Hijikata Toshizo, the Vice Commander of the notorious Shinsengumi, was born on May 31, 1835, in Hino, present-day Tokyo. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his elder brother and sister-in-law after his father, a prosperous farmer, passed away just prior to Hijikata's sixth birthday. Sadly, his mother also passed away a few years later. In time, he would take up the role of a salesperson for his family's medicinal products and remedies.
Though self-taught in the art of swordsmanship, Hijikata later honed his skills at the Tennen Rishin Ryu school's dojo in Hino. It was here that he crossed paths with Kondo Isami, who would later become the commander of the Shinsengumi, a special police force established to safeguard the shogun from anti-bakufu movements.
The inception of the Shinsengumi involved Kondo Isami, Serizawa Kamo, Niimi Nishiki, and Hijikata, who served as the deputy leader. Unfortunately, due to the unruly behavior of Serizawa and Niimi—extortion from Kyoto's merchants, reckless indulgence in drinking, gambling, and brawling—the Shinsengumi garnered a reputation as a band of rogue ruffians. Hijikata was the one who ordered Niimi to commit seppuku for his transgressions, while Serizawa met his end through assassination.
Following these events, Kondo Isami assumed command of the Shinsengumi, with Hijikata Toshizo and Yamanami Keisuke as his vice-commanders. Their ranks swelled to 140 members. It seemed Hijikata assumed a role akin to a policing force within the already established police force, ensuring strict adherence to Shinsengumi regulations. Traitors and deserters were made to commit seppuku, while any transgressors faced severe punishment. His unwavering dedication earned him the moniker "Oni-no-Fukucho," or the Devil Vice Commander.
In May 1868, Hijikata assumed leadership of the Shinsengumi when Kondo Isami surrendered to Imperial forces and met his end. Despite his belief in the slim chances of the Tokugawa restoration, Hijikata continued to fight for their cause, leading his men to Aizu and later Sendai. Subsequently, he became the Vice Minister for Military Affairs in the newly formed Ezo Republic, taking charge of the star-shaped fortress, Goryokaku, in Hakodate, Hokkaido in October 1868.
Hijikata Toshizo passed away at the age of 34 while fighting in the Battle of Hakodate. He was fatally struck in the lower spine while mounted and met his end on June 20, 1869, a mere week before the fall of Goryokaku to the Imperial Army and the subsequent surrender of the Ezo Republic to the Meiji Government. The location of his final resting place remains unknown.
See also
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Watanabe (Hanzo) Moritsuna
Moritsuna was the son of Watanabe Takatsuna, a vassal of the Matsudaira clan. He was the same age as Tokugawa Ieyasu and was held hostage with him by the Imagawa clan. In 1557, Moritsuna joined Ieyasu.
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Ban Naoyuki
He was also known as Ban Danemon. In the early stages of his military career, he served under Kato Yoshiaki, one of the so-called “Seven Spears of Shizugatake,” who later became the ruler of the Aizu region in Mutsu Province. Naoyuki held the position of commander of the arquebusiers (teppo taishō).
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Asakura Toshikage
The Asakura family, who claimed kinship with several emperors, lived in the province of Echizen. Its representatives were considered hereditary vassals of the Shiba clan. From the mid-15th century until their defeat by Oda Nobunaga's army in 1573, which resulted in the final destruction of the Asakura clan, they were a significant military and economic force.
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Asakura Yoshikage
Yoshikage was the eldest son of Asakura Takakage. He began ruling in 1548 at the age of fifteen, and during his reign he twice defeated the Ikko-ikki forces, in 1555 and 1564. Yoshikage supported the Saito family in their struggle against Oda Nobunaga in 1561–1567. When Ashikaga Yoshiaki fled Kyoto in 1565 after the assassination of his older brother, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Yoshikage gave him refuge. However, he was unable to provide sufficient support for Yoshiaki's claim to the title of shogun, and Yoshiaki had to seek help from Oda Nobunaga.
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Asakura Norikage
Norikage came from the ancient samurai clan of Asakura, whose members considered themselves descendants of Prince Kusakabe, son of Emperor Tenmu (631–686). He was the eighth son of daimyo Asakura Takakage and was named Kotaro in childhood. Over time, Asakura Norikage became the pillar of the Asakura clan and was undoubtedly its most talented commander during that difficult period when the clan was experiencing internal difficulties, uprisings by the Ikko-ikki sect, and instability in the lands surrounding the capital. Although Norikage himself was never a daimyo, he served as an advisor to three generations of Asakura clan leaders. He spent his entire life on military campaigns. After his father's death in 1481, Norikage entered the service of his brother, Asakura Ujikage.
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Asai (Azai) Nagamasa
Asai Nagamasa inherited power from his father, Asai Hisamasa, when he was only fifteen years old. Both brave and impulsive, he proved himself a capable commander, managing to regain lands from the Rokkaku clan that had previously been lost by his father. After a territorial dispute with Oda Nobunaga over the province of Mino, Nagamasa formed an alliance with Nobunaga and married his sister Oichi, who was famous for her beauty. In 1570, when Oda Nobunaga declared war on the Asakura family, Nagamasa sided with the Asakura because he had long-standing ties with them. This unexpected move threatened Nobunaga's invasion of the Asakura lands by threatening him from the rear. Oda managed to save his army, not without the help of Tokugawa Ieyasu, but relations between Nobunaga and Asai were permanently damaged.
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Amano Yasukage
Yasukage was born into the family of the samurai Amano Kagetaka and was given the name Matagoro at birth. He later changed his name to Kageyoshi, and then to Yasukage. From an early age, Yasukage served Tokugawa Ieyasu and accompanied him when he was held hostage by Imagawa Yoshimoto. His loyalty and devotion to Ieyasu from a young age laid the foundation for Yasukage's future military and administrative career.
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Amago Tsunekisa
The Amago clan (also spelled Amako) was founded in 1392, when Sasaki Takahisa, who was orphaned at the age of three, took the new surname Amago, meaning “son of a nun,” in honor of the nun who raised him. Since the Sasaki family descended from Emperor Uda (866–931), the Amago clan traced its lineage back to this emperor. From around 1396, the Amago clan's headquarters was the mountain castle of Gassan-Toda in Izumo Province. Until the start of the Onin War, the Amago clan remained a minor clan in the service of the Kyogoku clan, which was also a descendant of the Sasaki clan. The Amago clan historically held the position of vice-governor of Izumo Province.
