#tamura ginnosuke

[shinsengumi-archives]

The [second] youngest member of the Shinsengumi: 12-year-old Tamura Ginnosuke

Edit: Inoue Taisuke is the youngest. Thanks @talesofedo​ for pointing it out.

In the fifth year of the Shinsengumi’s existence, the difference in strength between the Imperial faction and the former Shogunate army was clear, and in 1867, when the era changed from Edo to the Meiji Restoration, Tamura Ginnosuke joined the Shinsengumi. His age was only 12 years old. Speaking in modern times, it’s the age when people graduated from elementary school.

Born in the samurai family of the Iwakitaira Domain in Fukushima Prefecture, Tamura Ginnosuke had joined the Shinsengumi along with his brothers Ichiro and Rokushiro.

The Shinsengumi did not have any special enlistment qualifications or enlistment exams. However, Ginnosuke was so young that he was initially responsible for taking care of the Commander and Vice-Commander, not as a combat personnel, even though he was a warrior.

Even so, the Shinsengumi along with the old Shogunate army lost to the new government army in the battle of Toba-Fushimi the following year, and the defeat and reroute continued to the battle of Koshu Katsunuma where the Commander, Kondo Isami, finally surrendered. He was executed and left the world. Okita Soji also fell ill and died. As the Shinsengumi dispersed and their strength declined, Ginnosuke was forced to flee from Aizu to Sendai, and according to  Hijikata Toshizo, he went to Hakodate.

In Hakodate, Ginnosuke fired a gun at the battle of Kakkumi Toge. Ginnosuke also joined the old shogunate forces in Goryokaku. Initially, the old shogunate army were advantageous battle. The child soldiers are also studying to learn "French" from the frenchman Brunet and Japanese interpreter Yamauchi  Rokusaburo for "broadening one’s horizons".

However, in the battle of Hakodate Goryokaku for about 6 months, the new government forces put in one attack after another, and the situation deteriorated. While being forced into a siege, Enomoto Takeaki, who led the entire army, ordered the corps to "help the younger ones escape."

Ginnosuke, who heard this order, said, "Even though I’m just a boy, this is insulting and humiliating, and even today, I will not give in." 

"Don't insult me just because I’m young! It doesn't mean I can't fight if I want to!" He said angrily.

At the end of the battle, a "recommendation for surrender" arrived from the new government army, and finally a "farewell party" was held in Goryokaku. Otori Keisuke, a senior soldier, advised Ginnosuke to "return (surrender) and live his life."

"If I regret this when I’m fifteen, then I’ll regret this when I’m fifty. If I regret this when I’m fifty, I’ll regret this when I’m seventy or eighty. I'm ready to die." Ginnosuke said, making it clear he intends to join the siege with other soldiers and die.

A few days later, Goryokaku fell, and after Enomoto Takeaki, the former Shogunate army surrendered completely, and Ginnosuke continued to live without losing his life.

The photo was taken at a photo studio in Hakodate or Tokyo when he was 15 years old, and was donated by his grandson Tamura Michiko to the "Hijikata Toshizo Hakodate Memorial Hall" in Hakodate, Hokkaido.

After Hakodate, Tamura Ginnosuke served the Meiji government, participated in the Satsuma Rebellion as an army officer, and also worked on the development of Hokkaido.

Also, in the Taisho era, he participated in the "History Meeting" to spell out the history of the Shinsengumi. In the "Meeting Records", he talked about how at the end of the Boshin War in Hakodate, Iba Hachiro, a soldier, was offered sake poisoned with morphine by Enomoto. He laughed and drank it vigorously to end his own life.

Tamura Ginnosuke died on August 20, 1924 at the age of 69, but his remains are now housed in the "Tamura Ieyuki Tomb" at Chikoji Temple in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo.

[pmk-love]

Speaking of Ginnosuke, you know, that little page Tetsunosuke actually meets in Ezo and who’s a reflection of who he was when he was younger?

Turns out he was a historical person as well, and he indeed was Tetsunosuke’s ‘kouhai’ as he was part of the remaining Shinsengumi pages but was younger than Tetsu. According to this site:

Tamura Ginnosuke (田村銀之助)

Ginnosuke TAMURA (born on August 30, 1856 and died on August 20, 1924) was from Iwakitaira Domain and a member of the Shinsengumi.

In 1867, he joined the Shinsengumi at the age of 12 with his older brothers, Ichiro TAMURA and Rokushiro TAMURA. He served not as a regular member but as a pageboy to the commander, Isami KONDO and the vice commander, Toshizo HIJIKATA, but soon, the Boshin War broke out. He followed the Shinsengumi and moved to Aizu through Nagareyama after the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. It is said that he was too young to join in combats (such as the Aizu War). When Old Shogunate military joined with the Takeaki ENOMOTO fleet in Sendai, he also joined them and headed for Ezo (inhabited area of Ainu).

In the Hakodate government (the short-lived Republic of Ezo), he belonged to rikugunbugyonami (military police) headed by Toshizo HIJIKATA and served as a pageboy to the President Takeaki ENOMOTO. He was also adopted into the family of Saemon KASUGA, the leader of the army. During the Hakodate War, he was treated as a noncombatant and learned French from an interpreter, Masachika TAJIMA.

When Toshizo HIJIKATA was killed on May 11, 1869 and Saemon KASUGA was killed on May 12, he was recommended to escape from goryokaku (the main fortress of the short-lived Republic of Ezo) by the president, Takeaki ENOMOTO and the head of the military police, Keisuke OTORI. However, he refused the offer outright. On May 18, the Old Shogunate military surrendered to the new government. After that, he served the Meiji government and joined wars including the Seinan War as a military officer and he also served as a development commissioner.

He attended a meeting where the participants talked about historic events in 1920. Some stories about the Boshin War told by him have been handed down for generations.

He died in 1924. He died at the age of 69.

[hijikata-toshizou-official]

The full versions of the picture I edited the text out of for the pmk week announcement post.

[shinsengumi-archives]

Member List: Regimental Soldiers

Written by Kizu  

Wednesday, 26 July 2006

Regimental Soldiers

Aiba Kunzaburou

Aoki Ren

Aoyama Jirou

Akashi Kakushirou

Akiyama Gisaburou

Adachi Rintarou

Abe Junta

Amaji Issen

Amami Katsunoshin

Aya Ichirou

Arai Hamao

Araki Shintarou

Arakida Samanosuke

Aridooshi Kango

Aridooshi Shimenoshin

Ieki Shougen

Igarashi Iori

Igi Hachirou

Ikeda Shichisaburou

Ikeda Shouji

Ishii Inosuke

Ishii Yuujirou

Ishikawa Saburou

Ishida Nyuugou

Ichinose Kanji

Ichihashi Kamakichi

Ichimura Tatsunosuke

Ichimura Tetsunosuke

Isshiki Zennojou

Itsumi  Katsusaburou

Itou Kazue

Itou Naminosuke

Itou Hayanosuke

Itou Yahachirou

Inayoshi Yuuzaburou

Inoue Genzaemon

Inoue Taisuke

Iwasaki Ichirou

Iwasaki Katsujirou

Ingu Umasaku

Uesaka Koutarou

Ueda Adachinosuke

Ueda Umanojou

Ueda Kingo

Ueda Matsuji

Uehara Eisaku

Ueyama Eihachi

Uchiyama Motojirou

Utsumi Jirou

Umedo Katsunoshin

Egawa Shichirou

Echigo Saburou

Ebata Kotarou

Oouchi Yarinosuke

Ootani Yoshisuke

Ootsuki Touzou

Oono Uchuu

Oono Kuranosuke

Oohashi Hanzaburou

Oohashi Yamasaburou

Oomachi Tsunatarou

Oomura Ataka

Okada Katsumi

Okada Gorou

Okada Yonetarou

Okado Manjirou

Okamura Kametarou

Ogawa Issaku

Ogawa Shintarou

Okita Shounoshin

Ozawa Souji

Obata Saburou

Ohara Kinzou

Kagatsume Katsunoshin

kajitani Rinnosuke

Kasuya Kojirou

Kasuya Juurou

Katou Kumagorou

Katou Sadakichi

Katou Tamiya

Katouu Higuma

Kadogaya Tadasu

Kaneko Shoubee

Kneko Jirosaku

Kamei Mikinosuke

Karashima Shouji

Kawai Tetsugorou

Kawai Yasaburou

Kwai Heizou

Kwamura Yazoemon

Kawamura Rinjirou

Kanbe Shirou

Kiuchi Mineta

Kikuchi Ou

Kishida Kenkichi

Kinoshita Katsuzou

Kihata Katsunoshin

Kihata Saburou

Kimura Katsunosuke

Kimura Chuujirou

Kimura Hirota

Kimura Yoshinosuke

Kiyohara Kiyoshi

Kusakabe Shirou

Kusakabe Toomi

Kusunoki Kojuurou

Kumazawa Motozou

Kurihara Sennosuke

Kurokawa Sakichi

Kokubo Seikichi

Koshinoumi

Kojima Mikinojou

Gotou Daisuke

Gobayashi Keinosuke

Kobayashi Koujirou

Kobayashi Minetarou

Kobari Seiichirou

Saitou Shuuzen

Saitou Seiichirou (someprint say Ichidakusai?)

Sakai Youjirou

Sakamoto Heizou

Sakuma Gintarou

Sakuma Kensuke

Sakuma Soutarou

Sakuma Norito

Sakurai Kazuma

Sakurai Yuunoshin

Sasaki Aijirou

Sasaki Kuranosuke

Sasaki Hajime

Sasazuka Minezou

Sashida Takejirou

Saji Hiroshi

Satou Fusatarou

Sano Shimenosuke

Sano Makita

Sawa Chuusuke

Shiosawa Rinjirou

Shikauchi Chikara

Shinozaki Shinbachirou

Shibaoka Mansuke

Shibata Hikosaburou

Shibayama Tokusaburou

Shiba Ryousaku

Shiba Rokunosuke

Shibusawa Kichinosuke

Shimada Kounosuke

Shimada Yaichirou

Shimizu Ukichi

Shimizu Kyuuzaemon

Shukuin Ryuuzou

Shouji Heizaburou

Shirai Takanoshin

Shirato Tomoe

Shirahara Shichirouemon

Sugano Rokurou

Sugiyama Youji

Suzuki Naoto

Suzuki Ryouhei

Suzuki Renzaburou

Suwa Ichijirou

Sekikawa Daijirou

Sekikuchi Fusatarou

Seyama Takito

Senda Hyoue

Souma Kazue

Daimatsu Keisai

Tauchi Tomo

Taoka Tarou

Takaoka Kuratarou

Takasu Kumao

Takada Bunjirou

Takano Ryouemon

Takahashi Kyousuke

Takahashi Wataru

Takayama Jirou

Takeuchi Gentarou

Takeuchi Tokuhei

Takeshiro Kurata

Takenouchi Takeo

Takenouchi Tokuo

Takebe Ginjirou

Tachikawa Chikara

Tagouro Hiroto

Tanaka Umetarou

Tanaka Torazou

Tanaka Ritsuzou

Tani Mantarou

Tanigawa Tatsukichi

Taniguchi Shirobee

Tamaoki Ryouzou

Tamgawa Masanosuke

Tamura Ichirou

Tamura Kinshichirou

Tamura Ginnosuke

Tamura Daizuburou

Tamura Rokushirou

Chiba Sakae

Tsukamoto Zennosuke

Tsuga Ushigorou

Tsuchida Shinnojou

Tusbota Chouzou

Tsuruoka Kenshirou

Terai Chikara

Terashima Hanzou

Toba Takimatsu

Tomigawa Juurou

Tominaga Masanosuke

Nakai Mitsuya

Nakagawa Kojuurou

Nakazawa Tsutomu

Nogasawa Masanojou

Nagashima Gorosaku

Nakajima Nobori

Nakajiou Tsunehachirou

Nagase Seizou

Nagata Kamasaburou

Nakamura Kichiroku

Nakamura Kyuuma

Nakamura Kingo

Nakamura Korou

Nakamura Seishichi

Nakayama Juuzou

Nariai Kiyoshi

Nishizawa Yoshikichi

Nishimura Isogorou

Nishimura Kozaemon

Nishimura Kanzaburou

Nishimura Genrokurou

Nitta Kakuzaemon

Nitta Toranosuke

Numajiri Aijirou

Nobu Tamio

Nomura Yuuki

Nomura Risaburou

Hatakeyama Yoshijirou

Hamaguchi Hiichi

Hayashi Kyuukichi

Hayashi Kogorou

Hayashi Shoukichi

Hayashi Takenosuke

Hijikata Tsushima

Fukuda Katsunoshin

Fukuyo Onari

Fujii Yasuhachi

Fujisawa Takeki

Fujimoto Kichinosuke

Fujimoto Hikonosuke

Fujiwara Wasaburou

Funazu Kamatarou

Furukawa Kojirou

Furuya Jounosuke

Hoshikawa Sanbei

Hosoi Shikarosuke

Hosokawa Sentarou

Hosokawa Takumi

Honda Iwakichi

Honda Taichirou

Maeda Iwatarou

Maeda Kurando

Maeba Kijima

Maeba Kogorou

Makino Genshichirou

Magoshi Daitarou

Masaki Orinosuke

Mazaki Takutarou

Matsui Tokutarou

Matsui Ryuuzaburou

Matsuzaki Shizumi

Matsuzawa Otozou

Matsuzawa Danji

Matsuda Rokurou

Matsunaga Kazue

Matsubara Ikutarou

Mazume Shinjuurou

Matzume Ryuutarou

Matsumoto Kijirou

Matsumoto Shuuzou

Matsumoto Sutesuke

Matsumoto Chikara

Maruo Keijirou

Maruyama Komnosuke

Manda Kouzou

Miura Keinosuke

Miura Shigetarou

Miura Tsunujirou

Miura Matsugorou

Miura Isetake

Mishina Ichirou

Mishina Jirou

Mishina Chuuji

Mizuguchi Ichimatsu

Mizutani Toushichi

Mitsuii Ushinosuke

Miyagawa Kazumi

Miyagawa Nobukichi

Miyagaki Hannojou

Miyatake Orizou

Miyamoto Touta

Miyoshi Yutaka

Mukaidate Noboru

Mutou Matasaburou

Murakami Saburou

Murakami Monjirou

Murayama Kenkichi

Muro Takunosuke

Motoi Waichirou

Mototake Gonbei

Morian Rokunosuke

Mori Gonjirou

Mori Takanosuke

Mori Tsunukichi

Morishita Heisaku

Mori Rokurou

Yagane Shigezou

Yaguchi Kenichirou

Yanagisawa Touma

Yanagida Sanjirou

Yabe Hyougo

Yama Toranosuke

Yamaura Tetsushirou

Yamagata Tokitarou

Yamagiwa Heizaburou

Yamaguji Bunjirou

Yamazaki Hachizou

Yamazaki Ringorou

Yamada Harutaka

Yamano Yasohachi

Yamamoto Jisoroku

Yuuki Umunosuke

Yokoyama Nabejirou

Yoshizawa Heizou

Yoshimura Jirou

Yoshimura Shintarou

Yoshimura Yoshitarou

Wakada Eikichi

Wada Juurou

Wada Hayato

Wada Rokurou

Wakada Kotouta

Wadaka Toranosuke

Watanabe Ichizou

Wadou Teizou