Photo Japan: In-Focus Portfolio 2008: Shinsengumi Clan

The Rōshigumi, as stated above, was funded by the Tokugawa regime. However, Kiyokawa Hachirō's goal, which he revealed following the group's arrival in Kyoto, was to gather "rōnin" to work with the imperialists. In response, thirteen members of the Rōshigumi became the thirteen founding members of the Shinsengumi. Other members loyal to the Tokugawa government returned to Edo and formed the Shinchōgumi (新徴組), which came under the patronage of the Shōnai domain. The Shinsengumi members were originally also known as the Miburō (壬生浪), meaning "of Mibu" (Mibu being the suburb of central Kyoto where they were stationed). However, the reputation of the Shinsengumi became tarnished quite early on and their nickname soon changed to "Wolves of Mibu" (壬生狼, pronounced the same). Shinsengumi could be translated to "Newly Selected Corps" ("Shinsen" means "new chosen (ones)," while "gumi" translates to "group," "team," "clan" or "squad.") The original Commanders of the Shinsengumi were Serizawa Kamo, Kondō Isami, and Shinmi Nishiki. At first, the group was composed of three major factions: Serizawa's group, Kondo's group, and Tonouchi's group. However, Tonouchi and Iesato were assassinated shortly after its foundation.

Shinsengumi Regulations

The code of the Shinsengumi Regulations was most likely to have been written by Hijikata Toshizō. The code included five articles, prohibiting the following:

1. Deviating from the samurai code "bushido"

2. Leaving the Shinsengumi

3. Raising money privately

4. Taking part in others' litigation

5. Engaging in private fights

The penalty for breaking any rule was "seppuku" (suicide by cutting one's own abdomen with a knife).

In addition, the Shinsengumi had these regulations:

1. If the leader of a unit is mortally wounded in a fight, all the members of the unit must fight and die on the spot.

2. Even in a fight where the death toll is high, it is not allowed to retrieve the bodies of the dead, except the corpse of the leader of the unit.

The most prominent of which is this: "If a Shinsengumi member engages in a fight with a stranger, be it on duty or not, if he is wounded and can't kill the enemy allowing him to run away even in case of a wound in the back, 'seppuku' is ordered."

Hijikata forced them to follow extremely strict rules to make the group reflect "bushido" ideals and to create fear within the group so that they would absolutely obey the orders of Hijikata and Kondo. These rules are a major reason why they rose to be such a strong, feared force consisting of hundreds of expert swordsmen, each endowed with official sanction and an unflinching readiness to kill. Quite a few members were forced to commit seppuku for breaking the rules or were killed for being spies.

Shinsengumi Uniforms

The members of the Shinsengumi were highly visible in battle due to their distinctive uniforms. Following the orders of Shinsengumi captain Serizawa Kamo, the standard uniform consisted of the "haori" and "hakama" over a kimono with a white cord called a "tasuki" crossed over the chest and tied in the back. The function of the "tasuki" is to prevent the sleeves of the kimono from interfering with moving the arms. The uniqueness of the uniform was most evident in the "haori" which was colored "asagiiro" (浅葱色, generally light blue, but can also be light yellow). The "haori" sleeves were trimmed with "white mountain stripes" resulting in a very flashy outfit quite unlike the usual browns, blacks, and grays found in warrior clothing. In the midst of a fight the uniforms of the Shinsengumi provided not only a means of easy identification, but also a highly visible threat towards the enemy.

Source: Courtesy of Wikipedia