- Japanese:池田屋事件(Ikedaya Jiken)
Investigation
The anti-Bakufu powers were evicted from Kyoto 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 Omi Goshi Furutaka Shuntaro and he was cooperating with Choshu. 1864/6/5 morning, Takeda Kanryusai and several Shinsengumi members raided Masuya and found arms and armors and letters from Choshu samurai. Furutaka was taken to Shinsengumi headquarter for questioning. He was tortured and revealed that the Sonno Joi Roshi 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 Choshu. The story was immediately reported to the Military Commissioner of Kyoto.
Raid
Matsudaira Katamori ordered for searching the Roshi.(PM4:00) Kondo Isami the commander of Shinsengumi waited for reinforcement from Katamori but 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 Soji, Nagakura Shinpachi, Todo Heisuke, Kondo Shuhei, Ando Sotaro, Okuzawa Eisuke, Nitta Kakuzaemon.[2] Hijikata Toshizo took the rest.
At Ikedaya Inn, there were about 20 extreme Sonno Joi Roshi discussing what to do next. Their plan was to destroy the Shinsengumi headquater and bring Choshu troops into Kyoto.
Kondo left Ando, Okuzawa, Nitta at the backyard of Ikedaya and entered from the front door with Okita, Nagakura and Todo.[3]
Notes
- ↑ Only about 30 out of 48 members paticipated the raid because of illness or desertion.
- ↑ Nagakura's journal describes there were also Harada Sanosuke and Tani Sanjuro.
- ↑ Kondo's letter added Shuhei with them.
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