Ikedaya Affair
- Japanese:池田屋事件(Ikedaya Jiken)
Investigation
The anti-Bakufu powers were evicted from Kyôto after the Political change on August 18(1863) but they just went to underground. The Shinsengumi investigators Yamazaki Susumu, Shimada Kai located a merchant Masuya Kiemon was actually Ômi Gôshi Furutaka Shuntaro and he was cooperating with Chôshu. 1864/6/5 morning, Takeda Kanryusai and several Shinsengumi members raided Masuya and found arms and armors and letters from Chôshu samurai. Furutaka was taken to Shinsengumi headquarter for questioning. He was tortured and revealed that the Sonnô Jôi Rôshi planned to wait for a windy night, set fire to the city of Kyoto and in the confusion kidnap the Emperor and take him to Chôshu. The story was immediately reported to the Military Commissioner of Kyoto.
Raid
Matsudaira Katamori ordered for searching the Rôshi.(PM4:00) Kondô Isami the commander of Shinsengumi waited for reinforcement from Katamori but they never showed up. He gathered Shinsengumi members[1] at Gion Kaisho(PM8:00) and separated in 2 groups and started searching.(PM10:00)
Kondo took Okita Sôji, Nagakura Shinpachi, Tôdô Heisuke, Kondô Shûhei[2], Takeda Kanryûsai, Tani Mantarô. Asano Kaoru, Andô Sôtarô, Okuzawa Eisuke, Nitta Kakuzaemon.[3]
Hijikata Toshizô took the rest.
At Ikedaya Inn, there were about 20 extreme Sonnô Jôi Rôshi discussing what to do next. Their plan was to destroy the Shinsengumi headquater and bring Chôshû troops into Kyoto.
Kondô left Ando, Okuzawa, Nitta at the backyard of Ikedaya, Takeda, Asano, Tani at the front door and entered with Okita, Nagakura and Tôdô.
When Sôbe the master of Ikedaya warned to the Rôshi on upstairs, Kondô and Okita ran up to the stairs and told "Anybody who resist will be cut off.". Some of the confused Roshi jumped onto the backyard, Okita killed one but he fell down unconscious[4] and left Ikedaya with Tôdô who was injured forehead.
Only Kondô and Nagakura were inside of Ikedaya, fighting against many Rôshi. Then Hijikata turned up with reinforcements and the Ikedaya was surrounded by Aizu and Kuwana troops.[5] The battle ended in 2 hours.
Okuzawa was killed, Ando and Nitta were heavily injured and died later.
Aftermath
According to Kondo's letter[6], 7 Sonno Joi Roshi were killed, 23 arrested.
- Yoshida Toshimaro(Choshu) Suicide
- Yoshioka Shosuke(Choshu) Killed
- Sugiyama Shosuke(Choshu) Injured later died
- Yamauchi Tarozaemon(Choshu) Arrested
- Saeki Itsuo(Choshu) Arrested
- Sato Ichiro(Choshu) Arrested
- Yamada Toranosuke(Choshu) Arrested
- Mochizuki Kiyata(Tosa) Suicide
- Ishikawa Junjiro(Tosa) Killed
- Kitazoe Kitsuma(Tosa) Killed
- Tokoroyama Gokichiro(Tosa) Injured later died
- Fujizaki Hachiro(Tosa) Injured later died
- Miyabe Teizo(Higo) Killed
- Matsuda Jusuke(Higo) Arrested
- Otaka Matajiro(Harima) Killed
- Otaka Chube(Harima) Arrested
- Furutaka Shuntaro(Omi) Arrested
- Nishikawa Kozo(Omi) Arrested
- Onaka Shuzen(Yamato) Arrested
- Sawai Tatewaki(Yamato) Arrested
- Seo Kojuro(Mimasaka) Arrested
- Mori Kazue(Kyoto) Arrested
And Ikedaya Sobe's family, relatives were arrested.
The Shinsengumi members who participated in the raid received bonus from Bakufu. This incident caused the Kinmon rebellion later.
Notes
- ↑ Only about 30 out of 48 members paticipated the raid because of illness or desertion.
- ↑ According to Kondô's letter, Shuhei was with them but it's suspicious.
- ↑ Nagakura's journal describes there were also Harada Sanosuke and Tani Sanjûro.
- ↑ Nagakura's journal describes it was Okita's chronic disease.
- ↑ They captured some Roshi who escaped from Ikedaya.
- ↑ Original letter was sold to Fujiokaya. The letter can be read on Fujiokaya Nikki vol11.
References
- Shinsengumi 100 Wa (新選組100話) Suzuki Toru
- Shinsengumi Tenmatsuki (新撰組顛末記) Nagakura Shinpachi
- Shinsengumi (新選組) Sekai Bunkasha
- Shinsengumi Exhibition catalog 2004
- Shinsengumi Shiroku (新撰組史録) Hirao Michio
