Okita Rintaro
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period
who was a commander (kumigashira 組頭) of the Shinchōgumi (the Shinsengumi
's counterpart in Edo
).
in 1826, he was Inoue Sōzō's younger brother and related to Inoue Genzaburō
's family. He later became an adopted son of Okita Katsujirō (Okita Sōji
's father) and changed his name to Okita Rintarō before his marriage to Katsujirō's daughter Mitsu in 1846 (Kōka
3). He then served as the head of the Okita family in place of Sōji.
A licensed practitioner of the Tennen Rishin Ryu, he joined the Rōshigumi
together with Okita Sōji. However, not long after their arrival in Kyoto, he went back to Edo and became a commander of the Shinchōgumi, which was under the sponsorship of the Shōnai-han. At that time, he and Mitsu moved to one of the barracks (kumi-yashiki 組屋敷) in the former Edo residence of Tanuma Okitaka with their children. They lived there until the Boshin War
.
After the start of the Boshin War, he and Mitsu took care of a terminally ill Okita Sōji until the forces of the northern domains, as well as the soldiers of the former shogunate, retreated to the Tohoku region. Since Sōji was not fit for traveling, Rintarō and Mitsu had no choice but to leave him in Edo. Joining the Shōnai daimyo Sakai Tadazumi in leaving the city, Rintarō and his family traveled to Shōnai. Rintarō subsequently fought alongside the Shōnai forces during the height of the Boshin War. In 1872, the family returned to Tokyo
and lived in a place called Ume-yashiki (梅屋敷; "Plum Mansion") in Sumida-Mukaijima. Rintarō died in Tokyo, on February 13, 1883, at age 58.
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
who was a commander (kumigashira 組頭) of the Shinchōgumi (the Shinsengumi
Shinsengumi
The were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic...
's counterpart in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
).
Biography
Born Inoue Rintarō in HinoHino
Hino can mean:A Place:*Hino, Shiga*Hino, Tokyo*Hino, Tottori*Hino District, Tottori*Lake Hino in EstoniaA Company:*Hino Motors, Ltd.A Person*Rei Hino, a character on Sailor Moon*Hikari Hino, a Japanese porn star...
in 1826, he was Inoue Sōzō's younger brother and related to Inoue Genzaburō
Inoue Genzaburo
was born in Bushu . He was the captain of the sixth unit of the Shinsengumi which were a special police force for the Tokugawa regime....
's family. He later became an adopted son of Okita Katsujirō (Okita Sōji
Okita Soji
, was the captain of the first unit of the Shinsengumi, a special police force in Kyoto during the late shogunate period. He was one of the best swordsmen of the Shinsengumi, along with Saito Hajime and Nagakura Shinpachi....
's father) and changed his name to Okita Rintarō before his marriage to Katsujirō's daughter Mitsu in 1846 (Kōka
Koka
was a after Tenpō and before Kaei. This period spanned the years from December 1844 through February 1848. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
3). He then served as the head of the Okita family in place of Sōji.
A licensed practitioner of the Tennen Rishin Ryu, he joined the Rōshigumi
Roshigumi
The Rōshigumi , the "Kyoto Defenders", was a group of 234 masterless samurai , founded by Kiyokawa Hachirō in 1863. Loyal to the Bakufu, they were supposed to act as the protectors of the Tokugawa shogun....
together with Okita Sōji. However, not long after their arrival in Kyoto, he went back to Edo and became a commander of the Shinchōgumi, which was under the sponsorship of the Shōnai-han. At that time, he and Mitsu moved to one of the barracks (kumi-yashiki 組屋敷) in the former Edo residence of Tanuma Okitaka with their children. They lived there until the Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
.
After the start of the Boshin War, he and Mitsu took care of a terminally ill Okita Sōji until the forces of the northern domains, as well as the soldiers of the former shogunate, retreated to the Tohoku region. Since Sōji was not fit for traveling, Rintarō and Mitsu had no choice but to leave him in Edo. Joining the Shōnai daimyo Sakai Tadazumi in leaving the city, Rintarō and his family traveled to Shōnai. Rintarō subsequently fought alongside the Shōnai forces during the height of the Boshin War. In 1872, the family returned to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and lived in a place called Ume-yashiki (梅屋敷; "Plum Mansion") in Sumida-Mukaijima. Rintarō died in Tokyo, on February 13, 1883, at age 58.