Ronin

Introduction

A “ronin” is what you call a bushi who separated from their master and lost their salary. They were referred to as “ronin” meaning one in poverty (with a different kanji) before the Edo Period. Since the terms “ronin sei” or “shushoku ronin” are used to describe students who did not make it into any university or any unemployed people, many have a rather negative impression of the word, “rōnin” nowadays. 

However, during the turbulent sengoku war times or the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, a ronin was promoted to leave their mark on history if they had a special skill. Along with these roninwho moved up the ladder, we would like to introduce to you what kind of people ronins were and their history.

What is a Ronin?

There are two variations of the word, “ronin”, one being a ronin who lived in poverty and the other being a ronin wanderer. From the Kamakura Period to the mid-Edo Period, a ronin referred to a rōnin living in poverty and from then onwards, it referred to a ronin as a wanderer. Now, there are various reasons as to why a bushi may lose their occupation. For example. their master could have been lowered in rank, or even defeated. It might have also been the case that one committed a crime or misconduct to be dismissed, or simply just a result of not getting along with their masters.

Even if one became a ronin, it was not so difficult to enter government services in the Sengoku Period of constant battle; there was always the opportunity to make a temporary entry into a war occurring somewhere and be recognized for one’s talents or skills. From there, it was up to the individual whether or not they could get promoted.

On the other hand, it was not an easy task for a ronin of the Edo Period to re-enter into service. Since it was a period of peace, there was no more need for valor, not to mention the financial difficulties the domains were facing which did not leave enough space to employ new feudal retainers. Unless a ronin had special skills such as arithmetics or civil engineering, the majority of ronin were unable to enter into service or had no other choice but to return to their farms. 

However, a bushi had strengths that a commoner did not have. They were educated and cultured, so they were able to teach, and even start a “terakoya” to teach reading and writing. Furthermore, if the bushi had sword skills, they became masters of a fencing-hall. Becoming a “ronin” did not mean not doing anything. Many used whatever power and skill they had to make a living.

The History of a Ronin

It is said that the term “ronin” emerged in the Kamakura Period. As bushis became the central figures of history, ronin began to emerge everywhere in the country. From the Kamakura to the Nanboku-chō and into the Sengoku Period were periods of continuous warfare, and many bushis lost their jobs amidst the turmoil. However, more war meant there was the need for more bushis. In the Sengoku Period, the Sengoku daimyos strengthened their master-servant relationship with their vassals, and at the same time tried to strengthen their lands. Daimyos would have valued ronins because they were in need of experienced bushis.

However, with Toyotomi Hideyoshi taking over the reins of the government, there was a sudden change in the situation. There were fewer battles than before, and many ronin became unemployed. Furthermore, ronins who lost their basis of livelihood were treated as the root cause of all social disturbance, and were often sent to exile from Kyoto by Hideyoshi.

In the Edo Period, there was a massive outbreak of ronins. Under the shogunate’s military government, daimyos were destroyed one after another, and countless feudal retainers were dismissed. Eventually, a large number of ronins flooded into Edo and Osaka in search of jobs, which caused social unrest to reach its peak. This was until the era of the 4th Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ietsuna, when along with deregulation, daimyos no longer had to lower their status, and there were no more outbreaks of ronins. 

Famous figures who became a Samurai from a Ronin 1: Akechi Mitsuhide

Akechi Mitsuhide was a subordinate of Oda Nobunaga and is famous for causing the Honnōji Incident. Very little is known about the earlier years of his life. As we look into various historical materials, we are able to locate a period in which Mitsuhide spent times of difficulty as a “ronin”. Firstly, Mitsuhide was born to the prestigious Akechi family of Mino, and he was a military guard of the Muromachi Shogunate. There is also a theory that Mitsuhide worked as a doctor while he was cooped up in Onoe Tanaka castle under siege. 

Sometime around then, Mitsuhide became involved in an internal feud of the Saito family who represented Mino, and the Akechi family were close to downfall. This is when Mitsuhide leaves Mino and begins to wander all over the country. Soon he goes under the protection of a Sengoku daimyo of Echizen named Asakura Yoshikage and stays as a guest. This did not mean life was easy for Mitsuhide because he was not employed as a vassal. Stories say that when he could not scrape up any money for the Asakura family’s poetry readings, he earned the fees by selling his wife’s hair.

What saved Mitsuhide from his situation was his encounter with another ronin named Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who had also moved to Echizen. Mitsuhide, who had served the previous shogun, saw Yoshiaki as his powerful supporter. Soon afterwards, he became Yoshaki’s vassal and together they aimed to head to Kyoto. But to their disappointment, there were no signs of the Asakura family heading to the capital, so Yoshiaki turned to Oda Nobunaga for support. Nobunaga was happy to help Yoshiaki and together they succeeded in entering Kyoto. However, the bond between them did not last very long with Yoshiaki’s betrayal. Mitsuhide, who had given up on depending on Yoshiaki, decides to become the direct follower of Nobunaga, and this is the Mitsuhide in history we are very familiar with today as Nobunaga’s vassal. 

Famous figures who became a Samurai from a Ronin 2: Yamauchi Katsutoyo

Yamauchi Katsutoyo, the successful governor of Tosa with a stipend of 240,000, was also a figure who experienced periods of hardship as a ronin in the past. Katsutoyo’s father was the vassal of Iwakura Oda of Owari, but he was defeated in the battle against Oda Nobunaga. The family lost its head and dispersed, and Katsutoyo being only 13 years of age became a ronin and moved from place to place seeking his relatives for support. Although very poor, Katsutoyo had been improving his skills in the military arts, and finally his time came when he became a follower of Kinoshita Hideyoshi (his name at this point), the promising subordinate of Nobunaga. 

His debut on the battlefield came very late for Katsutoyo who spent many years of his life as a ronin. Katsutoyo was 25 years old when he finally participated in the Battle of Anegawa. He suffered from major injuries; however he achieved great success by defeating the enemy general. Nonetheless, he was unable to expand his territories, and his life in poverty with his wife Chiyo, remained the same.

But thanks to Chiyo, Katsutoyo begins to climb the ladder of success. For a military parade which Nobunaga was hosting, Katsutoyo came up with the idea of buying a fine horse. However, fine horses of the east were too expensive and he was unable to afford one. This is when Chiyo gives Katsutoyo the money she had been secretly saving so that he can purchase a horse. The horse he purchased helped him gain a great reputation and an unexpected raise. From then, Katsutoyo went from success to success and eventually became Tosa’s daimyo.

Famous figures who became a Samurai from a Ronin 3: Maeda Toshiie

Under the Toyotomi government, Maeda Toshiie became one of the leading members of the Council of Five Elders and the founder of the Maeda family of Kaga. However, it has been said that he was as eccentric and wild as Nobunaga when he was young. Toshiie would pick a fight with anybody he came across and perhaps he was somewhat of what we call today a gangster. This all comes to an end when he takes Matsu as his wife. He is selected as the head of the Akahoroshu (an elite bodyguard unit) and becomes Nobunaga’s trusted vassal. 

But his short temper did not change. At one point, Toshiie slays Jūami, Nobunaga’s favorite tea-server. Toshiie was not entirely to blame because Jūami had been plotting to trouble Toshiie by stealing the sheath of his favorite sword. The only problem was, Toshiie had killed Jūami in the presence of Nobunaga, and this enraged Nobunaga to the point of finally suspending Toshiie from serving him. 

Toshiie, who became a ronin, reflects upon his behavior and seeks to win back Nobunaga’s trust. In the “Battle of Okehazama”, he joins the battle without notice and takes the head of an enemy, but Nobunaga does not forgive him. Instead, he yells at Toshiie for fighting in the battle without his consent. Toshiie did not give up. In the “Battle of Moribe” the year after, he defeated Adachi Rokubei, also known as “Kubitori Adachi”, which was unquestionably a great achievement. Toshiie was finally forgiven and was able to return to his lord’s service. Perhaps Nobunaga tested Toshiie in order to teach him a lesson. 

Shinsengumi formed by a group of Ronins

“Shinsengumi” is a group of swordsmen who were active in Kyoto in the late Tokugawa Shogunate, and they were originally called “Miburōshi-gumi”. When the 14th Tokugawa general, Tokugawa Iemochi came to Kyoto, Kyoto was crawling with loyal supporters of Sonnō Jōi. To protect the Shogun, the Aizu feudal lord Matsudaira Katamori was appointed as Kyoto Shugoshoku. A group of security guards called the Kyoto Mimawarigumi were also formed to work under Matsudaira. Additionally, members for Rōshigumi were sought from the public and the men who responded to this were the members of the Shieikan group of the Tennen Rishin school of swordsmanship. However, there was actually a secret behind this recruitment. It was led by a rōshi from Dewa named Kiyokawa Hachirō, and he was actually planning to use the rōshis he gathered as soldiers to attack a foreign settlement in Yokohama. Sasaki Tadasaburo of the Kyoto Mimawarigumi noticed this conspiracy and put a stop to it beforehand by slaying Kiyokawa. 

As the Yagi house located in Mibumachi was the tonsho or headquarters, the group of swordsmen were called “Miburōshi-gumi”, and they were in charge of security and control of the radical Sonnō Jōi supporters. 

In the Coup of August 18, they were  commended for their achievement of protecting the imperial gates and changed their name to “Shinsengumi”. But the historical event which Shinsengumi became renowned for was the “Ikedaya Incident”. To prevent a comeback, they attacked the supporters of Sonnō Jōi of the Chōshũ and Tosa domain who were gathered for a meeting. This incident caused the one year delay of the Meiji Restoration. 

However, with the loss of the Chōshũ Conquest the shogunate lost its prestige, and this also affected the fate of Shinsengumi. The last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu enacted the restoration of imperial rule, and returned their rights to the Meiji Emperor marking the end of the shogunate. Although they fought hard in The Battle of Toba-Fushimi that followed, they suffered a crushing defeat. Still, Shinsengumi was engaged in battle until the Hakodate War which was known as the last battle of the year of Boshin (Earth Dragon).  

Famous figure of Shinsengumi 1. Kondō Isami

Kondo Isami, the commander of Shinsengumi was not born to a bushi family but to a farming family. Commoners were not allowed to learn sword fighting, but this rule was overlooked by the end of the shogunate. Fencing schools opened everywhere in Kanto, and Kondo Isami learned sword fighting skills from childhood. He eventually became adopted into the Kondo family because of his talents and by the time he was 26, he inherited the Shieikan group of the Tennen Rishin school of swordsmanship. Among the members of Shieikan were Hijikata Toshizō and Okita Sōji who were to become key members of Shinsengumi later on.

When he was 29, he joined the group of Rōshigumi organized to protect Tokugawa Iemochi, along with the other members. To maintain peace and order, they act as police to crack down the supporters of Sonnō Jō. The group after changing their name from “Miburōshi-gumi” to “Shinsengumi” became the vanguards against the Sonnō Jō party, and one after another they exposed well-known loyal supporters. They especially defeated a massive group of them in the “Ikeda Incident” and succeeded in suppressing the Sonnō Jō party. Shinsengumi became a large organization consisting of more than 150 people and they were tightly controlled with Kondo being the commander. Kondo was also employed as a shogunate vassal and had the honor of working as a direct retainer of the Shogun.  

However, the times did not work in the favor of Shinsegumi. Following the restoration of imperial rule, Shinsengumi was defeated in The Battle of Toba-Fushimi, and Kondo who moved to Edo was deprived of the Kofu Castle. They also lost the battle with the new government army, and Kondo was finally captured after incubation. His life came to a tragic end with him getting beheaded. 

Famous figure of Shinsengumi 1: Hijikata Toshizō

Hijikata Toshizō, the vice commander of Shinsengumi was born to a farming family in the Tama region of the Musashi Province. At the age of 16, he entered Shieikan and there he met Kondo Isami. When he became 28, Hijikata headed to Kyoto to join the Rōshigumi and since then he played an active role as the vice commander of “Miburōshi-gumi” and “Shinsengumi”. 

Hijikata came up with strict rules to form a strong bond and firm organization which cannot be easily rattled. To members who broke the rules, Hijikata mercilessly ordered a seppuku, hence the reason why the most common cause of death of Shinsengumi members was seppuku rather than death in combat. He was even feared as the “demon vice commander”. In the Ikedaya Incident, Hijikata led the members to corner and trap the Sonnō Jō supporters, and with deliberate tactics he rounded them up. Some say that without Hijikata’s calm judgment, the plan would have ended in failure. 

By the time the Edo Shogunate came to an end, Shinsengumi had also lost many of their men with battles occurring one after another. Still, Hijikata kept fighting towards the east and kept resisting even after the death of his friend, Kondo Isami. In the Battle of Aizu, he defeated the new government army despite being outnumbered, and in the Battle of Hakodate he repelled enemy attacks over a long period of time. However, Hijikata’s victory alone was not enough to maintain the front lines. In the end, he finally allowed the enemies to break through, and was shot and killed by a bullet. 

Summary of Ronin

A ronin was used to refer to an unemployee; however they were not always negative figures. They never forgot the pride of being a bushi, and were always devoted to improving their skills. Furthermore, they took an important part in the turbulent Sengoku times and the tumultuous end of the shogunate. Among them were unsung ronins as well. It can be said that their time in the spotlight was always accompanied by a drastic change in the time period.