Saito Hajime (Fujita Goro)

Saitō Hajime (斎藤一 Saitō Hajime) (February 18, 1844 - September 28, 1915) was born in Edo, Musashi Province (now Tokyo). He was the captain of the third troop of the Shinsengumi. One of the few who survived the numerous wars of the late shogunate period, he was considered to be on the same level as the legendary first troop captain Okita Souji and the second troop captain Nagakura Shinpachi. Saito was fierce and fearless in combat and his left-handed single thrust was one of the most dreaded and lethal sword techniques used by members of the Shinsengumi (Shinsengumi-Kenzyutu). Detail believed to be of Saito Hajime from a group photo taken in 1877. ... February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1844 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... September 28 is the 271st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (272nd in leap years). ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Edo (Japanese: 江戸, literally: bay-door, estuary), once also spelled Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo. ... Tokyo ) , literally eastern capital, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and includes the highly urbanized central area formerly known as the city of Tokyo which is the heart of the Greater Tokyo Area. ... Mannequins dressed in Shinsengumi outfits The Shinsengumi (Japanese: 新選組) were a special police force of the late shogunate period. ... The Late Tokugawa Shogunate (Japanese: Bakumatsu) is the period between 1853 and 1867 during which Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy called sakoku and modernized from a feudal shogunate to the Meiji government. ... Okita Sōji (沖田 総司 Okita Sōji, also Okita Sōshi), (1844 - May 30, 1869) was captain of the first troop of the Shinsengumi, an armed special security team in Kyoto during the late shogunate period. ... Nagakura Shinpachi (永倉 æ–°å…« Nagakura Shinpachi) was the captain of the 2nd troop of the Shinsengumi. ...

Very little is known about his early life. He was born Yamaguchi Hajime and had an older brother and an older sister. It is believed that in 1862, he left Edo after killing a hatamoto (accidentally?) to live in Kyoto. A hatamoto (旗本) was an official guard of a daimyo or shogun in feudal Japan. ... Kyoto Hall Mayor Yorikane Masumoto Address 〒604-8571 Kyoto-shi, Nakagyo-ku, Teramachi-Oike, 488 Phone number 075-222-3111 Official website: Kyoto City This page is about the city Kyoto. ...

As a member of the Shinsengumi, it is said that Saitō was an introvert and a mysterious person; a common description of his personality says he "was not a man predisposed to small talk." He conducted internal spying on possible enemy operatives (i.e. the Itou case), as well as monitoring other intelligence and enemy activity. His controversial reputation as a "hero" comes from the fact that he killed several corrupt members of the Shinsengumi.

During the Boshin War (1868-1869), due to Hijikata Toshizo's injuries, Saito became the commender of the Aizu Shinsengumi under the name Yamaguchi Jiro (a name he had used since late 1867.) The Boshin War (戊辰戦争 Boshin Sensō, literally War of the Year of the Dragon) was fought in 1868-1869 between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the pro-Imperial forces in Japan. ... Hijikata Toshizō Statue at Takahata Fudo, Hino, Tokyo Hijikata Toshizō (土方歳三) was the deputy leader of Shinsengumi, a young, small but talented group of Japanese swordsmen who tried to resist the Meiji Restoration and failed. ...

In 1874, He married Takagi Tokio, the oldest daughter of Takagi Kojuro, an O-metsuke or head/senior inspector. Metsuke ) were the Inspectors of Tokugawa Japan. ...

After the war, he changed his name to Fujita Goro and worked as a police officer. Somewhat ironically, he was a member of the force sent to put down Saigo Takamori's infamous Satsuma rebellion. It is said that he served valiantly in the battle, carrying his katana rather than a rifle.

Saito was a heavy drinker. This may well have contributed to his death from a stomach ulcer at the age of 71. During his life time, he did not reveal anything about his activity in the Shinsengumi like Nagakura Shinpachi. Nagakura Shinpachi (永倉 新八 Nagakura Shinpachi) was the captain of the 2nd troop of the Shinsengumi. ...

There are no pictures of Saito Hajime that can be verified as actually being of him. There is one sketch of him, but it is actually a composite based on his son. The photo accompanying this article is one that is believed to be him under the name Fujita Goro. The original is of the police unit he was a member of, and through process of elimination it was determined that the man in the picture above is most likely Saito Hajime.

Saito in fiction

Saitō has become a better-known figure in the West since several anime and manga series used him as a character. The popular Rurouni Kenshin series portrays him as an anti-hero, once a mortal enemy of protagonist Himura Kenshin, and eventually an uneasy ally. As portrayed in Rurouni Kenshin, Saitō is very tall and plain-looking compared to the other characters and has a cold and quiet disposition, following some of the very few description of his personality in real life. (Though many fangirls would disagree, citing that Saitoh is just as good looking as Aoshi and more well built, and also, more clever.) In Rurouni Kenshin, Saito is granted special permission to carry a katana. The "Gatotsu" sword technique that he uses in the series follows the description of his original sword technique, but is purely fictional. The Aku Soku Zan motto he lives by (most literally, "Kill those who are evil immediately," but more poetically translated as "Swift death to evil," or "Evil Immediately Slain.") is similarly unverified beyond its use in Rurouni Kenshin, but fits with Saitō's reputation for killing corrupt Shinsengumi members. Atom, star of the long-running science fiction series Mighty Atom (also known as Astro Boy to Western audiences). ... For other uses, see Manga (disambiguation). ... Rurouni Kenshin (るろうに剣心) is a set of manga and anime series created by mangaka Nobuhiro Watsuki, set during the early years of the Meiji period in Japan. ... Kenshin Himura, also called Hitokiri Battousai Himura Kenshin (緋村 剣心 Himura Kenshin, June 20, 1849-1895 (ova only), (no known date of death in the manga)), known in Western-order (Kenshin Himura) in the English anime, is a fictional character of the anime and manga series Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X. His Japanese... Katana of the 16th or 17th Century, with its saya. ... Rurouni Kenshin (るろうに剣心) is a set of manga and anime series created by mangaka Nobuhiro Watsuki, set during the early years of the Meiji period in Japan. ...

In Peacemaker Kurogane, another historical manga and anime that tells the story of a boy who joins the Shinsengumi to avenge the deaths of his parents, he appears as the captain of the third troop, as he was in real life; his character, a far cry from that in Kenshin, is rather laidback and mystical, with a perpetually sleepy expression. Peacemaker Kurogane (Japanese:PEACE MAKER鐵) is a historical fiction manga and anime series created by manga-ka Nanae Chrono (黒乃奈々絵 Kurono Nanae). ... For other uses, see Manga (disambiguation). ... Atom, star of the long-running science fiction series Mighty Atom (also known as Astro Boy to Western audiences). ... Mannequins dressed in Shinsengumi outfits The Shinsengumi (Japanese: 新選組) were a special police force of the late shogunate period. ...

He also appears in Kaze Hikaru, in which he is portrayed as a quiet and serious character, who was friends with (and bears a striking resemblance to) the main character's older brother. Kaze Hikaru (風光る, literally Shining Wind or The Wind Shines) is a manga series by Taeko Watanabe. ...

Saito in Video Games

A Kenshin series look-alike named Keiichiro Washizuka was featured in The Last Blade series of games. Again, he was characterized by a cold and quiet persona, along with a fierce loyalty to the Shinsengumi. His appearance was consistent with the Saito featured in the Rurouni Kenshin "Trust and Betrayal" OVA (who looked slightly more realistic than the Rurouni Kenshin TV series, since the character designs were done by another designer who made the character appear more realistic due to the OVA's dark nature).
Keiichiro Washizuka Keiichiro Washizuka is a character in the Last Blade fighting game series. ... The Last Blade (月華の剣士: Gekka no Kenshi), or LB for short, is a fighting game series created by SNK for the Neo-Geo arcade and home system. ...

External links

1. Hajime no Kizu A site dedicated to Saitou Hajime, with information, multimedia and fanworks.
2. Saitou Hajime
3. Takagi Tokio