Serizawa Kamo

• Birth: ?
• Death: 1863/9/18 (10/30/1863)
• Ranks: Mibu Rôshigumi Commander
• Other names: Serizawa Mitsumoto, Shimomura Tsuguji
• Japanese: 芹沢 鴨 (Serizawa Kamo)

Mito

The Serizawa family were Gôshi of Seizawa village in Hitachi province. Serizawa Mistumoto was adopted into the Shimomura family and his name was changed to Shimomura Tsuguji. Tsuguji was jailed for involvement in the "Tamatsukurigumi" which was a SonnôJôi group in Mito han, however he was released in 1862 and then he changed name to "Serizawa Kamo".

Mibu Rôshigumi

He joined the Rôshigumi in Edo in 1864 and moved to Kyoto. He and Kondô Isami protested against Kiyokawa Hachirô and decided to stay in Kyoto. The 24 Ronin who stayed in Kyoto called themselves the Mibu Rôshigumi and they were employed by Aizu han. However, Serizawa's violent acts became a big problem in Kyoto, so Aizu han secretly ordered Kondo to assassinate Serizawa. In 1863, Hijikata Toshizô, Okita Sôji, Harada Sanosuke, and Yamanami Keisuke stormed into Yagi Gennojô's house and killed Serizawa and Hirayama Gorô. (There are alternative theories regarding the people involved in Serizawa's assassination.) Their graves are in Mibu temple Kyoto.

Serizawa Kamo in Fiction

Books

• Serizawa Kamo no Ansatsu (芹沢鴨の暗殺) Shiba Ryotaro
• Shinsengumi Kyokucho Shuso Serizawa Kamo (新撰組局長首座 芹沢鴨) Mine Ryuichiro
• Serizawa Kamo Shide no Tsuba (芹沢鴨・死出の鐔) Tanba Hajime
• Serizawa Kamo no Shogai (芹沢鴨の生涯) Shiroi Yuji

References

• Shinsengumi - Honor and Determination of the Mibu Rôshi (血誠新撰組-峻烈壬生浪士忠と斬), Rekishi Gunzô series #31, Gakken, Japan, 2003
• Shinsengumi Taishi Den (新選組隊士伝) Gakken