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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Ryuzoji Takanobu
Takanobu was the eldest son of Ryūzōji Takaie and the great-grandson of Ryūzōji Iekane. His father was killed by a man named Baba Yoritiku in 1544. At a young age, Takanobu took Buddhist vows and received the monastic name Engetsu. However, around the age of eighteen, he returned to secular life, and in 1548, after the death of Ryūzōji Tanehide, he became the head of both branches of the Ryūzōji family.
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Ouchi Yoshihiro
Ōuchi Yoshihiro was the second son of Ōuchi Hiroyo, who headed the Ōuchi clan in the western part of Honshu. In 1363, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu confirmed the Ōuchi family in the position of shugo of Suō and Nagato Provinces. In his youth, Yoshihiro assisted his father in strengthening the influence of the Northern Court on the island of Kyushu — they served under Imagawa Ryōsun, who had been tasked with subjugating the nine provinces of Kyushu.
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Ouchi Yoshioki
Ouchi Yoshioki, the ruler of the provinces of Suo, Nagato, and Iwami, was one of the most capable military commanders and politicians of the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The son of Ouchi Masahiro, he governed from his residence in Yamaguchi in the province of Suo. In 1499, Yoshioki gave refuge to Shogun Ashikaga Yoshitane, who had been driven out of Kyoto by Hosokawa Masamoto. Shogun Yoshizumi, Masamoto’s protégé, ordered the lords of Kyushu to unite their forces against Yoshioki; however, they did not dare to do so, fearing the power of a man who by that time controlled six provinces. Having gathered a substantial army, Yoshioki marched from his native Suo toward Kyoto in order to restore Shogun Yoshitane to power.
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Otomo Sorin
Ōtomo Yoshishige came from a noble lineage, being the eldest son of Ōtomo Yoshiaki, the ruler of Funai Province. The roots of the Ōtomo family traced back to Fujiwara Hidesato, the adopted son of Nakahara Chikayoshi. Fujiwara served Minamoto Yoritomo during the Genpei War and took part in battles in Mutsu Province in 1189. In 1193, he was appointed shugo of Buzen and Bungo Provinces, after which he adopted a new surname—Ōtomo.
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Okudaira Sadamasa
Sadamasa was the son of Okudaira Sadayoshi and took part in several battles under Tokugawa Ieyasu, distinguishing himself in the Battle of Anegawa in 1570, where he took two heads. Around 1572 he was forced to enter the service of the Takeda clan, but after the death of Takeda Shingen in 1573 he returned to Tokugawa, leaving Tsukude Castle together with his men. As a result of this defection, Takeda Katsuyori ordered the execution of Sadamasa’s wife and brother, who were being held as hostages.
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Okubo Tadatika
Tadatika, the son of Okubo Tadayō, entered the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu at the age of eleven, and took his first head in battle when he was sixteen. After the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate, he was appointed as a rōjū — a senior bakufu official — and was regarded as one of Ieyasu’s most trusted advisors, alongside Honda Masanobu. He is also known for his military chronicle Mikawa Monogatari, which describes Ieyasu’s rise to power and the early years of the Tokugawa shogunate.
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Okubo Nagayasu
Nagayasu was the second son of Okura Nobuyasu, a sarugaku theater actor from the Takeda clan. Takeda Shingen recognized the young man’s potential and took him into service, appointing him as a vassal to his general, Tsuchiya Masatsugu. During this period, Nagayasu changed his family name to Tsuchiya. He was entrusted with developing the Takeda clan’s gold mines as well as handling matters related to taxation.
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Nitta Yoshisada
Nitta Yoshisada was a loyal soldier of Emperor Go-Daigo, who in the 1330s attempted to restore direct imperial rule in Japan. The Nitta family was related to the Ashikaga house and was older in lineage. However, they did not join Minamoto Yoritomo at the start of his war with the Taira, as the Ashikaga did, and therefore did not receive high positions in the Kamakura shogunate. This may have been one of the reasons why Yoshisada rose against the Hōjō clan in 1333.
