Ikedaya Affair

• Japanese:池田屋事件 (Ikedaya Jiken)

Investigation

The anti-Bakufu elements were banished from Kyôto after the Political change on August 18 (1863), however rather than be driven from Kyoto, they went underground. The Shinsengumi investigators Yamazaki Susumu and Shimada Kai located a merchant by the name of Masuya Kiemon who was actually the Ômi Gôshi Furutaka Shuntaro, who was cooperating with Chôshû. On the morning of 1864/6/5, Takeda Kanryusai and several Shinsengumi members raided and captured Masuya, and found arms and armor and letters from Chôshû samurai. Furutaka was taken to the Shinsengumi headquarters for questioning. He was tortured and revealed that the Sonnô Jôi Rôshi planned to wait for a windy night to set fire to the city of Kyoto and in the confusion kidnap the Emperor and take him to Chôshû. The story was immediately reported to the Military Commissioner of Kyoto.

Raid

Inside of Ikedaya.(Taishô period)

Inside of Ikedaya.(Taishô period)

Matsudaira Katamori ordered a search for the Rôshi. (PM4:00) Kondô Isami the commander of the Shinsengumi waited for reinforcements from Katamori but they never came, so he gathered 30 Shinsengumi members at the Gion Kaisho (PM8:00) and separated into two groups and started searching.(PM10:00)

Kondo took Okita Sôji, Nagakura Shinpachi, Tôdô Heisuke, Kondô Shûhei, Takeda Kanryûsai, Tani Mantarô. Asano Kaoru, Andô Sôtarô, Okuzawa Eisuke, Nitta Kakuzaemon. 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 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. The battle ended in 2 hours.

Okuzawa was killed, Ando and Nitta were heavily injured and died later.

Aftermath

According to Kondô's letter, 7 Sonnô Jôi Rôshi were killed, 23 arrested.

• Yoshida Toshimaro (Chôshû) Suicide
• Yoshioka Shôsuke (Chôshû) Killed
• Sugiyama Shôsuke (Chôshû) Injured later died
• Yamauchi Tarozaemon (Chôshû) Arrested
• Saeki Itsuo (Chôshû) Arrested
• Sato Ichirô (Chôshû) Arrested
• Yamada Toranosuke (Chôshû) Arrested
• Mochizuki Kiyata (Tosa) Suicide
• Ishikawa Junjirô (Tosa) Killed
• Kitazoe Kitsuma (Tosa) Killed
• Tokoroyama Gokichirô (Tosa) Injured later died
• Fujizaki Hachirô (Tosa) Injured later died
• Miyabe Teizô (Higo) Killed
• Matsuda Jûsuke (Higo) Arrested
• Otaka Matajirô (Harima) Killed
• Otaka Chûbe (Harima) Arrested
• Furutaka Shuntarô (Omi) Arrested
• Nishikawa Kôzô (Omi) Arrested
• Onaka Shuzen (Yamato) Arrested
• Sawai Tatewaki (Yamato) Arrested
• Seo Kojûrô (Mimasaka) Arrested
• Mori Kazue (Kyoto) Arrested

And the Ikedaya Sôbe's family and relatives were arrested.

The Shinsengumi members who participated in the raid received a bonus from Bakufu. This incident later caused the Kinmon Rebellion.

References

• Shinsengumi 100 Wa (新選組100話) Suzuki Toru
• Shinsengumi Tenmatsuki (新撰組顛末記) Nagakura Shinpachi
• Kaiteishinban Shinsengumi (新選組) Sekai Bunkasha
• Shinsengumi Exhibition catalog 2004
• Shinsengumi Shiroku (新撰組史録) Hirao Michio

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