Sanjo Seisatsu Incident

• Date: 1866/9/12
• Location: Near Sanjo bridge, Kyoto
• Japanese: 三条制札事件 (Sanjo Seisatsu Jiken)

A signboard (Seisatsu) proclaiming that Choshu Han was an enemy of the Imperial court, which was placed near the Sanjo bridge.

1866/8/28, the Seisatsu was pulled and trashed on the side of Kamo river. On 9/2, the Seistatsu was replaced, however was gone again in 3 days.

On 9/10, the Bakufu put new Seisatsu and ordered the Shinsengumi to keep watching it, knowing that Choshu loyalists were responsible, and would likely return.

The Shinsengumi sent 34 members in three groups:

• Oishi Kuwajiro's unit-10
• Arai Tadao's unit-12
• Harada Sanosuke's unit-12

Hashimoto Kaisuke and Asano Kaoru dressed like beggers and sat on the side of Sanjo bridge in wait.

At midnight of 9/12, 8 Tosa han samurai showed up and pulled the Seisatsu down. Arai's unit and Harada's unit killed or captured 3 of them, but they missed 5 others.

Oishi's unit was late because Asano, who was supposed to let them know if anyone showed up, was scared of the Choshu samurai and took long way to the place where Oishi's unit was located.

References

• Shinsengumi 100 Wa (新選組100話) Suzuki Toru