Why did Hijikata Toshizo fight through the Battle of Aizu and the Battle of Hakodate to the end, even when the odds were so slim?

The “Demonic Second-in-Command” who never let go of his sword until the very end.

When it comes to the Shinsengumi, Hijikata Toshizo, who was feared as the “Demonic Second-in-Command” is probably the most well-known of all. His stoic and single-minded life as a swordsman, as depicted in Shiba Ryotaro’s novel “Burning Sword”, seems to still resonate with people today. Although it may be out of date in this age of gender equality, he embodied the “way of life of a man” in the organization known as the Shinsengumi.

Toshizo was born in 1835 in Ishida Village, Tama Area, Musashi Province (now Hino City). His real name was Yoshitoyo, but he lived his whole life as Toshizo. The family business dealt in medicines, and at one time Toshizo peddled “Ishida’s Powdered Medicine”, which is said to be an excellent remedy for bruises and broken bones. He loved swordsmanship since childhood, and he studied swordsmanship at the Shoeikan in Edo, where he rapidly improved his skills and served as a master fencing instructor. He was more than a trustworthy partner to Isamu Kondo, and accompanied him to the capital in the spring of 1863, when the Shinsengumi was formed, and became the “second-in-command” of the Shinsengumi. Toshizo was not only a swordsman, but also enjoyed waka poetry, haiku, and calligraphy. He even left behind a collection of haiku titled the “Toyotama Haiku Collection”. Whilst some of his haiku were highly praised, such as “The road to the public office and the spring moon” and “If you do, you’ll be lost; if you don’t, you won’t. The path of love”, the rest are not very good.

It is said that it was Toshizo who established the Shinsengumi’s code of conduct called “Kyokuchu-hotto”. The five rules were: “Do not disobey the code of morals”, “Do not deviate from the rules”, “Do not make unauthorized use of money”, “Do not handle lawsuits without authorization”, and “Do not engage in private conflicts”. In fact, as many as 39 troopers were forced to commit seppuku for disobeying these rules. Because he ordered and carried out seppuku with impunity, Toshizo was nicknamed “Demonic Second-in-Command”.

Toshizo reigned as the number two “Second-in-Command” throughout the six years of the Shinsengumi’s activities. As a substantial leader, he always stood in the vanguard and fought against the enemy. However, when the Shinsengumi and Gizo took part in the failed conquest with the defeated Shogunate forces at the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in January of the 4th year of Keio (1868, from September to the first year of Meiji), it conveyed the reality to Kondo and the rest that “[t]he time for spears and swords has passed. From now on, it is artillery and guns.”

After returning to Edo, under the persuasion of Kaishuu Katsu, the Shinsengumi stood up for the seizure of Kofu Castle under the name of “Koyo Zhenshutai” (Koyo Township Patrol). Then, before the battle against the Emperor’s Army (new government forces), Toshizo went to Kanagawa as an emissary in search of reinforcements. In the meantime, he clashed with the government forces at Katsunuma in Koshu during the Kashio War, and was defeated in only half a day. Kondo returned to Edo, and was arrested and beheaded after he and Toshizo parted ways in Nagareyama. Toshizo went north with the fleet of the former Shogunate Army led by Enomoto Takeaki and was wounded in the Battle of Utsunomiya Castle, but continued to fight in the Aizu War and then to the Ezo region (Hokkaido), fighting at Hakodate and Goryokaku. Here, he fought as the head of the army, the rank of army magistrate. While recognizing the power of guns and cannons, Toshizo never let go of his “sword” until the end.

Then, on May 11, 1867 (Meiji 2), the general attack by the Emperor’s Army began. Shortly after 9:00 a.m., Toshizo announced himself on horseback, brandishing his beloved sword, Izumi-no-Kamikami Kanesada: I am Hijikata Toshizo, deputy chief of the Shinsengumi. At that moment, a flying bullet pierced Toshizo from the stomach to the waist. Toshizo fell from his horse and died. It was the “death in battle” of a man who had fought as the deputy chief of the Shinsengumi until the end. Hijikata Toshizo was 35 years old.

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