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Tuesday, 25 September 2012

Shinsengumi

The Shinsengumi was、so to speak、an organization of ronin、however、it seems that the members included not a few people who were not from the samurai class.

Most importantly、when the Shinsengumi was founded (according to the wiki、it was an organization of around 24 to 36 people in the early days)、there were several people who were not samurai among the executives.

They were originally farmers in the Tama region near Edo、and they were also swordsmen who had a dojo in Edo (incidentally、this is still a future event、but the two farmers from this dojo become Number 1 and Number 2 of the Shinsengumi after a inside power struggle). 

"We are looking for swordsmens to protect the security of Kyoto."

As the situation in Kyoto grew tense、the following proclamation was issued in the name of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo. 

However、it was later revealed that this was a schemer's plot to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate).

"Under this pretext、he gathered a large force in Kyoto and raised the army against the Tokugawa shogunate as a loyal army."

To put it simply、I think it was a conspiracy like this.

About 200 men gathered by this recruitment went to Kyoto with him、but as a result、his plot was quickly thwarted there (upon learning of his plot、the Tokugawa shogunate immediately recalled most of these 200 men back to Edo).

Ultimately、after returning from Kyoto to Edo、he was assassinated by the Tokugawa shogunate、who were concerned about his machinations (his agitation against those brought back from Kyoto seems to have continued in Edo).

※Their trip to Kyoto is also mentioned briefly in Shimazaki Toson san's novel "Yoake-Mae (japanese only)".

By the way、they are described as "Shinsengumi" which does not yet exist.

This is said to be Shimazaki san's rookie mistake、but Shinsengumi may be the correct term for them (lol).※

・・・・・・・・・

※I think that this was a short story by Shiba Ryotaro san….

Ah、yes、at the time、althought this sentence (※) is also so、I was basically writing sentence only from memory.

So there are a lot of vague quotes from Shiba san's books there.

And then、gradually、I began to examine the facts properly.

Based on my memory at the moment、I think that's how it happened (lol).

And now、although this is said to be Shimazaki san's elementary mistake、but they were already "Shinsengumi".

I am sure of that (lol).

Well、I will return to the topic.

The name of this schemer is "Kiyokawa Hachiro".

Shiba san has a short story in which he is the main character.

In this novel….

Right now、it's not clear to me when that episode happened (it may be immediately after he came back from Kyoto)、at that time、he was a "wanted person" of the Tokugawa government.

It was Yamaoka Tesshu、a Tokugawa vassal、who hid him.

After the Meiji Restoration、Yamaoka recalled that time.

"One night、I casually looked into his room and found him enthusiastically writing a letter."

(The letter was a letter asking his mother to take care of his lover.

"I consider her my wife."

"Mother、please treat her like me and take care of her.")

”That profile was very young and pure.”※

※Recently、I was reminded it by reading "Saigō Takamori" of Kaionji Chōgorō san.

〈By the way、what I am reading now is 14(?) volumes published by the Asahi Shimbun about 1980.〉

At this time、this woman was captured by the Tokugawa Shogunate and died in prison.

"Mother、please think of her as my wife and mourn her as a family member."

I think it was such a episode (Of course、this also may not be accurate、such as wrong memories、choosing words that don't take into account differences in national customs、etc).

が、え～、what I wrote is the truth at that time (lol).

2020.02.07※

※The conclusion is the same、did some kind of beat bring back a vague memory、did I read any specific episodes、I don't know now(lol).

Even now、I'm still trying to put it into English that I can write without changing the content. 2023052122:19 (japan time).

・・・・・・・・・

Ｗell、let's go back in time a little.

The people at this small swordsmanship dojo in the town of Edo heard about the recruitment.

This era was a feudal era、and naturally it was a class society.

Nothing changed from their birth status unless they had some special talent or luck.

They wanted to be a samurai.

"Turbulent times have arrived."

"This great opportunity makes me a samurai."

They entrusted their destinies to their abilities as swordsmen.

However、this "Turbulent times" was the "Turbulent times" that put an end to the samurai era.

・・・・・・・・・

"We will help the Tokugawa Shogunate and protect the peace and order of Kyoto."

They did not return to Edo and remained in Kyoto、ultimately、they were to play a part in the maintenance of public order in Kyoto by the Aizu clan.

By the way、they were not anti-Emperor、of course.

"Respect for His Majesty the Emperor."

This idea was common knowledge、including Tokugawa.

※Most of the "ronin" who went to Kyoto at this time returned to Edo together with Kiyokawa.

Therefore、setting aside whether it was good or bad、the will of those who remained in Kyoto was that strong.

Incidentally、I think that the recruitment requirement at this time was "Ronin".

They were originally farmers in Tama near Edo.

I wrote so.

The leader of this dojo is a Tama peasant、and was originally the headmaster of the local swordsmanship school dojo (and he also had a dojo in Edo).

He and a person who later becomes a sub-leader of the Shinsengumi、and one who will be the commander of the unit.

It is true that their status was peasants、but I think the others (they also become commanders) were originally ronin (including from the parent generation).

But、apparently、they (among the ronin there must have been a person who was said to be the illegitimate son of a daimyo) were able to associate as swordsmen at the dojo regardless of their status (of course、I can't say that it doesn't matter at all).

Well、it's the recruitment requirements at that time.

I don't know if he was recognized as a special exception because he is the owner (a representative of the school of swordsmanship) of the dojo.

Or、on paper、as a servant of the person (of course samurai) in charge.

(I think it was a technique often used in the feudal era.

Of course、this technique can also be applied to other farmers.)

Or、in the first place、the conditions of recruitment requirements were not severe.

There is also this possibility.

Well、the Tama region、they were farmers in an area directly controlled by the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Other people were also Edo citizens、so-called "Edokko".

It's a simple thing、but it seems that this will be an important factor that will set them apart from other ronin groups in the turbulent times ahead (although there will be many exceptions when Edo citizens are included in the requirements).

By the way、another group existed in the early days of the Shinsengumi.

They were a group of ronin from the Mito clan (now Ibaraki Prefecture).

And after a power struggle、they will be purged.

Of course、according to Shimazaki Toson san's novel、they were all "Shinsengumi".※

※As a side note、the content of the text is continuous therefore cannot be changed (lol)、so basically it has not been changed、but the text itself has almost no original text. 2023052208:52 (japan time).