#nakano shrine

[zelianthos-capercaillie]

Concept art by Samuel Michlap titled "Tartarus" on ArtStation for DreamWorks' Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas animated film

This can also be a great environmental art for the ruins of an abandoned Uchiha shrine/hideout ⛩️ (or even the ruins of Uzushiogakure 🏯)

[brownie-pics]

'24.10.5 中の禰宜道にて

鬱蒼、という表現が似合うこの場所。ここも夏とは違う空気が流れていました。（キノコがあるから、というだけではないのですが🍄ｗ）

[gerokichi]

今年はソメイヨシノの開花が遅く、タイミングも場所によってばらつきがありそう。とりあえず中野には到着したみたいです。

[kishimotomasashi]

Sasuke Week Day 2: Uchiha

↳ Culture | Justice | Doujutsu

"Uchiha are considered full-fledged clan members ony after they're able to use fire style jutsu. The Uchiha crest represents the will of those with fans who manipulate fire." — Chapter 223

[vesperion-kiri]

Miko x Bunny Nino

[kosayu-house]

中野区 上高田氷川神社 境内の紅葉🍁

[lostinthesasuke]

do you think sasuke is religious or upholds his clan's religious practices? i was rereading and in the part where they go to resucitate the hokages orochimaru says "there's nothing left of the uchiha's nakano shrine", to which sasuke answers "the exterior doesn't matter" and it got me wondering

HI YES thank you so much for sending this ask. it's very close to me. elaborated a Lot under the cut but tl;dr - yes.

he is religious in the only way he remembers how to be. preserving Uchiha tradition and culture is deeply important to him. when he said the exterior of Nakano shrine didn't matter, sure he was referring to the fact that there was a hidden underground level... but it meant much more than that.

genocide doesn't just claim lives, it claims languages and religions and every facet of culture. konoha has been known to participate in the censorship and eradication of culture. this assimilation functions as an extension of genocide.

by virtue of being a survivor, i think sasuke feels an obligation to "carry the torch". since he was so young when the massacre occurred, it's likely a lot of practice and customs have been lost altogether. this is distressing to him. even during his character introduction at 12 years old, his clans "restoration" was first and foremost in his mind. to me this statement was never about re-population as many people interpret, but about justice, pride, and culture.

he feels as though the Uchiha name has been "tainted" and it is his responsibility to "purify" it. but what that means to him shifts over time.

the Uchiha clan's religion is obviously based on and deeply tied to the Shinto religion, just like the clan's jutsu and kekkei genkai. many Uchiha jutsu are named after Shinto deities.

this part i am not going to delve into too much yet because one day i will probably write a paper about it, but one of the tenets of Shinto belief is the importance of purity. Shinto practice and customs are regionally variant but the practice of purification is central. death is considered to be extremely impure. this context is deeply relevant to Sasuke's belief system and the way he thinks about himself and his clan.

it is likely that the uchiha religion is closed, evidenced by nakano shrine being kept a secret. sasuke not only has to contend with the fact that the remaining pieces of his culture are guarded and hidden, requiring the use of high-level dojutsu to decipher, but also that any of it may have been altered. the revelation that the stone tablet was altered in order to facilitate madara's manipulation and further subjugation of the uchiha was destabilizing. sasuke has to put the pieces of his religion back together with mostly his memories to rely on.

many parallels can be drawn between sasuke and the sun goddess Amaterasu. when she is betrayed by her brother Susanoo, she withdraws into a cave and plunges the world into darkness. Susanoo conspires to manipulate her into leaving the cave, and then binds her.

this gender reversal is sort of fascinating. Amaterasu and Susanoo contradict the popular notions about the sun and moon and the masculine and feminine. of course this reminds me of sasuke as well, because everything does.

sasuke is typically associated with the waning crescent, the phase just before a new moon, and itachi with a full moon. since sasuke is associated with the moon, the yin, and the feminine, it would logically follow that he would be passive like water; low like a valley. however, he subverts this expectation.

i believe this is a big part of why he makes so many people uncomfortable. he is fire and lightning and he is not a perfect victim.

after speaking to the kage and revealing the secrets of Nakano shrine, he resolves himself to burn the world down and be reborn like a phoenix. like the waning crescent before a new moon.

he is not "pure" the way itachi expects, kishimoto states, or many fans anticipate. he has strong convictions and he is confident. he is not apologetic and he is impossible to ignore.

the first time we ever see sasuke associated with the sun is after he learns the truth about the massacre. he leaves his cave. he sheds hebi and becomes taka, predator instead of prey. he is ready to spill as much blood as it takes.

i have many ideas about what Uchiha religious customs might look like, and many of them concern fire. the uchiwa fan that stokes the flames is their crest. they are seen as fully fledged members of the clan once they can perform katon jutsu. the shrine that houses the Uchiha's patron deity has eternal flames lit.

drawing from my own religion, one of my favorite metas draws a parallel between the Uchiha fire affinity and

אש תמיד (Aish tamid)

which means eternal flame. (sorry for line break, tumblr hates right to left languages). Aish tamid refers to the flame in the temple of Jerusalem that was always kept alight before its desecration by the greeks. just like the torches located in Nakano shrine.

the greeks attempted to hellenize and extinguish Jewish culture. they outlawed observance of Shabbat and circumcision, spat in the face of kashrut by sacrificing pigs in the temple, and even built statues of their gods within. the Jewish people rebelled against them and the flame was rekindled.

rebellion, justice, and pride in culture is in the spirit of fire. unending, always enduring. Sasuke and the Uchiha clan embody this, their crests always emblazoned on their clothes even at the cost of armor. from Madara's rage, to the coup, to Sasuke's revenge, justice is an integral component to the Uchiha ethos.

to me this is a really interesting contrast to the will of fire. the will of fire is the ideal of nationalism-- putting the state before the self. this idea is lauded as heroism. it was originated by the senju, no wonder.

meanwhile, the uchiha clan with their fire affinity and deeply spiritual connection to flame are seen as transgressors. they are seen as disruptive to the ideal of the "will of fire" due to their strong cultural identity. they refuse to assimilate into the dominant culture. they prioritize their love and familial bonds with each other over konoha's interests.

naruto wiki im going to kill you

they are labeled with the opposing "curse of hatred".

it is no surprise then that itachi was praised for his strong "will of fire" for carrying out the massacre-- putting the well-being of the state over the lives of his family. groomed into following the senju doctrine and abandoning his own culture. assimilated and outcast.

in modern culture Aish tamid is kept alight by the continuation of religious practice- praying and studying Torah keep the flame burning. "The exterior doesn't matter". the flame is already burning within Sasuke.

sasuke carries on whatever pieces of his culture he remembers, and he prays in the dark, and he thinks of his mother with her hands clasped at the kamidana, and he visits shrines often on his journey. he lights incense and he burns brightly. and he walks on.

[yamada-ryo]

any recommendations for my honeymoon to Japan in July? have about 2 weeks around tokyo and 2 weeks around kyoto

Only listing places I've actually been to, some might be closed when your date(s) of visit so do check.

Tokyo: Shibamata Taishakuten, Tokyo Skytree, Sensoji / Nakamise street, Ueno Park museums, Hokusai Museum, Tokyo-edo museum, Akihabara street, Hijiribashi / Ochanomizu, Yasukuni shrine (controvertial), Tokyo station character street (underground complex), Imperial Palace (guided tour), Tuskiji Fish Market, Ginza street, DiverCity (1:1 Gundam Unicorn), Harajuku street, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Meiji Jingu / Yoyogi park, Nakano Broadway, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku Historical Museum, Suga Shrine (Kimi no Na Wa stairs), Lucky Dragon 5 Museum

Kyoto: Ryoanji, Kinkakuji, Imperial Palace / Kyoto Gyoen, Shokokuji Jotenkaku Museum, Tadasu no Mori, Higashiyama Jishoji, Nijo Castle, Honnouji, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari Taisha (mountain with shrine gates all the way)

I highly recommend visiting Nara / Osaka / Kobe if you're around Kyoto for two weeks and Yokohama / Yokosuka / Saitama / Kamakura for Tokyo. I also recommend you to look up if any anime / manga / media you like is based on real locations and go visit those if you have the chance to.

[nardo-headcanons]

National Holidays in the Ninja Villages + Bonus

I've had this idea in mind for a while, and now I finally got to write it down. Feel free to use these for your own works. Please tag me so I can read em all! <33

Iwagakure: The Lunar Lights of Gratitude The moon has a special place in the heart of every Iwa citizen. To them, it is a part of the earth, now observing its mother body from space. So naturally, the spectacle of a blue/super moon is a special occasion in Iwagakure. To honor and greet the moon, which is actually called "daughter" in the earth country's language, large fireworks are organized every new moon after a blue moon. As previously established, the earth country's firework industry is the largest, which Iwa shinobi are very proud of. Lighting the sky on fire and turning night into daytime is the Iwa way of giving back some of the light that the moon gives us at night.

Kirigakure: The Moonshine Sea Festival Despite the rivalry between the land of earth and the land of water, there is one thing they have in common, which is their spiritual connection to the moon and space. To water country citizens, especially the fishermen, the moon is a protector and guardian of the night, along with the stars. They strengthen the their connection to their biggest source of both faith and fear: the sea. The special climate in the water country, combined with its great biodiversity give a great habitat for biolumescent plankton, turning the sea itself into a starry night sky. It is one of the only pieces of culture that has been preserved, since the celebration itself was founded by the water country's union of fishermen, who don't belong to a particular clan with a kekkei genkai; most of the kekkei genkai wielders in Kiri have been wiped out, along with their culture, traditions and religions.

Sunagakure: Winter's Return The wind country is often ravaged by agonozingly hot summers, sand storms and heat waves are not a rarity in this country. While foreigners might groan and roll their eyes at the thought of the return to cold, foggy winter days, in Sunagakure it is a day for celebration. On the day where the sun stays for the longest, in the middle of the year, a large celebration is held across the nation. The way it is celebrated is different from family to family, and every Suna family is convinced that their way is the right one. Typically, markets are closed the whole day, and any missions rank B or below are halted for the day.

Kumogakure: Whale Festival of Generosity During winter, whales can be found emigrating along the lightning country's coast line, towards the land of iron. This holiday once came to be to celebrate the whales emigration towards a more prosperous habitat to mate and provide enough food for their young - a truly generous gesture. Over the years, many kumo shinobi have forgotten the old tale behind this festival, and it has turned into more of a mere gift giving occasion. And yet, it is widely popular and celebrated throughout the whole country.

Konoha: Cherry and Plum Blossom Viewing In Konoha, Hanami is annually celebrated. It is a custom celebrating the transitionary nature of cherry and plum blossoms blooming in spring.

BONUS: Uchiha Clan Honoring one's ancestors and traditions is of high importance to the Uchiha. Every year, on a clear fall night, the whole clan gathers together to light up little candles using their katon. The tealights are arranged in the Uchiha crest and left to light up the night and the clan share the evening together eating dinner, drinking hot tea and praying at the nakano shrine.

That's all, folks!

[garmmy]

2024 jp trip report (sights edition)

i just returned from my week-long tokyo trip, and wanted to log them down so i can remember where i went. i split up the food and sights posts thanks to tumblr's image limit per post. also apologies for my unflattering pictures😂 i don't have a particularly good phone, i was taking pics more for the memories than the niceness

(food edition here)

Day 2 (14/5/2024)

starting with day 2 because we arrived at night on day 1.

we started the day at nakano broadway...where we spent too much time and money!! with its 10000 mandarake and other retro/anime goods stores. i forgot to take a closer picture of the entrance…anyway, just like in the hit video game Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth for the PS Vita and Nintendo Switch and PC and-

(expensive!!) twintails!! my beloved... <does not watch ultraman

and pokemon center in sunshine city ikebukuro! a very cool miraidon statue...and also a quaxly butt for some reason 😂

Day 3 (15/5/2024)

we walked around akiba and asakusa today. for a weeb in particular, i don't think you could finish walking akiba even in a week...anyway, just like in the video game Digimon Story Cyber Sl-

we walked the multi-storey donki in akiba. of particular note is the signage for the 'pokemon corner'....i'm crying 😭 love this graphic design

so we went around mandarake and a few other anime merch spots. soul hackers 2 merch spotted???? (i didn't get it since i didn't really need more acrylic stands.. :') arrow and his lil poltergeist friend tho...)

while walking, we passed by the otahimeinari shrine. it's always really nice to find these in the middle of the city..the tree's fruit were also huge!!

before we headed to asakusa, we walked by jinbocho. just like in the hit video game Persona 5 for the PS3- while i wish we had a bit more time to spend there (i would have loved to find some japanese language/linguistics-related books from prewar era), i really think most of the old books there are out of my depth 🤣 (it is a very nice place to stroll for lovers of old books and book smell though)

and after some train line switching screwups we made it to asakusa. as expected it's crowded even on a weekday! we saw the famous kaminarimon and also walked down the streets.

Day 4 (16/5/2024)

we started the day at tsukiji outer market, which was very near tsukiji hongwanji! beautiful buddhist temple. (also just like in the hit video game Shin Megami Tensei IV for the Nintendo 3DS)

we went on to ginza which was nearby, and made it to itoya, the multi-storey stationery store i spent too much time and money in 😩 they even had a paper shadowbox art exhibition below! the art pieces on showcase there are 🤯 beautiful...

before leaving ginza/hibiya area...shin godzilla spotted!!

then we went to tokyo skytree and did..even more shopping... (and even though i didn't get any reservations it was so cute to see kirby cafe in person ;w;)

and then we headed to ryogoku, the sumo town, for dinner. it's near sumida river so i couldn't resist getting a view...just like in the hit video game Paranormasight for Nintendo Switch and PC (ok i don't think this is the correct bridge 🤣 but the view was still very nice! and we DID go to the ryogoku bridge too though i didn't get a good pic of it)

Day 5 (17/5/2024)

we started at shinjuku today to walk to shibuya. this was the day that totally killed my feet T_T (not that the other days didn't already lol). apparently the other days were averaging 10k steps but this day was 30k?? i'm not a fit person to begin with..

anyway we were greeted by a giant cat overlord near shinjuku station exit!

godzilla spotted again! and we also spent a bit too much at the multi-storey tokyu hands here...

nearby takeshita street, we took a walk to meiji jingu shrine. just like in persona fiv- i especially enjoyed the walk to the shrine (now if only i didn't have foot pain from excessive walking), the scale of the pathway and trees! coupled with the wonderful 25? celsius weather...i still miss it as i'm writing this while back in singapore where i'm sweating just by existing. lol

on the way to shibuya, we dropped by this store called 'birdmore' specialising in birb merch and pet bird goods. MY JAW WAS ON THE FLOOR this is the first time i saw sooo many birb-themed items in one place 😭 from socks to bags to stationery to mugs and bags everything. though the species are a bit focused on the few species that generally get the birb merch in japan (budgies, cockatiels, tits, bunchou, shoebill, etc.).

i had a little talk with the shopkeeper and i mentioned we were from singapore, and she said she was envious as she wanted to visit our birdpark ;w; i told her that the birdpark moved to mandai and how the birds are flying around outside of cages and are not scared of people so you can get reallyy close to them, and she seemed so excited..aa i really hope she gets to go one day..!!

we reached shibuya parco, and...DIGIMON CORNER... i think i could cry seeing a bunch of digimon merch lined up like that in person 😭😭😭 i wanted to buy up all of these otedama SO BAD but unfortunately money and space are an issue lol. i ended up settling for an imperialdramon DM otedama ;w;

there was also a capcom store at shibuya parco! of particular interest to me were the monhun and ace attorney otedama, they didn't have otedama of susato nor my boi yian kut-ku tho...😭 it was a tough choice between nargacuga and maya ace attorney but i settled for narga ;v; (crying at otedama edgey's face though)

some other iconic locations in shibuya! just like in the video game The World Ends With You for Nintendo DS and various other-

also before we return to the hotel..the ike-fukuro statue at ikebukuro station! (TL note: fukurou is japanese for the ural owl)

Day 6 (18/5/2024)

we took a day trip to miura peninsula today (it's about an hour train ride from tokyo), using the misaki maguro ticket! i gotta get some fresh tuna sashimi while i'm in japan 😤 this might be my fave day among the days...idk, i just really enjoyed the walk and sights and food and overall experience on this day soo much ;v;;

just like everywhere in japan they have to have their own cute mascot characters....miura tunanosuke the daikon-wielding tuna samurai and miuran the sakura fairy(??)

miura beach! a very short walk from miurakaigan station and a wonderful view. also, it's just like in the hit video game Persona 5 for- (i swear i'm not specifically hunting for videogame spots lol but if i come across them why not🤭 i still find it a bit surreal how persona 1-4 were all in fictional japanese cities and suddenly..persona 5 in tokyo!)

after that we took the train to misakiguchi station and about a 20?min bus ride to misaki port. we went to the urari marche (a seafood and veg market); other than market stuffs, they had a bunch of crane machines filled with just fish and tuna merch...i respect the dedication to the theme lol! there were also other fish-related merch like this eyemask that looked like an ikura platter i wanted it so bad :')

after misaki port, we took a bus to jogashima. CATS!!!!!!! while it's not particularly a 'cat island' like some of the more famous cat islands in japan, it's still a pleasant surprise to see these cats roaming around.

and some pictures of jogashima. we walked along the uneven coast where there was no clear marked path; having stayed in the city all my life (even the nature trails here are usually cleared for easier walking) and rarely venturing overseas lol, i've never really had this sort of experience before? i didn't prepare myself for this and so my shoes meant for normal walking and not hiking kinda split halfway through the trek on uneven ground 😂 it was really beautiful, but i think because of my fitness (lack thereof) i caused extra worry...i would like to experience something like this alone sometime so i can go at my own pace without feeling pressured like i am worrying others who could've gone much faster if only i weren't there.

Day 7 (19/5/2024)

we had a morning walk at ueno park, which is HUGE and really nice to walk in, and also houses museums such as the national museum of western art, national museum of nature and science (nature museums my beloved), and tokyo national museum. sadly we didn't have time to check out the museums this time, but i'd love to visit them if i do make another trip here... my mother said before that a tour guide once told her 'singaporeans don't seem to like museums much, they prefer shopping' and sadly i am not proving that uncultured singaporean stereotype wrong with all my weeb shopping 😂😭

ueno toshogu shrine, which was built in dedication to tokugawa ieyasu. i wasn't aware till now but apparently toshogu (東照宮) refers to any shinto shrine in which ieyasu is enshrined with his deified name, and ueno toshogu is just one of the toshogu.

shinobazu pond! it was really a sight to behold in person.

ok i hit the post photo limit skdfjdkgh well the rest of the day was walking around akiba with my friend 😆 we tried to look for 13 sentinels merch (we checked out radio kaikan, suruga-ya and other places) but there was none to be found /_\ i did pass by the square enix cafe though! i was tempted to get the 16-bit arrange albums of octopath and then realised i do not have a CD player anymore..and also managed to see the one (1) bravely default merch!!

just gotta slowly save up for that next trip...someday... .w.

[tokyo-daaaamn-ji-gang]

Ah cool, the nakano numabukuro hikawa shrine has released some toman themed charms!

[sueske]

sasuke wakes up and thinks 'dream'. he's in between sleep and complete wakefulness...

yet his body keeps score, eventually his mind registers the pain in his body, he remembers the events of that night. he's completely awake now. yet he doesn't immediately cry, he gets up and goes straight to the Uchiha compound from the hospital...

he's got a resolute expression on his face, almost defiant, denial, he needs to confirm it for himself...

he turns the corner and his mind immediately supplies the image he was supposed to see, of the couple that frequently sold rice cakes to sasuke welcoming him, and sasuke's happy, it was all just a dream! and yet the image fades away, the grief hallucinations fade away, and he's confronted with an empty place left behind. where only he is left behind.

it's all empty. it's raining (rain is often used to highlight sasuke's inner feelings), but sasuke doesn't cry, not quite yet. sasuke enters his house, drenched...

...and sees the outline of his parent's bodies drawn onto the floor. sees the remnants of their blood splattered everywhere. and sasuke can't deny it anymore. this is the truth. this his his reality. his knees buckle and he drops to the floor. and he sobs.

sasuke's tears pour. the rain pours down unrelenting... eventually, he stops and goes to the Nakano shrine. 

he goes back to school. he experienced grief that would crush most and yet everyone is going around as normal. talking about sweets. talking about their families. the world continues even though sasuke's has stopped, even though his whole world was flipped upside down in the cruelest way possible, by someone he loved and trusted so much. and he hears them gossip. he's angry.

he heads to the pier after school, where he has fond memories of his father, where his father said the words he so longed to hear after the fireball jutsu. where he was told he could wear the Uchiha crest proudly. he thinks of his parents. what did they talk about him? he'll never know, now. that information is lost. lost alongside everything else. he misses them... he loves them so much.

and then itachi's face comes up from the rippled and distorted image of sasuke's own face reflected in the water. his own brother, who sasuke once aspired to be like. hatred. a focal point. an ambition he must complete no matter what.

no matter what.

no matter what.

[brownie-pics]

'24.6.29 水谷茶屋付近、春日大社、中の禰宜道にて

梅雨明けて、奈良市界隈は雨が降らずただひたすら暑い日が続いてます･･。

なのでシズル感ある写真など。

みなさま、熱中症には気を付けましょう。

[shinsengumi-archives]

I’m back (after writing a 55 pg fic so far). I’m trying to wrap my head around Soji’s timeline and pouring over the timeline you have posted.

In September 1867 Soji becomes seriously ill - does he stay with the Shinsengumi still during that time I’m guessing?

January 1868 - I assume he went to Osaka for the battle of Toba-Fushimi but he doesn’t take part in it? He stays behind with Kondo who was shot in the shoulder?

February 4 - they sail to Edo, and I assume Soji is with them? And this is his first time on a ship?

Feb? ?? - Okita’s sister Mitsu and Okita Rintaro left (which I’m guessing they were in contact and it’s unknown how they parted)

February 28ish - This is when Soji goes to Matsumoto Ryojin’s clinic and is staying at Matsumoto’s house at Imado shrine.

March 24 - so a month later the Shinsengumi goes to Kofu Castle and stays in Hino which is still in Edo where I’m guessing Soji gets bad/feverish and can’t travel so this is actually where they officially leave him at Uekiya Heigoro’s house? In the “site of Okita Souji’s death” post you say it was the end of February when he moved there (which would be a month prior to this when he was going to Matsumoto’s clinic - so I just want to clarify that it was around the end of March that Okita moved to Heigoro’s house.

Sometime in March (before the 28th) - the Shinsengumi visits Soji and he smiles and doesn’t let them know how sick he is so they won’t worry.

March 28-April 25 - the shinsengumi are pretty much all around Edo until Kondo is beheaded in May and Hijikata gets injured at the Battle of Utsunomiya Castle - Where does Hijikata go?

July 19 - *sobs* we lose him. So he’s at the house alone and suffering from end of March to July? 4 months. And in those four months, he did visit Kondo’s wife Tsune and daughter Tama at Joganji Temple in Nakano (when was this?).

Let me know if I missed anything we know about Soji here as well!

Thank you so much and super grateful. I want to learn as much as I can and flesh out the timeline a bit so I can fully understand what he experienced and how he lived up until the end.

Hi @sayitcanonlybeme, sorry for the extremely late reply. I've gone back to grad school and have been busy with classes/projects for the past few months, so I haven't been able to be active on Tumblr until the holidays.

The timeline was posted a long time ago when I first started learning about the Shinsengumi, so there are inaccuracies, especially mixups between Lunar calendar and Western calendar dates.

Here are the events with details and corrections:

September 1867 Soji becomes seriously ill

It's not clear exactly when he became ill, but according to Japanese Wiki Corpus:

according to Kanefumi NISHIMURA's "Mibu Roshi Shimatsuki", he [Okita Souji] 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.

I'm not sure whether the dates are Lunar or Western calendar, but September is October on the Western calendar. Here's a useful calendar converter.

January 1868 - I assume he went to Osaka for the battle of Toba-Fushimi

He was first staying at Kondo Isami’s mistress’s house in Rokujo, Kyoto, not far from Fushimi (according to this article and this article). Abe Juro arrived there on the morning of December 18 (Lunar calendar, Western calendar: January 12, 1868), hoping to assassinate Okita. He later mentioned in the "Shidankai Sokkiroku" (史談會速記錄), "However there was no one there but one woman, who after interrogation admitted that there was an Okita Souji the other night who at 10PM returned to Fushimi. It was really regrettable."

December 18 was also the day Kondo got shot in the right shoulder on his way from Nijo Castle (more info).

They were both sent to Osaka Castle to receive medical care, so neither of them participated in the fighting that started on January 3 (Lunar calendar, Western calendar: January 27).

February 4 - they sail to Edo

According to this article, Kondo, Hijikata, and Okita boarded the Shogunate's ship Fujisanmaru on January 10 (Lunar calendar, Western calendar: February 3).

(image sources: [1] [2])

Nagakura boarded the Jundomaru which left a day earlier. Out of the 150 Shinsengumi members, 116 remained. They went back to Edo on those two ships along with the rest of the Shogunate army.

The Fujisanmaru arrived at Shinagawa, Edo on January 15. Kondo and Okita went to a medical clinic in Kanda Izumibashi (神田和泉橋) to receive treatment from Matsumoto Ryojun. The rest of the Shinsengumi stayed at a garrison in Kajibashi Gate (鍛冶橋門).

This is likely Okita's first time traveling on a ship since the Shinsengumi originally arrived in Kyoto on foot and there are no other records of Okita making long journeys.

Feb? ?? - Okita’s sister Mitsu and Okita Rintaro left

Okita Mitsu and Rintaro evacuated along with the Shinchogumi's sponsor, the Lord of the Shonai domain Sakai Tadazumi, to the Shonai domain in northern Japan (source).

Since Souji wasn't fit for travel, he was left behind in Edo. According to the Okita Family Records, they left him on February 26 (Lunar calendar, Western calendar: March 19, 1868). However, according to this article, Mitsu and Rintaro left in March (lunar calendar), so I'm not sure which date is more accurate.

According to the Shinsengumi's financial records, Okita withdrew money to pay a carpenter on February 26 (lunar) to repair Uekiya's house in Sendagaya where he spent his final days, so he had either just moved in or was about to move there when Mitsu left.

February 28ish - This is when Soji goes to Matsumoto Ryojin’s clinic

I think February 28ish (lunar) is when he left Matsumoto Ryojun's clinic.

According to this article:

In January of Keio 4, Matsumoto Ryojun was summoned by a certain Hiraoka, a young official of the shogunate, and receive news that "The wounded from the Battle of Toba-Fushimi were returning to Edo, and that they should be given temporary hospitalization at the residences of the lords". As if following in the footsteps of the Shogunate's army, news spread that Satsuma-Choshu army had moved eastward and was coming to Edo. Most of the wounded had already been cured, and more than 30 patients were treated at Imado. He built his own dormitory in a corner of the grounds of the shrine in Imado, where he lived, and built a hospital building in Shofukuji Temple, which was used as a field hospital, and moved his own patients there as well. The Shinsengumi, defeated in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in Keio 4, returned to Edo aboard the Fujisanmaru and were transported from the Kamaya (釜屋, an inn/teahouse) in Shinagawa to a medical clinic in Okachimachi, Kanda Izumibashi, and then to a field hospital in Shofukuji, where Kondo Isami and Okita Souji were treated by Matsumoto Ryojun, but this is only speculation.

So it's not clear when they went to each location, but from that article, it sounds like Okita went to Matsumoto's clinic at Imado Shrine shortly after arriving in Edo.

March 24 - so a month later the Shinsengumi goes to Kofu Castle and stays in Hino

They went to Kofu on March 24 (Western calendar, Lunar calendar: March 1), so it makes sense that after Okita got too sick in Hino, he was left behind and eventually sent to Uekiya's house in Sendagaya.

He was probably either about to move in or already living in Uekiya's house before he left towards Kofu, since he took out money for renovations on February 26 (lunar).

Sometime in March (before the 28th) - the Shinsengumi visits Soji

Since Nagakura assumed Okita died at Imado in his diary, most Shinsengumi members probably didn't know that he was staying at Uekiya's house starting from March. They were probably trying to keep his location secret to keep him safe.

Since Kondo was captured soon after the Battle of Koshu-Katsunuma, it's unlikely that he ever visited Okita again.

Hijikata did go back to Edo for a short time after that battle, so it's possible that he could have visited Okita, but he was busy pleading Kondo's case and preparing for battle.

It's also possible that a few other trusted Shinsengumi members knew Okita's whereabouts and visited him. Since they didn't want to tell Okita about Kondo's death, it could mean that Okita was still in touch with some Shinsengumi members.

March 28-April 25 - the shinsengumi are pretty much all around Edo until Kondo is beheaded in May and Hijikata gets injured at the Battle of Utsunomiya Castle

At the Battle of Utsunomiya, Hijikata was shot in his right foot on April 23, so he was carried from the battlefield on Shimada Kai's back.

On April 29, Hijikata arrived near Aizu-Wakamatsu and stayed at Shimizuya Inn, which had hot springs, to recover from his wound.

He learned about Kondo's death while he was there and built a tombstone for him at the nearby Tenneiji temple.

On July 1, he left to visit his men.

A month later, he went back to the battlefield to fight the Battle of Aizu.

(source)

July 19 - *sobs* we lose him. So he’s at the house alone and suffering from end of March to July? 4 months. And in those four months, he did visit Kondo’s wife Tsune and daughter Tama at Joganji Temple in Nakano

He died on July 19 (Western calendar). He might have been lonely without his loved ones, but I don't think he was alone since Uekiya’s rice cooker was taking care of him and he probably saw other doctors after Matsumoto left.

He visited Kondo’s wife and daughter at Joganji Temple, but I don't think there would be any records where we could find the date since he was in hiding and trying to keep his movements secret.

According to the quote from this article from "Shinsengumi Imon" (新選組遺聞) by Shimozawa Kan:

Isami's family, his wife Tsune and his mother-in-law Keiko (瓊子), moved out of their house in Ushigome shortly after Isami left for Koshu and moved to the outskirts of Edo. They rented room at a temple called Joganji in Nomurahongo.

In the Shinsengumi's financial records, there's a withdrawal on February 28 (lunar) for the house in Ushigome where Kondo’s wife and child lived, which might be related to the move.

So Okita probably visited them in Joganji some time between March and July.

This article (from the "Joganji Records" (成願寺誌)) describes what his final days were like:

Edo was already crawling with government troops with Imperial Brocades, but Uekiya, where Souji was staying, was a safe haven in Ikejiribashi, a very lonely place at the time, where the sound of watermills over the river echoed and there was hardly anyone to be seen at night. Although safe, it must have been too lonely for the young Souji. Sometimes he would go by palanquin to Joganji temple, about a ri away [a 1 hour walk]. He would stay there for days and days. He had an incurable disease, and he probably knew better than anyone else that his death was approaching. Unable to endure the loneliness and desolation, he would come to the temple and soak in the warmth of the unchanging affection of the mother and child, and how comforted he was by that.

Let me know if there's anything I didn't cover or if you have any more questions.

I would really like to read the fic you wrote, if you don't mind sharing it - nvm, found it :)

[thefortressofscience]

I sent this to you other blog but me and my BF are going to Japan this November! any advice you can offer to a fellow queer Latine for their first visit? (and also me I guess)

There's not much I can say that I didn't already in my first response, but I'll repost it here if anyone else wants travel tips in Japan!

Depends on where you’re headed! Usually for first timers, the typical route is Tokyo -> Osaka -> Kyoto -> Nara. You can go from Tokyo to those cities by train pretty easily! The latter three are really close together so you can basically make a lot of day trips that way.

For your first time in Tokyo I recommend mostly sticking to big ticket sights like the Tokyo Sky Tree, Akihabara, Asakusa, etc. But if you want to explore other spots, off the top of my head I can recommend:

Mikado Game Center in Takadanobaba. This is an extremely OG arcade and it is said if you’re serious about fighting games, you have to compete here at least once.

Yanaka Ginza is a neighborhood that maintains old skool Tokyo charm and worth taking a stroll around to get a feel for that early Showa-era atmosphere.

Les Grands Arbres Cafe is a very aesthetic cafe that has a big tree growing through it. It’s very cool and worth going just to take a selfie.

Nakano Broadway predates Akihabara as the nerd paradise. It’s a lot smaller and entirely indoors but it is extremely dense with anime, manga, and retro gaming goodness.

BEEP Akihabara is a basement level store full of retro computing stuff if you’re into that stuff. I really liked that store.

The top floor of the PARCO department store in Shibuya has a Nintendo Center in it but there’s also a ton of other stuff like Capcom and Shonen Jump booths.

The JAXA space center museum in Tsukaba is pretty accessible by train. It’s about an hour out from Tokyo but worth the trip.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building near the Keio Plaza hotel in Shinjuku has a free observation deck on the top floor if you don’t feel like shelling out for the Tokyo Sky Tree

Other spots I heard good things about but haven’t gone to are the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum and Yokohama China Town. You can get to Yokohama pretty easily by train.

For Osaka, you have to go to Dotonbori. It’s kind of like the centerpiece of that city. I also enjoyed Den Den Town which is like Osaka’s answer to Akihabara. In Kyoto, you should hit up all the various shrines and temples. For more information I think most online travel guides will have you covered.

I hope you have fun on your trip!

[junkyardzeny]

yo, my BF and I are going to Japan in November and we were wondering if you had any tips/recommendations as a fellow Queer Latine Furry

Depends on where you're headed! Usually for first timers, the typical route is Tokyo -> Osaka -> Kyoto -> Nara. You can go from Tokyo to those cities by train pretty easily! The latter three are really close together so you can basically make a lot of day trips that way.

For your first time in Tokyo I recommend mostly sticking to big ticket sights like the Tokyo Sky Tree, Akihabara, Asakusa, etc. But if you want to explore other spots, off the top of my head I can recommend:

Mikado Game Center in Takadanobaba. This is an extremely OG arcade and it is said if you're serious about fighting games, you have to compete here at least once.

Yanaka Ginza is a neighborhood that maintains old skool Tokyo charm and worth taking a stroll around to get a feel for that early Showa-era atmosphere.

Les Grands Arbres Cafe is a very aesthetic cafe that has a big tree growing through it. It's very cool and worth going just to take a selfie.

Nakano Broadway predates Akihabara as the nerd paradise. It's a lot smaller and entirely indoors but it is extremely dense with anime, manga, and retro gaming goodness.

BEEP Akihabara is a basement level store full of retro computing stuff if you're into that stuff. I really liked that store.

The top floor of the PARCO department store in Shibuya has a Nintendo Center in it but there's also a ton of other stuff like Capcom and Shonen Jump booths.

The JAXA space center museum in Tsukaba is pretty accessible by train. It's about an hour out from Tokyo but worth the trip.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building near the Keio Plaza hotel in Shinjuku has a free observation deck on the top floor if you don't feel like shelling out for the Tokyo Sky Tree

Other spots I heard good things about but haven't gone to are the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum and Yokohama China Town. You can get to Yokohama pretty easily by train.

For Osaka, you have to go to Dotonbori. It's kind of like the centerpiece of that city. I also enjoyed Den Den Town which is like Osaka's answer to Akihabara. In Kyoto, you should hit up all the various shrines and temples. For more information I think most online travel guides will have you covered.

I hope you have fun on your trip!