#matsumoto ryojun

[talesofedo]

From "Photography in Japan 1853—1912." The caption reads, "Matsumoto Ryojun and assistant, ca. 1860-1861," meaning this was most likely taken in Nagasaki and, by looking at his hair, prior to Dr. Matsumoto being a fully-fledged doctor.

[fuckyeahbakumatsu]

The face of a man who did NOT ask to hear about your kink

[shinsengumi-archives]

Hello! I just wanted to say that I love this blog! I've been interested in Japanese history for a while but I've only recently started building up on it.

I've tagged your Ikedaya post (not sure if you saw it) where I talked about Okita. You mentioned he had a fit? Would you care to elaborate what info can be found about his condition and tuberculosis?

I think he may have had a fit during Ikedaya due to physical exhaustion because his body may still have been weakened from his condition and holding one floor/battling several enemies can still exhaust you.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Thank you and have a nice day! 🫶🏻

Hi, I'm glad you like my blog!

According to the translated Japanese Wikipedia:

Works of fiction always have Soji OKITA coughing up blood and collapsing during the fighting in the Ikedaya Incident. However, as mentioned above, this anecdote is not supported by researchers. Reasons include the fact that the description of Okita's coughing up blood only appears in Kan SHIMOZAWA's "Shinsengumi Shimatsuki"; Okita participated in the hunt for the remnants of the Choshu forces (see "Akebonotei Jiken", the Akebonotei Incident); and there is a record ("Koshi sensoki" Kanefumi NISHIMURA) of him joining Isami KONDO, Toshizo HIJIKATA, Kanryusai TAKEDA and Shinpachi NAGAKURA in the Kinmon Incident the following month, and if his tuberculosis was advanced enough to cause him to cough up blood, they would not have dared to let him go. There is another anecdote that after the Shinsengumi's group medical examination in around 1866, the shogunate's doctor, Ryojun MATSUMOTO, left a note that 'one of the members had pulmonary tuberculosis', and it is thought that the man may have been Soji OKITA. In 1867, the disease seems to have progressed enough that people around him noticed it; Shikanosuke KOJIMA in "Ryoyu jitsuroku" said he contracted it in March; according to Kanefumi NISHIMURA's "Mibu Roshi Shimatsuki", he was seriously ill around September when the quarters were moved to Fudodo Village; and in a letter to Kondo dated October 13, Kojima wrote that he was worried about Okita's worsening condition. Given the above, when Okita's health condition worsened so critical that he could not bear fighting was from autumn to winter in 1867. It is also thought that his intense exercise might have been an added burden on his lungs and aggravated his illness. The scenes of Okita spitting blood and falling unconscious at the Ikedaya in works such as "Shinsengumi Shimatsuki" seem to have originated in Shinpachi NAGAKURA's "Shinsengumi Tenmatsuki", which, while not mentioning spitting blood, does describe Okita falling unconscious. He may have suffered a light and temporary heat stroke following the intense battle, which took place on a humid and extremely hot day in early summer, and it is thought that his condition did not raise any questions about his lungs for those close to him, including Kondo and Nagakura.

So it's likely that Okita didn't have tuberculosis during the Ikedaya Incident and only collapsed from heat stroke.

According to shinsengumi-no-makoto, "Okita tended to eat very lightly and would even leave banquets early. There’s a possibility he had an unbalanced diet because of this", so maybe even without tuberculosis, he was never really healthy which might be why he was the only one who collapsed.

I've read that tuberculosis could remain latent for a long time, so someone might catch the disease and go without symptoms for many years, but once it reaches the point of coughing up blood, people usually die within a year without proper treatment, so it's unlikely that Okita was already coughing up blood in 1864. If he was already infected during Ikedaya, it might have only made him get tired easily and faint from exhaustion.

If you want to learn more, you can check out the posts tagged #tuberculosis for more information :)

[yuisdad]

Otome game characters who share the same English VAs.

I’ve been seeing otome game fans making posts about otome games sharing the same voice actors, but I wanted to make a post regarding their dub actors. These come from their anime adaptations, with the major dubbing companies being Sentai Filmworks and Funimation/Crunchyroll.

Cw: Illich Guardiola was blacklisted for attempting to marry his 16 year old student. He’ll be mentioned, but I do not support him in the slightest.

Andrew Love:

Takuma Onizaki (Hiiro no Kakera)

Toshizo Hijikata (Hakuoki)

Dante (Arcana Famiglia)

Yuma Mukami (Diabolik Lovers More,Blood)

Greg Ayres:

Mahiro Atori (Hiiro no Kakera)

Heisuke Todo (Hakuoki)

Azusa Mukami (Diabolik Lovers More,Blood)

David Matranga:

Yuichi Komura (Hiiro no Kakera)

Keisuke Sannan (Hakuoki)

Richter (Diabolik Lovers)

Haru Natsume (Stand my Heroes)

Corey Hartzog:

Shinji Inukai (Hiiro no Kakera)

Chikage Kazama (Hakuoki)

Kanato Sakamaki (Diabolik Lovers)

Illich Guardiola

Suguru Omi (Hiiro no Kakera)

Sanosuke Harada (Hakuoki) *Was replaced by Phil Hyde for the movie series

Leraldo Anzaldua:

Ryo Kutani (Hiiro no Kakera)

Hajime Saito (Hakuoki)

Hilary Haag:

Aria Rozenburg (Hiiro no Kakera)

Princess Sen (Hakuoki)

Brittney Karbowski:

Kiyono Takara (Hiiro no Kakera)

Chizuru Yukimura (Hakuoki)

Christa (Diabolik Lovers)

Baby Kou Mukami (Diabolik Lovers More,Blood)

Adam Gibbs:

Zwei (Hiiro no Kakera)

Ryunosuke Ibuki (Hakuoki Dawn of the Shinsengumi)

Ruki Mukami (Diabolik Lovers)

Shelly Calene-Black:

Vier (Hiiro no Kakera)

Sumire (Arcana Famiglia)

Baby Ruki Mukami (Diabolik Lovers More,Blood)

David Wald:

Masataka Ashiya (Hiiro no Kakera)

Isami Kondo (Hakuoki)

Reiji Sakamaki (Diabolik Lovers)

Rempart Leonhardt (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Daisuke Seki (Stand My Heroes)

Luci Christian:

Shizuki Ugaya/O-Chan (Hiiro no Kakera)

Felicità (Arcana Famiglia)

Beatrix/Baby Laito Sakamaki (Diabolik Lovers)

Rob Mungle:

Drei (Hiiro no Kakera)

Mondo (Arcana Famiglia)

Blake Shepard:

Souji Okita: (Hakuoki)

Ikki (Amnesia)

Libertà (Arcana Famiglia)

Laito Sakamaki (Diabolik Lovers)

Shannon Emerick:

Kaoru Nagumo (Hakuoki)

Orion (Amnesia)

Donatella (Arcana Famiglia)

Baby Ayato Sakamaki (Diabolik Lovers)

Houston Hayes:

Kyo Shiranui (Hakuoki)

Shin (Amnesia)

Shin Tsukinami (Diabolik Lovers)

Clint Bickham:

Kashitaro Ito (Hakuoki)

Luca (Arcana Famiglia)

John Swasey:

Ryojun Matsumoto (Hakuoki)

Fukulota (Arcana Famiglia)

Karlheinz (Diabolik Lovers More,Blood)

Molly Searcy:

Oume (Hakuoki Dawn of the Shinsengumi)

Mine/Baby Toma (Amnesia)

Jay Hickman:

Waka (Amnesia)

Debito (Arcana Famiglia)

Tiffany Grant:

Elmo/Federica (Arcana Famiglia)

Baby Kanato Sakamaki (Diabolik Lovers)

Maggie Flecknoe:

Meriella (Arcana Famiglia)

Heroine (Amnesia)

Yui Komori (Diabolik Lovers)

Margaret McDonald:

Kosuzu (Hakuoki Dawn of the Shinsengumi)

Baby Keita Maki (Stand My Heroes)

Christopher Wehkamp:

Ogai Mori (Meiji Tokyo Renka)

Sosei Arakida (Stand My Heroes)

Haruo Sakaguchi (Kenka Bancho Otome)

Daman Mills:

Shunso Hishida (Meiji Tokyo Renka)

Nemo (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Takaomi Hiyama (Stand My Heroes)

Sakuya Nakajima (Kenka Bancho Otome)

Ian Sinclair:

Charlie (Meiji Tokyo Renka)

Abraham Van Helsing (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Justin Briner:

Charlie (Meiji Tokyo Renka) *Episode 6 of the SimulDub

Finis Beckford (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Stephen Fu:

Kyoya Saotome (Meiji Tokyo Renka)

Go Miyase (Stand My Heroes)

Tora Tanaka (Kenka Bancho Otome)

Terri Doty:

Baby Yakumo Koizumi (Meiji Tokyo Renka)

Hikari Onigashima (Kenka Bancho Otome)

Megan Shipman:

Mei’s Mother/Shino (Meiji Tokyo Renka)

Etty (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Dallas Reid:

King Tatsuno (Meiji Tokyo Renka)

Natsuki Sugano (Stand My Heroes)

Jill Harris:

Cardia Beckford (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Rei Izumi (Stand My Heroes)

J. Micheal Tatum:

Arsène Lupin (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Tsukasa Asagiri (Stand My Heroes)

Chris Guerrero:

Impey Barbicane (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Makoto Tsuzuki (Stand My Heroes)

Brandon McInnis:

Count St. Germain (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Kenta Shimamura (Kenka Bancho Otome)

Austin Tindle:

Herlock Sholmes (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Aki Kagura (Stand My Heroes)

Totomaru Minowa (Kenka Bancho Otome)

Apphia Yu:

Sisi (Code Realize Guardian of Rebirth)

Hinako Nakayama (Kenka Bancho Otome)

Ricco Fajardo:

Shun Imaoji (Stand My Heroes)

Yuta Mirako (Kenka Bancho Otome)

Jarrod Greene:

Koya Kirishima (Stand My Heroes)

Houou Onigashima (Kenka Bancho Otome)

[ao3feed-tolkien]

Hakuouki: Tales of Arda

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/jXvoLc5

by tirielofnumenor

Set 16 years after the destruction of Númenor in the Second Age. Chizuru, a young woman of Eriador sets of on a journey to search for her father who mysteriously vanished after leaving behind a letter explaining her strong ties to Númenor. Along the way, she is waylaid by rangers from the Elven kingdom of Shiei, a place that Chizuru used to call home. Along with the threat of Mordor and the appearance of white-haired creatures lusting for blood, the fate of Middle Earth now hangs in a balance. Will Chizuru be able to find her father and save Middle Earth with the help of the Elven rangers?

Loosely based on Okita's route.

Words: 1801, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Hakuouki, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: F/M

Characters: Saitou Hajime (Hakuouki), Hijikata Toshizou (Hakuouki), Kondou Isami (Hakuouki), Harada Sanosuke (Hakuouki), Toudou Heisuke (Hakuouki), Nagakura Shinpachi (Hakuouki), Ibuki Ryunosuke, Inoue Genzaburo (Hakuouki), Sannan Keisuke (Hakuouki), Nagumo Kaoru, Yukimura Koudou, Matsumoto Ryojun (Hakuouki), Shimada Kai (Hakuouki)

Relationships: Okita Souji/Yukimura Chizuru

Additional Tags: Elves, Alternate Universe - Middle Earth Setting, Shinsengumi members as Elves, sorry I made Ibuki a Dwarf, Oath of Fëanor, Second Age (Tolkien), Takes place after the Downfall of Numenor, Otome - Freeform, use of Sindarin dialect, mentions of the Rings of Power, few mentions of Aüle's privates, Valar - Freeform, Mentions of Valinor, Maiar

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/jXvoLc5

[fuckyeahbakumatsu]

Souji literally is though? Like fuck purity culture this ain't about that. Historically speaking Matsumoto Ryojun said he died a virgin. In Hakuouki he says straight up he doesn't like places like Shimabara (also historically documented). This man hates himself and almost all others who do you think he's going around getting intimate with? I get it's an otome game but y'all are pushing horniness on him so hard that just isn't there (except in some of the things he says in the English localization that he didn't actually say) (with the exception of the whole "how does it feel on top of me bullshit" but like how are you not going to go there). I think it's less that people want him to be a virgin and more that he's actually characterized as such.

Anyway won't be able to stop thinking about Shinpachi's face like that for awhile thanks

pt. 1 of hakuoki images with things i've said on discord that got pinned

[shibuemiyuu]

Desires - Hakuoki Fanfiction - Chapter 5

Okay, here’s another chapter. Just want to tell that I can’t find any picture where Hijikata is sleeping. So, I use this one... Even though there aren’t any situation happened like in the picture, but at least in this one he IS sleeping... Although again this situation was what happened in Hijikata’s mind when someone soothed him in the middle of his suffering that happened in this chapter. Just read to find out which part I mentioned about.

Thank you so much to the one that had read my story. Like I said in my previous post, I will tag everyone that can be tagged that had liked my story. Just tell me if you want to be remove :D

And just a site note, I think my Chizuru is rather bold compare to the Chizuru in the anime or in Hijikata's route. I don't think that the Chizuru in there would dare enough to take any action like what I've made her do in my story. So she's maybe a little OOC, but I need her to be like that. Because Hijikata needed to be provoke; he is to aloof with his feeling toward our girl. Someone has to make a move for the story to get going and for them to be working.

May you enjoy this chapter also.

Chapter of the story:

Prequel - Prologue - I - II - III - IV

@hijichiweek @sabinasanfanfic @hidetheremote @eliz1369 @kana-fiesta @legallyblindgamer727 @shell-senji @flower-dragon @animeluver1798 @silverlotuslilith @local-radical-bandit @kimi00twin @csilla-nocturine @blueeyesgirl @flowerynameslover @blackonblacknct @sora-yume-zero @cherryblossom-night @kirakirachiizuru @naukatti @bumpdabump @looloca24 @lescahiersdesable @anime1027 @samarayikimera @magicaloddcouple @riana-one @rabcatthechandler @higosha-to-yumi

Miyuu

-V-

Huff...Huff...Huff...Huff...

A ragged and heavy breath could be heard from inside one room. And inside that room there's a person, lying on a futon. A very sick person that none other was the oni fukuchou.

Hijikata was suffering in his room, courtesy of himself of course. At last, the day he couldn't do anymore of his antics had come, because just to open his eyes was VERY difficult, let alone to move his body. His stubbornness of not want to admit that he was sick and needed to rest had getting into him in the end. He's completely motionless on his futon.

'I'm gonna die… My head is splitting… My body is shivering… My ears are ringing… Breathing is so hard… Did someone pour a sand to my mouth? It feels so damn itchy. I feel so cold…’

He opened his eyes a little bit but closed it immediately. He felt so exhausted, so weak, so sick...

'Is this the end of me? So pathetic....'

There was a rustle sound of his soji door being slide opened and closed. A person had entered his room. Because of his condition, he didn't hear when someone had entered his room. But when that person sat beside him, he could feel the presence. He tried to open his eyes to see whatever presence he had felt. But, again, all he could see was a blurry silhouette.

'Is that a Shinigami? He's so black. I don't think a living person could be so black like this one.' Clearly, his mind was having a delusional because of his high fever that he couldn't recognize the person that had enter his room. And no, it's not a Shinigami. 'Shinigami-san, you can’t take my soul now. This is not my time yet. And also... I haven't told her about that night. Just go away will you!'

"Go...away...you...Shini...gami..." He spoke with a very weak voice and his raspy voice was not helping.

"I'm not a Shinigami Hijikata-san. It's me, Matsumoto Ryoujun. And I'm not going anywhere until I check on your condition and give you a medicine," Matsumoto answered Hijikata with final tone before he began to examine him. Nonetheless he was amused by what the vice commander had said. Before he even touched his body to do his examination, he'd already knew how bad his condition was. 'If I don't help him know, a real Shinigami will come to get you soon enough, Hijikata-san.'  Matsumoto mused inside.

Even in his weak state at the moment, his sharp mind was still working. He recognized whose voice that speaking, "Matsu..moto-sen...sei...?"

"Yes, it's me. I come to examine you Hijikata-san," Matsumoto answered while continued to examine the vice commander. Hijikata stayed silent the whole process. Well, he didn't have any energy to do anything after all. And because of his sore throat, speaking was plain impossible.

For sometimes Matsumoto checked his body condition. After finished, the doctor sat still and looked at the patient. Then he sighed.

"Really... A real Shinigami will come to you soon enough if you still act like what I've heard about. I know you can hear me Hijikata-san. For your own sake, don't ever move from your bed, at least for a week. Get a plenty of rest and sleep. And-"

Matsumoto voiced was somehow getting softer in Hijikata's ear. To the point that the voice commander no longer could hear it, because he was succumbed again by sleep in the middle of talk.

"....I will see you next week to check on your condition. And I hope you'll regain your health back," Matsumoto said and looked at Hijikata. The patient was closing his eyes. He once again checked for Hijikata pulse and he found the vice commander was only sleeping. He tried to make sounds as little as he could when he stood from his position and exited the room.

Outside, Matsumoto met Yamazaki that had waited in kneeling position in front of the room. "I had examined Hijikata-san's condition. I will prescribe some medicine and please give him according to my instruction later. Give him a light meal that can be easily digest. And more importantly, don't let him OUT of the bed for at least a week."

"I understand," Yamazaki answered and bowed his head.

Matsumoto shook his head, "Really, I know that you bunch are stubborn but this level of stubbornness is beyond what I think."

After that Matsumoto gave the prescription that he mentioned earlier with the instruction also. Then he left the compound with a promised to come back the week later.

---

Midnight, with as quietly as possible, someone entered Hijikata's room. With a tray that brought the fukuchou's medicine and a bowl of sweet red bean soup with rice cake -Hijikata's favorite- the person entered the room.

The room was dark, but that night the moon was in full shape and shone brightly. For a brief, it alighted the fukuchou room when the person slid the souji door and entered the room, and revealed the person face and figure; a petite figure clad in pink kimono. Worried could be seem in the brown eyes of the said figure as the person entered the room and closed the door.

Because of the fullmoon, the room wasn't as dark as it usually was. That's why Chizuru, the figure that came to Hijikata's room, could move around inside the room without difficulty.

Even though this was the latest thing that she wanted to do, but before she realized it, she had offered herself to take care of the fukuchou, when Yamazaki explained to the other captains of what Matsumoto-sensei had told him at dinner time.

The other captains were quite surprised for her outburst. Of course the person itself were more shocked then the other.

'What did I think when I said that?'

The answer was she had been worried and thought about Hijikata all the time. She heard from here and there of what Hijikata had done while he was in his state. But she didn't have any courage to say anything to him regarding his antics. In the end, she couldn't stand it anymore. She HAD to see him. And when she would had a chance to see him without the latter knew about it except now? Even though she had to resort to this bold (in her opinion) action, it's because she didn't want to wait any longer. Her desires to be near him was at the limit.

Chizuru put the tray beside the futon and sat beside the sick man. She looked into the man that had took over her heart. His face contorted with a pain that he felt right now. At first she was hesitant, but slowly she lifted her right hand to set aside the hair that cover Hijikata's face and put her hand to his forehead.

'It's still burning hot. Yamazaki-kun had given the medicine once before this. Looks like the medicine hasn't worked yet.'

Against her cool and cold hands, the skin was felt so hot. There was a bassinet that fill with cold water and a cloth beside the futon near where she sat. She took off her hand and wanted to cool off the fever with the cloth, but then something stopped her.

"Chizuru...?"

She froze -her hand still in the midair, just an inch from Hijikata's face. She looked to him. Afraid to see the purple eyes stared at her with accusing look. But, the eyes were closed.

...Did he called her Chizuru? Not Yukimura?

....Or was it her imagination when she heard he called her name?

"Chizuru."

The eyes that were closed before, slowly opened. What greeted her was a hazy and confused gaze; not a cold, composed and calculated stared he always gave.

"What are you doing?"

Her heart rate was quickening a beat or two when she heard her name was called for the second time. When his eyes were opened she stopped her breath for a second. Before her thought told her to run from the room, his voice had stopped her to do that.

So soft, so weak, so... Not him.

And once again her heart, that care, felt a compassion and love for this man, had taken over her rational thought.

"I come to take care of you, Hijikata-san."

---

His body was burning. There was a fire inside his body that made him so hot and weak.

He felt hot and cold at the same time. Oh, Kami-sama, if he could pass this thing, he wouldn't ever want to experience this kind of thing again. He would never underestimate cold, EVER again. Who'd thought that a cold could bring down the infamous oni-fukuchou to his state like now?

At one time, he kind of felt that someone has entered to his room once to give him a very bitter medicine. He spitted it out and choked it when the medicine entered his mouth. He thought that someone tried to give him a poison, but then the person that gave him this deadly potion told him that it was his medicine. The taste was similar to Ishida Powder's, his family medicine... He drank the medicine with difficulty, because of the awful taste. Somehow he could hear Heisuke and Souji laughing because of the medicine. For a split second he thought he was really done for.

That someone also gave him a bit of porridge. Maybe that's why he felt a little better and felt some strength. But still, the pain won't subside.

Long after that, nothing happened. Then in the midst of his suffering, suddenly there was this coldness that gave a cool sensation to his forehead. A soft touch that also very soothing. Not many things that could give him a feel like that. In fact, only one person that could give him this feeling. Such a strange thing to be felt when the same person was also the only one that could ignite him, doing the opposite of what he felt that time. To ignite his desires that began this whole problem and matter. But that was for another time.

Then he said her name, not her surname, without him realizing it. Twice. He'd thought that he'd imagined her presence, that's why he said her name in question the first time. But he was certain that she was near him. He called her name again in certain, while opened his eyes.

And there she was, sat beside him. He's asking what did she do inside his room. And what greeted her was a smile of an angel. Although he never met once but he knew if there was an angel, the presence and the smile would be like what he felt and saw now.

"I come to take care of you, Hijikata-san."

Was he dreaming?

"I bring your medicine and a bowl of sweat red bean soup with rice cake. Can you sit and take your medicine?"

No, he's not dreaming. The woman that had occupied most of his thought this one month was there, sat near him and she said that she would take care of him. The Kami was so good to him.

"Hijikata-san?"

"Huh?" Hijikata said absentminded. "Oh, let me try to sit." He tried to move his body. But looks liked it still not possible for him. Then without missing a second, she helped him to support his body. She watched him closed enough to know if he was restraining his body or not. He would not want for Chizuru to be in closed proximity to him in its the usual him (at least until he could control his desires for the woman), but because of his weaken state he accepted the help.

When he already in sitting position, he met her eyes that looked worry for him. "Are you comfortable with this position?" asked Chizuru. He could see Chizuru's cheeks a bit flush from their proximity, before the woman leaned away from his body to five them a distance.

"Yeah, it's okay." He answered with raspy voice.  He turned his head and saw the tray. He stared at the bowl of food for sometimes before he said one thing that the usual him would NEVER say it out loud.

"Feed me."

Chizuru blinked in shock, "I beg your pardon?"

"Feed me. You bring me the food and medicine. I want to eat first before drink that medicine. But looks like I'm still weak and don't have enough energy to move my muscle. So, feed me," He paused before added the last word, "Please, Chizuru."

To be continued

[shenanigumi]

ToT for Matsumoto-sensei: How well do you think Yamazaki-kun does with the instructions you give him? What are your thoughts on him?

Matsumoto smiles. “Yamazaki-kun is a quick and studious learner,” he says. “And he is a natural at medicine, thanks to his upbringing. Besides that, he was the medic on call even before I appointed him in a more official sense.” He laughs. “But he could stand to relax a little more, if I’m being honest. Yamazaki-kun has a habit of treating every situation like an emergency, and while his timing is impeccable, his abruptness can be discomfiting for his patients.” Matsumoto chuckles. “Still, once he settles into the role, I’m sure he’ll do well. He certainly has the drive to succeed, anyway.”

[hakuouki-history]

There is something I've never been completely sure about, were the Shinsengumi pro or against the opening of the country to foreigners? Because they sided with the Shogun and he didn't really want the country to be opened but somehow they ended up getting the support of foreigners during Hakodate? What I want to know is what were the Bakufu, the Emperor, and the Shinsengumi's evolution of opinions regarding foreigners/the opening of the country.

I’ve posted a little bit on this topic before, with this post, Sonnou Joui, where I purposefully edited down the info. to try to make it more digestible. So this seems like a good opportunity to continue down that road and get a bit more specific, finishing with the Shinsengumi. So, readers, please read that post for the basics of Sonnou Joui, and I’ll continue on from there.

As detailed in the linked post, nearly everyone started out against the opening of the country to foreigners. Even if you saw it as an inevitable necessity, you weren’t happy about foreigners barging in and causing Japan problems.

The Japanese people didn’t know much about the world outside Japan, but they did know that these foreign countries were a looming threat. MIT has a great site: The Opium War in Japanese Eyes, exploring a popular 1849 Japanese illustrated book about the way the Western powers were destroying China.

The Fall of Dinghai, Kaigai Shinwa vol. 2British artillery bombards the capital of the Chusan islands, near Ningpo, while a landing party prepares to occupy the city. This strategic victory gave the British navy control of access to north China.

The West was also the origin of “that Evil religion”, Christianity, banned in Japan for most of the Edo period. 

There were a lot of people who wanted more contact with the West, though not a full opening of the country to foreigners. Rangaku ie. Dutch Studies (studies of all things Western) was booming in the decades before the Black Ships. Foreign government and religion weren’t welcome, but foreign technology and medicine were studied and propagated across Japan. Foreign knowledge was often met with suspicion, but it was undeniably useful.

The scholar Sakuma Shozan summed up the growing attitude with the slogan: “Eastern morals, Western science.” Japan would have to catch up technically with the West before it could fully stand up for its rights.

Japan’s fears of the West were not unfounded. The treaties the shogunate signed out of necessity were very unfair. The history of the “unequal treaties” would be a good topic for another post. One of the worst results of the treaties was a unfair coinage exchange rate which caused a economic crisis in Japan. It hit the ordinary people of Edo very hard. (This crisis is actually discussed in the Hakuouki Reimeiroku game as one reason for Kondou and co. to seek their fortunes in Kyoto.)

Nevertheless, during the Bakumatsu, scholars and politicians across the board came to realize that the worst-case scenario: Japan being treated like China, wasn’t going to happen. Japan was relatively out of the way, and never really tempted full colonization during the golden age of imperial expansion.

And all the different foreign powers had different agendas.  Russia, Japan’s northern expansionist neighbour was a much bigger practical concern than America, far across the Pacific and (at the time) not looking for colonies. Foreign powers could be played against each other. Britain and France were vying for influence over Japan, a state of affairs that led to France aiding the Shogunate, while Britain slowly and quietly made friends with the Satsuma-Choshu coalition.  

You get this weird situation in those interim years where it’s  difficult to see where “anti-foreigner” leaves off and “pro-foreigner” begins. The Choshu bunch clustered around Yoshida Shoin, for example, are incredibly hard to follow through their twists and turns and strange adventures re: All Things Western. Some of these Choshu samurai were at the same time involved in terrorism against foreigners and trying to get foreigners’ help to study in England. Continued close contact with foreigners changed attitudes slowly and steadily. 

As for the Emperor himself, Emperor Komei was very anti-foreign at first, slowly came to the conclusion that Choshu was actually the most pressing threat, but then died of smallpox. His 14-year old son, Emperor Meiji, was controlled by his guardians, and did not have any influence on the Bakumatsu to Meiji transformation.

The group that gave rise to the Shinsengumi was very anti-foreigner. Check out my post on Kiyokawa Hachiro for full details of how they were first gathered. In short, the ronin volunteering to go to Kyoto in 1862 were whipped up by rhetoric about fighting the foreigners. Our future Shinsengumi members weren’t anti-shogun because of that. They imagined the shogun himself would be leading the fight against the foreigners if it came to war. 

Our future Shinsengumi members generally were not intellectuals. They certainly weren’t involved in the politics of dealing with this challenge. Like the mass of people in Japan, they weren’t up to date on the technological gulf between Japan and the West. They wouldn’t have known the exact circumstances that were pushing the shogunate into opening up the ports.

Before they headed out for Kyoto, however, Kondou paid his first visit to Doctor Matsumoto, a well-known Rangaku expert, to ask him for more information about the Western threat. Matsumoto recalled later that Kondou was very ill-informed, and raring to fight the Westerners, but was very open to learning more. 

That approach characterized the Shinsengumi for the next several years. They took modern developments in stride, and got and followed more advice from experts.

Here’s the Shinsengumi marching with their rifles, more on this picture and their history of modernization in this post from @sparrowdreams : Shinsengumi Samurai Riflemen.

By the time, Hijikata and co. met foreign advisors like Jules Brunet in the Boshin War, their world had shifted dramatically. The barbarians weren’t the enemy to fight anymore. They had the Satcho coalition to fight, and any aid from Westerners was completely welcome.

[shenanigumi]

I WAS GOING TO SCROLL PAST THIS BUT NO

I️ finally managed to convince my friend to watch Hakuouki and IM LAUGHING SO HARD BUT I️ FEEL SO BAD FOR SANNAN HELP

UPDATE: She just watched the episode with the health inspection and when she saw Saitou shirtless she started screaming

[nollatooru]

Hi, I’m sorry I’ve been so inactive but there’s been several reasons for that, number one being that my drawing tablet broke and I’m not really keen on drawing comic doodles on paper. But while I’m saving those ideas untill I get some means to effectively draw them again I decided to make myself this little Hakuouki character challenge:

I made a list of all Hakuouki characters I could name and remember (and who had some kind of picture existing) and put that into random generator to pick out a name, then I used another generator to pick out a random adjective and finally I would try to draw that. Here you can see my first 4 tries, I had fun with it so I’m planning to draw more of these in the future. I’m putting my name list under cut so if you don’t mind, please check it and feel free to comment me any name that I might have missed. I’m also taking this as a chance to practice lesser known characters.

Amagiri Kyuju Enomoto Takeaki Harada Sanosuke Hijikata Toshizo Hirama Juusuke Iba Hachiro Ibuki Ryunosuke Inue Genzaburo Itou Kashitaro Kazama Chikage Kimigiku/Kikuzuki Kondou Isami Kosuzu/Shizu Matsumoto Ryojun Miki Saburo Motoyama Kotaro Nagakura Shinpachi Nagumo Kaoru Nakaoka Shintaro Niimi Nishiki Nomura Risaburo Okita Mitsu Okita Souji Otori Keisuke Oume Saito Hajime Sakai Hyogo Sakamoto Ryouma Sannan Keisuke Sasaki Aijiro Sen Serizawa Kamo Shimada Kai Shiranui Kyo Souma Kazue Takeda Kanryusai Tonouchi Yoshio Toudou Heisuke Yamazaki Susumu Yukimura Chizuru Yukimura Kodo

Also if you have any other suggestions feel free to let me know :)

[talesofedo]

Kawanabe Kyosai - "Cow Barn - The Scenic Places of Tokaido" (1863)

From an information booklet by the Japan Dairy Association:

The manufacture of dairy products showed signs of a resurgence in the Edo Period (1603‒1868). During the Kyoho Era (1716‒1736), the 8th Shōgun, Tokugawa Yoshimune, established a dairy farm in Awa-Mineoka (near modern-day Oi, Minamiboso, Chiba Prefecture).

There, a product called hakugyuraku* was made from milk that had been boiled down. Hakugyuraku was extremely valuable, and it is said that sick people shaved it to take with tea. What this tells us is that hakugyuraku was also a medicinal product, not a food for everyday consumption.

* hakugyuraku is apparently similar to butter and made from milk and sugar

***

In terms of books, Zōtei Kaei Tsūgo, a textbook for learning English vocabulary published by Fukuzawa Yukichi in 1860, contains the names of three dairy products, namely “butter,” “cheese,” and “cream,” written in kanji (Chinese characters), English, and katakana (one of the Japanese languageʼs syllabaries).

In 1863, Maeda Tomekichi commenced the manufacture and sale of cowʼs milk in Yokohama for the first time in Japan, after he learned how to raise and milk dairy cows from the Dutch. At the beginning, however, Japanese consumers did not buy it at all and his main customers were foreigners.

Matsumoto Ryojun, the court physician of the Shōgun, became aware of the benefits of milk during his studies of Western medicine in Nagasaki and he submitted a written proposal to the Tokugawa Shogunate about the promotion of cow and sheep farming in 1867. He actively promoted milk to the masses with stunts such as getting Sawamura Tanosuke, a famous Kabuki actor of the day, to drink it.

***

In 1870, he persuaded his uncle-in-law, Sakagawa Masaharu, to open the Sakagawa Milk Store in Akasaka, Tokyo. This was the first dairy store in Tokyo. Here as well, however, initially the only customers were foreigners.

[fuckyeahbakumatsu]

Souji

[shinsengumi-archives]

Matsumoto Ryojun

[hammudao-blog]

Não importa o quanto você quebre seus ossos tentando, tem coisas que você pode salvar e outras que não*. *Hijikata Toshizou*(foi vice-comandante do Shinsengumi, um grande samurai e um talentoso líder militar japonês que resistiu à Restauração Meiji).. Mesmo dentro da própria Shinsengumi, os regulamentos eram rigorosamente aplicadas por Hijikata. Desertores e traidores foram forçados a cometer seppuku, o que aconteceu com Yamanami (um dos velhos amigos de Hijikata), quando ele tentou sair do Shinsengumi em 1865. CONHECIDO COMO COMANDANTE DEMONIO PELO MODO QUE USAVA SUA KATANA ESTILO *Tennen Rishin-ryû* OHAYOGOZAIMASU!! Sim. Ele. Realmente existiu.. Hijikata sabia que estava lutando uma batalha perdida, e disse ao médico Matsumoto Ryojun: “ "Eu não estou indo para a batalha para ganhar . Com o governo Tokugawa está prestes a entrar em colapso, seria uma desgraça se ninguém estivesse disposto a ir para baixo com ele. É por isso que eu devo ir. Vou lutar a melhor batalha da minha vida para morrer pelo país ". Morreu em. Combate em 27 de junho de 1827* aos 35 anos (em Hokaido) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUxC4JFgumijHhuIAHnrIdsvF5ECoT_TIhovhc0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sakura52-blog]

Hakuoki Edo Blossoms Complete Encyclopedia

Iba Hachiro

Chapter 1

Battle of Toba-Fushimi

Bloodlust

Commander

Demon’s Arm

Edo

Furies (1)

Hachiro Iba (2)

Hajime Saito (1)

Hatamoto

Headquarters (1)

Headquarters (2)

Heisuke Toudou

Isami Kondou

Kai Shimada

Kama Inn

Keisuke Sanan

Kodo Yukimura (1)

Kodo Yukimura (2)

Medicine

Osaka Castle

Ryojun Matsumoto

Sacho

Sanosuke Harada

Shinpachi Nagakura (1)

Shinsengumi

Shogunate (2)

Susumu Yamazaki (1)

The Watch

Toshizo Hijikata (1)

Water of Life

Kodachi

Kofu

Kouyou Regulatory Company

Fury Corps (1)

Kotaro Motoyama

Gunbei Iba

Ueno

Princess Sen

Imperial Army (2)

Aizu Domain

Yoshinobu Tokugawa

Denshu Company

Yugeki Unit

Portmanteau

Tokugawa Affiliate Daimyo

Hideyoshi Daimyo

Kazusanokuni

Josai Domain

Chapter 2

Katsutaro Hitomi

Shogi Company

Sekisho Hakone

Odawara Domain

Page

Kimigiku

Yase Clan

Okubo Family

Furies (2)

Kanryusai Takeda

Chapter 3

Chikage Kazuma

Black Ship

Ezo

Empire of Japan

Imperial Nationalist Party

Makoto Flag

Northern Alliance

Ronin (1)

Ronin (2)

Sendai Domain

Silver

Takeaki Enomoto

Chapter 4

Goryokaku

Kazue Souma (1)

Keisuke Otori

Kyuju Amagiri

Miyako

Okuzume

Republic of Ezo

Risaburo Nomura

Souji Okita (1)

Shimabara

Shogunate Army (1)

Keisuke Sanan

Chapter 1

Chief

Dutch Studies

Fushimi Magistrate

Genzaburo Inoue

Haiku Collection

Kofu Castle

Sendagaya

Shinagawa

Shogunate Army (2)

Yokohama

Chapter 2

Demon (1)

Deputy Commander

Hino

Kashitaro Itou

Katamori Matsudaira

Rules of Conduct

Seppuku

Chapter 3

Beheading

Fake

Itabashi Inn

Kan’ei Temple

Kaoru Nagumo (2)

Kodo Yukimura (3)

Mito Domain

Chapter 4

Colonel

Kodo Yukimura (4)

Magumo Clan

Oshu (2)

Shirakawa Castle

Yukimura Clan

Final Chapter

Hakodate

Boshin War

Ryouma Sakamoto

Chapter 1

Fury Corps (2)

Fushimi Inari Temple

Eastern Campaign

Hikone Domain

Kaoru Nagumo (1)

Kuwana Domain

Kyo Shiranui

Osaka

Owari Domain

Ryouma Sakamoto (2)

Sekisho

Shintaro Nanaoka

Terada Inn

Tosa Domain

Chapter 2

Country Samurai

High Ranking Retainer

Hamaguri Rebellion

Ikeda Inn

Okami

Zuizan Takechi

Chapter 3

Choshu Domain

Dappan

Deai Chaya

Hitotsubashi Clan

Matthew Perry

Satsuma Domain

Shinsaku Takasugi

Shirakawa Domain

Yodo Yamauchi

Mutsunoki

Chapter 4

Kaoru Nagumo (3)

Final Chapter

Yataro Iwasaki

Shinpachi Nagakura

Chapter 1

Awanokami Katsu

Daimyo

Kanda

Shinpachi Nagakura (2)

Yoshiwara

Chapter 2

Hachioji

Tama

Chapter 3

Bonari Pass

Demon (2)

Ieyasu Tokugawa

Jonai Domain

Nagaoka Domain

Nagareyama

Nikko

Seikyo Corps

Ustunomiya Castle

Yonezawa Domain

Yoshimichi Haga

Chapter 4

Shinto Munen Style

Yonezawa Castle

Final Chapter

Matsumae Domain

Shiei Hall

Susumu Yamazaki

Chapter 1

Ishida Medicinal Powder

Susumu Yamazaki (3)

Chapter 2

Katsunuma

Kunai

Chapter 3

Koshu Kaido

Kyoto Military Commissioner

Mibu Roshigumi

Ryunosuke Ibuki

Shogunate Army (3)

Chapter 4

Oshu Kaido

Utsunomiya Domain

Final Chapter

Western Studies

Kazue Souma

Chapter 1

Aburano Koji Incident

Executive Lieutenant-Minister

Habiki

Kazue Souma (2)

Saburo Miki (1)

Saburo Miki (2)

Taxation Conspiracy

Tennen Rishin

Chapter 2

Ichikawa

Nagaoka Mansion

Sanjo Ohashi

Senju

Shinkai Inoue

Chapter 3

None

Chapter 4

Assistant Army Minister

Assistant Army Minister Aide

Benten Fortress

Futamata Pass

Government of Hakodate

Guardians of the Imperial Tomb

Hachiro Iba (3)

Infantry Magistrate

Ironclad

Kaitenmaru

Wakizashi

Final Chapter

Hachijoujima

Chikage Kazuma

Chapter 1

Supreme Commander

Chapter 2

Choshu Expedition

Masujiro Omura

Toubaku

Western Medicine

Yasutsuna’s Demonslayer

Chapter 3

Aizu Castle

Demon’s Code

Oshu (1)

Chapter 4

Toshizo Hijikata (3)

Sanosuke Harada

Chapter 1

Geigi

Chapter 2

None

Chapter 3

Imperial Army (1)

Iyonokuni

Chapter 4

China

Gaii

Kosuzu

Maiko

Shanghai

Shizu

Souji Okita

Chapter 1

Hiding Place

Souji Okita (2)

Susumu Yamazaki (2)

Togoku

Chapter 2

Chrysanthemum Sword

Master Shusai

Yamashironokami Fujiwara Kunikiyo

Chapter 3

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Suikoden

Yobiku

Chapter 4

Ansei Cholera Disturbance

Toshizo Hijikata

Chapter 1

Gold Brocade Flag

Hachiro Iba (1)

Izuminokami Kanesada

Kaishaku

Kincho

Loyalist

Rakugan

Shogunate (1)

Toshizo Hijikata (2)

Vice Minister

Chapter 2

Biography of Kiyomasa

House Arrest

Kamo Serizawa

Kansei Teikun

Mitsu

Ryouma Sakamoto (1)

Shimousanokuni

War Chronicle

Chapter 3

Army Minister

Drill Manual

New World Army

Ogaki Domain

Oyama

Pamphlet

Shutendoji

Tachi

The Art of War

Tottori Domain

Yorimitsu Minamoto

Yoshitsune Minamoto

Chapter 4

Hajime Saito (2)

Kaiyomaru

Chapter 5

Esashi

Hakuoki

Infantry Head

Matsumae Pass

Otobe

Hajime Saito

Chapter 1

Awl

Isn’t it great

Mibu

Chapter 2

Assistant Instructor

Kirikami

License

Chapter 3

Imperial Nationalist Warrior

Outlaw Ronin

Traitor

Chapter 4

Battle of Sekigahara

Lieutenant-General

Patriot

Final Chapter

Battle of Miyako Bay

Tonami

Heisuke Toudou

Chapter 1

Glass

Shogunate Doctor

Chapter 2

None

Chapter 3

None

Chapter 4

Full Mastery

Hokushin Itto

Masamune Date

Seigan