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Sammy Briggs
25th August 2002, 06:19
Didn't know where else to post this, but does anyone know of any books or other references in English regarding the Shinsengumi? Unfortunately, this is another part of Japanese history that has become embellished by anime. There isn't much reliable info out there to begin with, so any help would be appreciated.

Sammy Briggs
Shinkendo Honbu Dojo

Yamantaka
25th August 2002, 12:18
Originally posted by Sammy Briggs
Didn't know where else to post this, but does anyone know of any books or other references in English regarding the Shinsengumi? Unfortunately, this is another part of Japanese history that has become embellished by anime. There isn't much reliable info out there to begin with, so any help would be appreciated.
Sammy Briggs
Shinkendo Honbu Dojo

YAMANTAKA : There's this excellent discussion list on the specific theme of samurai history and traditions :
http://group.yahoo.com/group/samuraihistory/
You should subscribe to it.
Best

Kendoguy9
25th August 2002, 16:19
Howdy,

You may want to check out "Ryoma- Life of a Renaissance Samurai" by Romulus Hillsborough published by Ridgeback Press. While it doesn't have a whole lot of information about the police force it does give you a little more then most other books. It's also a good and fast read.

gambatte!!!

fifthchamber
26th August 2002, 15:29
Hi all.
I would second the reading of the books by Romulus Hillsborough. The one on Ryoma is a must have and I would certainly also suggest the second book by him called 'Samurai Sketches'...Basically it contains small stories featuring the more prominent Samurai during the Bakumatsu period and it has a few chapters on the Shinsengumi and especially on Kondo Isami...A great book to read anyway...
You could also try a search online for 'Tennen Rishin Ryu' I guess as more than a few of the Shinsengumi commanders were from that one Ryuha and there may well be a 'trail' of sorts there..The August edition of 'Hiden' magazine had a article on the school and its history and the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten also contains quite a bit on the school..
Good luck either way.

Charles Mahan
26th August 2002, 18:08
What no ridicule? You guys must be going soft on me.

This is the kind of positive thing I was talking about where the Rurouni Kenshin TV series is concerned. Someone heard about the Shinesengumi through some connection to the series, became curious, and is doing research. Good for him.

Sammy Briggs
26th August 2002, 19:46
Thanks for the leads y'all. I never even thought about the Romulus Hillsborough books, and everything else seen at the book shops doesn't even mention the group. All the internet searches merely provide a bunch of anime stuff, which at best is about 50% accurate.

Mr. Mahan:

Bold assumption. Never heard of Rurouni Kenshin, and I don't watch anime or Japanese TV. Actually, Obata Kaiso used to speak favorably of the group, and it was the stories he told about the Shinsengumi that sparked my curiosity.

Any other info would still be greatly appreciated.


Sammy Briggs
Shinkendo Honbu Dojo

Don Cunningham
26th August 2002, 20:12
I also vote for the books written by Romulus Hillsborough. The author also gave an outstanding lecture last year at the San Francisco sword show. I was looking forward to seeing him again this year, but he didn't show up. Major disappointment.

Kendoguy9
26th August 2002, 23:08
Another source for a little (very little) about the Bakufu police is a book called "Kodo" by Kensho Furuya published by Ohara. It is mostly martial musings and short stories and insights from a Zen/aikido teacher in LA. While I would take some of it with a grain of salt there is a story or two about Kondo Isami and even a picture of him. Might be worth the $17 if you are really hard pressed for info. The guy has a nice dojo too.

gambatte!!!

Charles Mahan
27th August 2002, 18:15
Mr. Mahan:

Bold assumption. Never heard of Rurouni Kenshin, and I don't watch anime or Japanese TV. Actually, Obata Kaiso used to speak favorably of the group, and it was the stories he told about the Shinsengumi that sparked my curiosity.


Ok. I'll be the first to admit that making assumptions is a bad idea. It was your reference to Anime that led me down that line of thinking. My apologies.

Brently Keen
28th August 2002, 18:41
There is a Sakurai-ha Kogen Itto-ryu group also called the US Classical Kendo Federation that is led by a somewhat controversial Kotaka sensei.

This group has no affiliation with the mainline Kogen Itto-ryu in Japan and appears to me to rather resemble a blend of some Ono-ha Itto-ryu, and Hokushin Itto-ryu. Particularly in it's philosophy and 3-part emphasis of kendo shiai, kenjutsu kata/kumiuchi, and iai, it seems to lean towards the Hokushin approach.

However it's orgins are supposed to be from the Shinsengumi and I understand that Kotaka sensei has been working on translating and releasing more history regarding his school. I haven't checked lately, but you might find some tidbits about the Shinsengumi on one of their websites. I believe there may some truth this story although it has yet to be verified (to my knowledge). I think there are some valid questions, and perhaps some inaccuracies, but I don't think it's all hogwash. So take it all with a grain of salt.

Kotaka sensei himself is considered somewhat of a renegade in some circles and is not without controversy, it seems some of his ranks and claims have been disputed, but I have seen tape of him, and while I'm no kendo or kenjutsu expert, I think his movement was of a pretty high calibre. Likewise I found some of his students to be fairly helpful when I was looking into their group a while back.

BK

Usagi
12th September 2002, 16:19
Originally posted by Sammy Briggs
All the internet searches merely provide a bunch of anime stuff, which at best is about 50% accurate.

Mr. Mahan:

Bold assumption. Never heard of Rurouni Kenshin, and I don't watch anime or Japanese TV. Actually, Obata Kaiso used to speak favorably of the group, and it was the stories he told about the Shinsengumi that sparked my curiosity.
Sammy Briggs
Shinkendo Honbu Dojo

Didn't know where else to post this, but does anyone know of any books or other references in English regarding the Shinsengumi? Unfortunately, this is another part of Japanese history that has become embellished by anime. There isn't much reliable info out there to begin with, so any help would be appreciated.


After mentioning anime twice i think it is quite reasonable to believe that you were a anime fan (reasonable , althrought incorrect).

I don't see why assuming something that reasonable should be taken as bold...

Paburo
12th September 2002, 17:21
There is a movie called in english "Taboo" (not the porno, guys)
is a film by Nagisha Oshima. i do not remember the name in japanese wich i'm going to find out soon; but is based on "shinsengumi keppuroku" i will not go on details on the movie since is very crude on visual and in the script the only think i can tell you is that it depict the nearess think to how the shinsen gumi works and live in a regular day basis.
i warned you this movie is a little nit meesed up since it thalks about boys and boys falling in love around their same quarters.
but is a good film, color, real and fascinating sword kata & waza you'll be amazed with the correography, anyways if their is some one here does know the japanese name of the movie, please let us know about it. i have the movie but if he's going to look down by the name taboo on the internet i think it will turn out to be a headache to find. i almost forgot i bught it at borders maybe if you make a serch on their site you'll find it.
Good luck!!!

Adam Young
12th September 2002, 18:31
The Nagisa Ohima film "Taboo" may be more familiar to some as "Gohatto," its original title.

And I don't think it is fair to call the movie "messed up" because its deals with homosexual relationships among men. If you think that male-male or man-boy sexual relationships were not widely practiced in Japan of that period and earlier, you're in for a shock.

Sammy Briggs
12th September 2002, 18:52
Usagi,
Why bother responding to a reply that didn't concern you to begin with? Sorry if you were offended. I don't believe discussing what I consider to be a "bold statement" will benefit anyone here on e-budo. E-mail me privately if you want to discuss it any further.

Paburo,
Sounds interesting, I'll look it up.

Thanks again everyone else for the heads up.


Sammy Briggs,
Shinkendo Honbu Dojo

Paburo
12th September 2002, 20:02
i did not ment to said mess up in that send i do not have anything againste the homsexula today and i do know about it practice back then around the world. first we're talking here about shinzengumi. and the movie "IS" mess up if you follow the drama well . and i will like not to go into details so our friends here could enjoy it (if some of them haven't seen it yet ).
stick to the thread and i'm sorry if i offended you in some way or another.

SMILE:D

Paburo
12th September 2002, 20:05
sorry for that auful spell of mine.
is not my fiest language anyways.
"oopss"
:p

FujitaMakoto
11th April 2004, 03:56
http://www.e-budo.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=25692

Jason L
13th April 2004, 06:26
It's not literature but NHK tv broadcasts a show on Saturday nights in the L.A. area at nine aptly called Shinsengumi. It's in it's first six weeks I believe,before Kondo becomes... sorry I won't spoil all the fun. Jason Llamas

FujitaMakoto
31st August 2004, 02:48
Shogun's Most Dreaded Samurai Corps: The Bloody Legacy Of The Shinsengumi
by Romulus Hillsborough

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; (January 15, 2005)
ISBN: 0804836272

search for it on Amazon