Okita Souji

Japanese: 沖田総司 - おきた・そうじ

Year of death: 1868.7.19 (Meiji 1.5.30)
Year of birth: Tempo 13 (1842)
Captain of the first unit of the Shinsengumi during the Meiji Restoration, renowned for his fair-skinned, brilliant swordsmanship. His given name was Fusayoshi, and his childhood name was Sojiro. His father was Okita Katsujiro, a samurai of the Mutsu Shirakawa Domain (Fukushima Prefecture). It is said that the Okita family left the domain at a young age, but there is a record of his brother-in-law Rintaro remaining a member until 1859. He served as head of Kondo Isami's Tennen Rishin-ryu Shieikan school, and traveled to Kyoto with Kondo and Hijikata Toshizo to join the Shinsengumi. He coughed up blood and collapsed during the Ikedaya raid. He assisted in the suicide of staff officer Yamanami Keisuke, who committed seppuku for desertion. He did not take part in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in 1868 due to coughing, and after returning to Edo, he recuperated at the medical school at Kanda Izumibashi and at Matsumoto Ryojun's home in Imado Hachiman. He is said to have died in the barn of Uekiya Heigoro's house in Ikejiribashi, Sendagaya.

(Yoichi Tsuri)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：明治1.5.30(1868.7.19)
生年：天保13(1842)
幕末維新期,白皙の天才的美剣士とうたわれる新選組の一番隊隊長。名は房良,幼名宗治郎。父は陸奥白河藩(福島県)藩士の沖田勝次郎。総司幼くして沖田家は藩籍を離れたといわれるが,義兄林太郎が安政6(1859)年まで在籍の記録がある。近藤勇の天然理心流試衛館の塾頭を務め,近藤,土方歳三らと上洛,新選組に加盟。池田屋の斬り込みで喀血昏倒。参謀山南敬助の脱走罪による切腹を介錯。明治1(1868)年の鳥羽・伏見の戦には労咳のため参加せず,江戸引き揚げ後は,神田和泉橋の医学所や今戸八幡の松本良順宅で療養。千駄ケ谷池尻橋の植木屋平五郎宅の納屋で死んだといわれる。<参考文献>子母沢寛『新選組始末記』

(釣洋一)

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