Kondo Isami, a highly skilled swordsman and the Commander of the Shinsengumi, was born in Kami-Ishihara, a quaint farming village in Chofu, western Tokyo, under the name Miyagawa Katsugoro. His journey into the samurai caste began when Kondo Shusuke adopted him. The catalyst for this adoption was Kondo's valiant defense of his family home at the age of 13 against a band of robbers.
Demonstrating exceptional swordsmanship, Kondo became the fourth master of the Tennen Rishin-Ryu in 1861. Subsequently, in 1863, the Tokugawa Shogunate enlisted 234 ronin as bodyguards for Shogun Iemochi. Kondo and his associates, initially part of the Roshigumi, served as police under the Tokugawa in Kyoto. This group eventually evolved into the notorious Shinsengumi, credited with uncovering and suppressing a potential rebellion in the Ikedaya Incident.
While celebrated as courageous heroes, Kondo and the Shinsengumi gained notoriety for their ruthless tactics, often eliminating perceived opponents to advance their agenda. Internal strife and assassinations within the group further tarnished their reputation. Notably, Kondo Isami was implicated in the assassination of statesman Sakamoto Ryoma.
The downfall of the Tokugawa Shogunate led to the Boshin War during which the Shinsengumi, including Kondo, participated in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. Kondo sustained injuries from gunfire in this conflict and also fought in the Battle of Koshu-Katsunuma before surrendering to Imperial forces.
Following his capture, Kondo spent 20 days in jail in Itabashi, Tokyo, before facing execution at the Itabashi grounds on May 17, 1868. His grave and memorial stone stand as testaments to his legacy. Kondo Isami, at the age of 33, was laid to rest at Ryugen-ji Temple in Tokyo's Mitaka, while his severed head, initially displayed publicly, was later stolen and discreetly interred in a small mound behind Hozo-ji, an ancient temple in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture.
See also
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Uesugi Kagetora
Uesugi Kagetora (1552 – April 19, 1579) was the seventh son of Hojo Ujiyasu and was originally known as Hojo Saburo. He was adopted by Uesugi Kenshin and intended to be Kenshin's heir. However, in 1578, he was attacked in his Otate Castle by Uesugi Kagekatsu, his brother-in-law, and was ultimately defeated. Kagetora committed suicide the following year at Samegao Castle.
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Hojo Ujinao
Hojo Ujinao (1562 – December 19, 1591) was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku period and the last leader of the Later Hojo clan. An important figure in Azuchi-Momoyama politics, he lost his entire domain following the Siege of Odawara (1590). Despite this, he survived, and his family continued as minor daimyo during the Edo period.
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Takeda Katsuyori
Takeda Katsuyori (1546 – April 3, 1582) was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, renowned as the head of the Takeda clan and successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was also the son-in-law of Hojo Ujiyasu. Katsuyori was born to Shingen and the daughter of Suwa Yorishige, known posthumously as Suwa-goryonin and by her real name, Koihime. His children included Takeda Nobukatsu and Takeda Katsuchika.
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Yasuke
Yasuke, an African page, arrived in Japan in 1579 as the attendant of the Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano. Before the arrival of the Englishman William Adams, it is thought that Yasuke was possibly the inaugural non-Japanese samurai, arriving about twenty years earlier.
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Yamanami Keisuke
Yamanami Keisuke, the second in command of the Shinsengumi, a special police force during the late Edo period, shocked many when he performed seppuku on March 20, 1865, at the age of 32.
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Yamamoto Kansuke
Yamamoto Kansuke, renowned as a samurai strategist and one of Takeda Shingen's esteemed 24 Generals, hailed from the Mikawa region, known for breeding formidable warriors. Despite physical challenges—blindness in one eye, lameness in one leg, and a malformed hand—Kansuke embarked on a warrior's pilgrimage in his twenties. Traveling across the land, he honed his skills in strategy, tactics, castle construction, and warfare, engaging in various swordsmanship schools and forms.
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Yamaga Soko
Yamaga Soko was a multifaceted figure in Japanese history, renowned as a strategist, philosopher, and scholar. Later in life, he became a ronin, leaving a significant mark on the understanding of the Tokugawa period samurai.
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William Adams - Miura Anjin
William Adams, also known as Miura Anjin, holds the distinction of being one of the few non-Japanese individuals granted samurai status. Born in Gillingham, Kent, England in 1564, Adams embarked on a remarkable journey that led him to become an influential figure in Japanese history.
