Sato Hikogoro

• Born: 1827
• Died: 1902
• Japanese: 佐藤彦五郎(Satou Hikogorou)

Satô Hikogorô was the village leader of Hino-juku (Musashi province), and Hijikata Toshizo's brother in law.

He maintained a dojo at his home for practicing the Tennen Rishin-ryû. Kondo Isami and Okita Soji came to teach pupils in the region often.

During the Boshin War, he formed a farmers' troop called Kasugatai and fought in the Battle of Koshu-Katsunuma with the Koyo Chinbutai. However, they were defeated, so he had to hide himself from the pro-Emperor troops for a while.

Satô's support for the Shinsengumi never changed. After the Meiji Restoration, he and Kojima Shikanosuke made an effort for the honorary recovery of the Shinsengumi.

In 1888, A memorial monument of Kondo Isami and Hijikata Toshizo, called "Junsetsu Ryoyu Hi," was erected in the Takahata Kongo-ji temple.

References

• Shinsengumi Taishi Den (新選組隊士伝) Gakken
• Sato Hikogoro Shinsengumi Archives