Hijikata Toshizō (土方 歳三, May 31, 1835 – June 20, 1869) was a Japanese warrior. As Vice-Commander (副長, Fukucho) of the Shinsengumi, he resisted the Meiji Restoration and fought to his death at the end of the Boshin War.[1]
As shown in the Hakuōki franchise, Hijikata stood out due to his extraordinary personality, his swordsmanship and leadership skills.
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Background
Hijikata Toshizō Yoshitoyo (土方 歳三 義豊), born on May 31, 1835, in Ishida village, Tama region of Musashi Province (now Ishida, Hino, Tokyo), Japan, came from a family of ten siblings. His father, Yoshiatsu Hijikata, passed away shortly before his birth, leaving behind a prosperous farming legacy. His older brother, Tamejiro, born blind, was unable to inherit the family estate. Another brother, Daisaku (later known as Kasuya Ryojin), was adopted by another family and pursued a career in medicine. Sadly, his eldest sister, Shuu, passed away when he was around three years old, followed by the death of his mother, Etsu, when he was six. Consequently, he was raised by his brother Kiroku and sister-in-law.
Hijikata was notably taller and more attractive than the average Japanese men of his time. As a child, he was reportedly spoiled but displayed kindness exclusively towards his close friends and family. However, his demeanor underwent a transformation when he attended the funeral of a 21-year-old swordsman from the Aizu clan, who was compelled to commit seppuku due to his opposition to the Reformists. At the funeral, Hijikata openly wept, revealing a newfound sensitivity.
During his youth, Hijikata supported his family by selling Ishida san'yaku, a medicinal treatment for injuries such as bruises and fractures. Meanwhile, he honed his self-taught kenjutsu skills. Through his brother-in-law, Sato Hikogoro, who was married to his older sister Nobu, Hijikata encountered Kondō Isami and subsequently joined the Tennen Rishin-ryu's Shieikan dojo in 1859.[2] Although he never attained mastery in Tennen Rishin-ryu, he managed to develop his distinctive "Shinsengumi-Kenjutsu" fighting style, drawing inspiration from the former.
Arrangements were made for Hijikata to marry Okoto, the daughter of shamisen shop owners, by his elder brother Tamejiro. Aware of his intention to join the Rōshigumi alongside Kondō Isami, Hijikata promised to carry out the marriage once he achieved a higher rank within the organization.
Shinsengumi
In 1863, Hijikata and Kondō Isami became members of the Rōshigumi in Edo, but then relocated to Mibu, Kyoto, establishing themselves as the Mibu Rōshigumi, while the others returned to Edo. Subsequently, when the Mibu Rōshigumi was renamed the Shinsengumi, Kondō, along with Serizawa Kamo and Niimi Nishiki, assumed joint leadership, with Hijikata serving as one of the deputy leaders. The Shinsengumi operated as a specialized police force in Kyoto led by Matsudaira Katamori, the Daimyo of Aizu, and were fighting against the Reformists.[3]
However, conflicts arose due to the fact that Serizawa and Niimi started drinking, fighting, and extorting money from merchants in Kyoto. These actions tainted the reputation of the Shinsengumi, earning them the derogatory moniker "Wolves of Mibu" (Miburō). Hijikata gathered enough evidence against Niimi and ordered him to perform seppuku on October 19. On the night of October 30 (or October 28), Hijikata and selected Shinsengumi members entered the residence of Yagi Gennojō and assassinated Serizawa, his mistress Oume, and one of his followers, Hirayama Goro. Hirama Jūsuke was the sole survivor who managed to escape. Kondō became the sole leader of the Shinsengumi, with Yamanami Keisuke as his Vice-Commander. In the Ikedaya incident on the evening of July 8, 1864, Hijikata led a second group of 23 Shinsengumi members to support Kondō's group in arresting a faction of shishi at the Ikedaya Inn.
Following the Zenzaiya incident, Yamanami Keisuke attempted to leave the Shinsengumi, despite regulations against desertion. Consequently, he performed seppuku on March 20, 1865, with Okita Sōji acting as his Kaishakunin (a person appointed to behead an individual who has performed seppuku), and Hijikata assumed the role of Vice-Commander. Due to the danger associated with his position in the Shinsengumi, Hijikata felt compelled to break off his engagement with Okoto. Although he had several lovers later on, he never committed to any of them.
The Shinsengumi expanded to include 140 members, which encompassed farmers and merchants whose livelihoods would be jeopardized if the Tokugawa Bakufu was overthrown. Hijikata enforced strict regulations within the Shinsengumi in Kyoto and gained a reputation for being severe, earning him the nickname "Demon Vice-Commander" (Oni no fukucho).[4] Even within the Shinsengumi, Hijikata maintained stringent adherence to the regulations, and deserters and traitors were typically required to perform seppuku. Among his possessions, Hijikata owned a sword inscribed with the name "Izumi no Kami Kanesada," crafted by the 11th and final generation of Aizu Kanesada (1837-1903).
In 1867, Hijikata, alongside the rest of the Shinsengumi, became a hatamoto (a high ranking samurai in the direct service of the Tokugawa Bakufu) and adopted the name Naito Hayato. However, he reverted to his original name after Kondō was captured and executed during the Boshin War.[5] In early 1868, Hijikata received the rank of Yoriai (Yoriai-kaku).[6]
Boshin War
Hijikata during the Boshin War
After the conclusion of the Boshin War in 1868, Kondō and Hijikata led the Shinsengumi in their final confrontations against the newly established government. They participated in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in January of that year. Following their return to Edo, the Shinsengumi underwent a reorganization and became known as the Kōyō Chinbutai (甲陽鎮撫隊, "Pacification Corps"). On March 24, they received orders to suppress uprisings in Kōfu Castle and departed from Edo. However, en route, they received news on March 28 that the castle had already fallen to Imperial Court forces led by Itagaki Taisuke. They settled in the town of Katsunuma, situated five miles east of Kōfu.
On March 29, 1868, Kondō, Hijikata, and the Kōyō Chinbutai faced an attack by Imperial forces at the Battle of Koshu-Katsunuma. Despite resisting for approximately two hours, they were eventually defeated, causing them to scatter and flee back to Edo.
On April 11, 1868, Kondō, Hijikata, and the Kōyō Chinbutai departed Edo once again and established a temporary headquarters at the Kaneko family estate northeast of the city. Later, on April 25, they relocated their headquarters to Nagareyama.
During a training session in Nagareyama on April 26, 1868, the Kōyō Chinbutai encountered an unexpected attack by 200 Imperial forces led by Arima Tota, Vice-chief of Staff of Satsuma Domain. Kondō was instructed to accompany them to their camp in Koshigaya. On April 27, Hijikata traveled to Edo to seek assistance from Katsu Kaishu and request a pardon for Kondō. A messenger arrived in Itabashi the following day, carrying a letter seemingly written by Katsu, appealing for Kondō's life to be spared. However, the messenger was apprehended, and the plea was rejected.
After Kondō's trial on April 30, 1868, he was executed at the Itabashi execution grounds on May 17, 1868. Hijikata, who was recovering from a foot injury sustained during the Battle of Utsunomiya Castle, brought Kondō's hair to Aizu and personally oversaw the construction of a memorial grave for him at Tenneiji Temple.
On October 7, 1868, the day after the Battle of Bonari Pass, Hijikata encountered Saitō Hajime at Inawashiro Castle and sought refuge at the Saitoya inn in Wakamatsu. When Hijikata made the decision to retreat from Aizu, Saitō and a small group of Shinsengumi members chose to remain and continue fighting in the Battle of Aizu until the very end. Meanwhile, Hijikata and the remaining members of the Shinsengumi journeyed to Sendai, where he joined forces with Enomoto Takeaki's fleet.
Hijikata knew he was fighting a losing battle, and told the physician Matsumoto Ryōjun:
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.—Hijikata Toshizō
In October 1868, Hijikata and Ōtori Keisuke took command of Shogunate troops and seized control of the Goryokaku fortress during the Battle of Hakodate. They continued their efforts to suppress local resistance. In December, with the establishment of the short-lived Ezo Republic, Hijikata assumed the position of Deputy Defense Minister (Vice-minister of the Army). Despite the Republic's formation, Imperial forces persisted in attacking from both land and sea.
On May 6, 1869, Hijikata led a bold but ill-fated raid to capture the imperial warship Kōtetsu in the Battle of Miyako Bay. In the early morning, a group of opposition fighters managed to board the ship using the Kaiten warship, but Kōtetsu fiercely repelled the attack and inflicted heavy casualties with the use of a Gatling gun. Many others, including the captain of the Kaiten, were also killed by gunfire from the Imperial ships. The battle concluded in a mere thirty minutes. Hijikata, along with the survivors and the Kaiten, retreated to Hakodate.
During the fourth week of May 1869, Hijikata led a force consisting of 230 Republic of Ezo troops and surviving members of the Shinsengumi in the Battle of Futamata. They engaged in a sixteen-hour struggle against 600 Imperial forces but ultimately had to retreat. The Imperial forces launched another attack the following day but were forced to withdraw. In the subsequent night, Hijikata successfully conducted a raid on the Imperial forces' camp, compelling them to flee. Eventually, Hijikata and his forces retreated to Hakodate on June 10.
Death
During the decisive Battle of Hakodate, the concluding engagement of the Boshin War, Hijikata called upon his 16-year-old page, Ichimura Tetsunosuke, on June 14, 1869 (lunar calendar May 5). They met in a private chamber within an inn, where Hijikata entrusted Ichimura with a death poem, his katana, a letter, a photograph of himself, and a few strands of his hair. Ichimura received instructions to deliver these items to Hijikata's brother-in-law, Satō Hikogorō, in Hino. The death poem entrusted to Ichimura reads:
Though my body may decay on the island of Ezo, my spirit guards my lord in the East.—Hijikata Toshizō, death poem
In the climactic clash of the revolution on June 20, 1869 (lunar calendar May 11), Hijikata met his demise near Ippongi Kanmon (一本木関門) when a bullet struck and shattered his lower back while he gallantly led his troops on horseback. Koshiba Chōnosuke and others later claimed his body.
Three days later, on June 23, 1869 (lunar calendar May 14), a group of surviving Shinsengumi members, under the command of the final leader Sōma Kazue, surrendered at Benten Daiba. Following Hijikata's death, the Goryokaku fortress fell a week later, and on June 27, 1869, all military forces of the Ezo Republic capitulated to the Meiji government, signifying the end of the Boshin War.
The specific location of Hijikata's burial remains unknown, but it is speculated that his body was interred either at Goryōkaku, Hekketsuhi, or Ganjoji.
References
- ↑ Stephane Lun (2021) "A Guide on Shinsengumi: the background and management." [Kindle paperwhite version] Retrieved from amazon.com
- ↑ Stephane Lun (2021) "A Guide on Shinsengumi: the background and management." [Kindle paperwhite version] Retrieved from amazon.com
- ↑ Stephane Lun (2021) "A Guide on Shinsengumi: the background and management." [Kindle paperwhite version] Retrieved from amazon.com
- ↑ Stephane Lun (2021) "A Guide on Shinsengumi: the background and management." [Kindle paperwhite version] Retrieved from amazon.com
- ↑ 幕臣取り立て 新選組概史 歴史館-動乱の章 Archived 2013-08-16 at the Wayback Machine; accessed 16 June 2015.
- ↑ 土方歳三 HIJIKATA, tamahito.com; accessed 16 June 2015.