijikata Toshizo
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Hijikata Toshizō (土方歳三)(May 31, 1835—June 20, 1869) was the deputy leader of Shinsengumi, a small-built and talented Japanese military leader who resisted the Meiji Restoration. He owned a Izuminokami-Kanesada ([和泉守兼定]) forged during the Edo period.
Background
Hijikata was born on May 31, 1835 in present-day Hino, a suburb of Tokyo, Japan. He was the youngest of six children, and his father was a well-to-do farmer. Hijikata was spoiled at an early age and was known to be mean to all but his friends and family. This changed, when a 21-year-old swordsman from the Aizu clan known for opposing the Loyalists was forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide). When Hijikata attended the man's funeral, he apparently cried in public.Shinsengumi Period
In 1863, he and Kondo Isami formed the Shinsengumi. Kondo and two other men, Serizawa Kamo, Niimi Nishiki became joint leaders of the group, and Hijikata served as one of the deputy leaders. Shinsengumi served as a special police force in Kyoto that fought against the Loyalists under Matsudaira Katamori, the Daimyo of Aizu.Serizawa and Niimi started abusing their power in Kyoto by fighting, drinking, and committing extortion, which started to tarnish the reputation of Shinsengumi and earned the group the nickname of "Mibu-ro." Hijikata found enough proof against Niimi in these matters and ordered him to commit seppuku. Serizawa and his followers, however, were assassinated, and Kondo became the sole leader of Shinsengumi with Yamanami Keisuke and Hijikata as his deputy leaders.
Although Hijikata himself never fully mastered the Tennen Rishin-ryu, he managed to develop the standard Shinsengumi fighting style, the "Shinsengumi-Kenjutsu," from the Tennen-Rishin Ryu.
The group grew to 140 men, which included a number of farmers and merchants whose livelihood was threatened if the Tokugawa Shogunate was overthrown. The laws set up by Shinsengumi within Kyoto were strictly enforced and Hijikata was known to be harsh in enforcing them with his sword, the Kanesada, hence his nickname: "The Demon of the Shinsengumi". Even within the Shinsengumi itself, rules were strictly enforced by Hijikata. Deserters and traitors were forced to commit seppuku; this happened to Yamanami (one of Hijikata's old friends) when he tried to leave Shinsengumi in 1865.
Death
After Kondo surrendered to the Imperial Loyalist Army and was executed in May 17 (lunar calendar April 25) 1868, Hijikata led Shinsengumi on their final battle against the new government, the Battle of Hakodate. He knew he was fighting a losing battle, and told a physician acquaintance of his that "I am not going to battle to win. With the Tokugawa government about to collapse, it would be a disgrace if no one is willing to go down with it. That is why I must go. I will fight the best battle of my life to die for the country".On June 20 (lunar calendar May 11), 1869, he was killed while in combat on horseback by a bullet that shattered his lower back. It is unknown where he was buried, but a memorial gravestone stands near Itabashi Station in Tokyo, next to Kondo Isami.
The story of Hijikata and the Shinsengumi is a very popular one in Japanese culture, and several books and anime movies have been made about them. There are also many Hijikata fan clubs in Japan.
The death poem that was entrusted to Ichimura Tetsunosuke shortly before Hijikata's death read:
Though my body may decay on the island of Ezo, My spirit guards my lord in the east.
Hijitaka in Fiction
Shinomori Aoshi from the anime/manga Rurouni Kenshin is loosely based on Hijikata. There are two ways Hijikata is portrayed in books and fiction; Shinomori Aoshi is based on the Hijikata who killed his gentler feelings and buried his human weakness. Hijikata is also depicted in the 1999 film Gohatto, as well as being one of the main characters in the anime/manga Peace Maker Kurogane.Hijikata is also featured in the third saga of the anime Shura no Toki and in the short OVA Hijikata Toshizou - Shiro no Kiseki, the latter being completely focused on him. The gag shonen manga and anime Gintama also take advantage of his popularity with a fictional character named "Hijikata Toshiro."
Professional wrestler Ryuji Hijikata briefly adopted a masked persona "Toshizo" in 2004.
External links
- [Toshizo Hijikata, the Man Who Killed His Gentler Feelings] from chthonian.net.
- [Hino city museum](Japanese)
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