Niimi Nishiki

Niimi Nishiki (新見 錦, 1836 – October 25, 1863) was a Japanese samurai and played a significant role in the formation of the Shinsengumi, a renowned group of samurai. Alongside Serizawa Kamo and Kondō Isami, Nishiki was among the original thirteen members of the Shinsengumi, initially serving as one of the three commanders. However, his rank was later demoted to vice-commander.
As shown in the Hakuōki franchise, Niimi was Serizawa's ally and was either unnoticed or disliked by the rest of the group. 
==Background==
Little is known about Niimi's origins and early life, but many documents state that he was from the Mito Domain.
Counting back from the description that he was 28 years old in "Abe Family Historical Materials Collection Koyoroku", it is said that he was born in 1836.川澄次是編 児玉幸多校訂 『公余録　下　阿部家史料集 2』、1976年3月 吉川弘文館 p471 His date of birth is unknown, but he learned swordsmanship from Sukeemon Okada and received the Shinto Munen-ryu license. There is a rumor that his skill is "reaching the realm of mastery"小寺玉晁編『東西紀聞 第一』、日本史籍協会 1917年1月 p180.
==Shinsengumi==
In February 1863, the Rōshigumi was organized to guard the 14th shōgun of the Tokugawa Bakufu, Iemochi Tokugawa, when he went to Kyoto. The squad's nominal commander was the hatamoto Matsudaira Katamori of Aizu Domain, and their leader was Kiyokawa Hachirō, a rōnin from Shōnai Domain. Niimi became the sub-leader of the third unit. Serizawa Kamo, who later formed the Shinsengumi, and Kondō Isami of the Edo Shieikan (Tennen Rishin-ryū) were also members of the Rōshigumi. It is believed that Niimi was already a well-known figure due to his appointment as a sub-leader of the senior members. Under the command of Niimi, five Tama branch disciples of the Tennen Rishin-ryū, including Inoue Genzaburō and Okita Rintaro, were assigned.
When Kiyokawa declared his return to Edo on February 27, Niimi announced that he would remain in Kyoto along with Serizawa and Kondō. The seceding group consisted of five Mito rōnin, including Serizawa and Niimi, and eight Shieikan disciples, including Kondō, Hijikata Toshizō, Yamanami Keisuke, and Okita Sōji. Tonomōchi Yoshio, Negishi Tomoyama, and Kasuya were later added to the group, but internal conflicts quickly arose, resulting in the assassination of Tonomōchi and the withdrawal of Negishi and Kasuya. Consequently, the Rōshigumi members were divided into two factions: the Mito faction led by Serizawa and Niimi, and the Shieikan faction led by Kondō and Hijikata.
In March, the Rōshigumi members submitted a petition to Matsudaira Katamori, the lord of Aizu domain, who was Kyoto Shugoshoku (military governor of Kyoto). They were placed under the protection of the Aizu domain and began calling themselves the Mibu Rōshigumi. It is believed that initially, Niimi held the position of the leader (later demoted to vice-leader) along with Serizawa and Kondō. He is said to have acted as a close associate and confidant of Serizawa, but there are many unknown aspects regarding his activities as a member of the group. In reference to Niimi, Okita Sōji, who had a good memory of Serizawa and Kondō, stated, "I don't remember anything about him at all"子母澤寛「壬生屋敷」『新選組遺聞』中公文庫、1977年 p99, and "He had disappeared without a trace at some point"子母澤「壬生屋敷」 p148. According to Nagakura Shinpachi, a senior member of the Shinsengumi, in his "Rōshi Bunkyū Hōkokukiji" (Record of Patriots' Actions in the Bunkyū Period), Niimi is described as being "extremely lawless and refusing to listen to the persuasions of Serizawa and Kondō, even when breaking the regulations". Similarly, the "Shinsengumi Shimatsuki" written by Shimozawa explains that Niimi was "indulging in debauchery, neglecting his duties as a member of the group, and repeatedly extorting money from households under the guise of squad funds". However, there are no records of Niimi's participation in events such as Serizawa's Osaka sumo wrestler incident (when Serizawa got drunk and started a fight with sumo wrestlers killing some of them) or the Yamatoya affair (when Serizawa destroyed the silk cloth store Yamatoya).
In April, when he borrowed 100 ryo from a merchant in Osaka, his name was written along with Serizawa and Kondō, and this is almost the only record of his activities as a member of the corps. However, Niimi's name was not written in the list given to Katamori on May 25,「近藤勇書状写帳」『佐藤彦五郎日記2』「日野宿本陣」文書調査団、2005年3月 p185～186 and it was not written in the "Eimeiroku" written by Shimada Kai, who joined the group in the same month.
==Death==
According to Nagakura's "Shinsengumi Tenmatsu-ki," it is said that Niimi was forced to commit seppuku at the Yamao teahouse in Gion Shinchi, a place known for its indulgence and entertainment. Kondō's faction confronted him, presenting him with numerous accusations of misconduct and warning that if he did not perform seppuku, he would be beheaded in accordance with the law. Soon after, Serizawa and Hirayama Gorō were also assassinated by the Shieikan faction, leading to the destruction of the Mito faction within the Shinsengumi. 
After the Meiji Restoration, it is noteworthy that Niimi, who was originally an adversary, was enshrined in Reizan Shōkonsha, a shrine dedicated to the spirits of Chōshū faction patriots. Additionally, Moto Arachi Yoshinobu (formerly known as Hayakawa Buntaurō) of the former Shinsengumi included Niimi's name in his work "Kinsei Kōmei Ichiran Kinshin Tame Kōkoku", which listed prominent loyalists from the late Edo period. These factors have led to theories suggesting that the reason for Niimi's seppuku was not only his misconduct and conflicts with the Shieikan faction but also his close relationship with pro-imperial, anti-foreign factions such as Mito, Chōshū, and Tosa.
==References==
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Category:Historical counterparts