Okita Sōji

Okita Sōji (沖田 総司, 1842 or 1844 – July 19, 1868) 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.Stephane Lun (2021) "A Guide on Shinsengumi: the background and management." [Kindle paperwhite version] Retrieved from amazon.com
In the Hakuōki franchise, Okita was named the Sword of the Shinsengumi due to his outstanding swordsmanship skills. 
==Background==
He came into the world as Okita Sōjirō Fujiwara no Harumasa (沖田宗次郎藤原春政) in either 1842 or 1844, born into a samurai family residing in the Edo mansion of Shirakawa Domain.Oji, Kazuko. Okita Soji wo Aruku. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1989, pp. 58–59 His lineage traced back to his great-grandfather, Okita Kan'emon (d. 1819), and his grandfather, Okita Sanshiro (d. 1833). Tragically, his father, Okita Katsujiro, passed away in 1845, leaving behind two elder sisters, Okita Mitsu (1833–1907) and Okita Kin (1836–1908). In 1846, in order to marry the adopted son of the Okita family, Okita Rintarō (1826–1883), his oldest sister Okita Mitsu became an adopted daughter of Kondō Shusuke in name. Kondō Shusuke, the third master of Tennen Rishin-ryū, became Okita's mentor at the Shieikan training hall when Okita was approximately nine years old. While Kondō Shusuke had already taken in Shimazaki Katsuta (later known as Kondō Isami) as an adoptive son, Hijikata Toshizō had yet to join the Tennen Rishin-ryū school. Okita demonstrated exceptional talent, swiftly mastering all techniques and earning the Menkyo Kaiden scroll (license of total transmission) in the ryū when he was around eighteen years old.Mori, Makiko. Okita Sōji Feature. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1999, pp. 9–11
In 1861, Okita assumed the role of Head Coach (Jukutou) at the Shieikan. Although he was often described as honest, polite, and amiable by those around him, he was also known for being a strict and easily provoked instructor to his students.Mori, Makiko. Okita Sōji Feature. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1999, pp. 27–28
==Shinsengumi==
Before joining the Rōshigumi and departing for Kyoto on March 26, 1863, Okita decided to change his name to Okita Sōji Fujiwara no Kaneyoshi. However, upon reaching their destination on April 10, 1863, the Rōshigumi disbanded, and the majority returned to Edo. Okita, along with a few other founding members, chose to stay in Mibu and establish the Mibu Rōshigumi, which was later renamed the Shinsengumi on August 18, 1863. Among the members of the Shieikan, Okita was the second youngest, possibly only preceded by Tōdō Heisuke. Okita's brother-in-law, Okita Rintarō, who also practiced the Tennen Rishin-ryū, became a commander of the Shinchōgumi, the Shinsengumi's counterpart in Edo.Mori, Makiko. Okita Soji Feature. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1999, p.52
In due course, Okita Sōji rose to the position of Fukuchō Jokin, serving as the vice-commander's assistant in the Shinsengumi.Oji, Kazuko. Okita Soji wo Arukui. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1989, p. 111 He played a part in the assassinations of Serizawa Kamo, one of the original commanders of the Shinsengumi, and Uchiyama Hikojiro in 1863.Oji, Kazuko. Okita Soji wo Aruku. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1989, p. 132
While his skills with the shinai were average, Okita excelled with the bokken/bokutou (wooden sword) and bo staff, displaying a captivating mastery of the katana. His signature technique, known as Hyakkidou-ri ("no light blade" or "unenlightened blade")Kimura, Sachihiko. Shinsengumi to Okita Sōji. Tokyo: PHP Interface, 2002, p.29, or Sandanzuki ("Three Piece Thrust"), allowed him to strike the neck, left shoulder, and right shoulder of his opponent with a single attack.Oji, Kazuko. Okita Soji wo Aruku. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1989, p. 20 Some claim that the Mumyo-ken, capable of hitting all three points simultaneously, was his invention, although it may have been inspired by Hijikata's Hirazuki technique.
It is commonly believed, fueled by popular works and period dramas, that Okita's tuberculosis was first discovered when he collapsed during the Ikedaya incident. However, some sources suggest that he contracted the disease afterward. Both theories hold merit, as tuberculosis can progress rapidly, causing death within weeks, or develop slowly over several years. It's worth noting that survival was uncommon beyond a year once the disease reached the stage of collapse, yet Okita lived for four years afterward. Certain researchers propose alternative explanations, such as anemia or heat stroke, for his collapse. Additionally, despite fictional depictions, it is historically inaccurate to assert that Okita killed Yoshida Toshimaro during the Ikedaya Incident.Mori, Makiko. Okita Soji Feature. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1999, pp.92–98
Based on the fiction of Shiba Ryōtarō, many believe that Okita and Hijikata shared a brotherly bond. However, in reality, it was Yamanami Keisuke with whom Okita had a deep fraternal relationship. Yamanami's seppuku, with Okita as his second, in 1865 caused immense anguish for Okita during his short life.Mori, Makiko. Okita Sōji Feature. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1999, p. 78 Historical records do not indicate a close connection between Hijikata and Okita.
In 1865, Okita ascended to the position of captain of the first unit within the Shinsengumi and also served as a kenjutsu instructor.Stephane Lun (2021) "A Guide on Shinsengumi: the background and management." [Kindle paperwhite version] Retrieved from amazon.comOji, Kazuko. Okita Sōji wo Aruku. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1989, p. 175 Later that same year, Kondō Isami appointed him as the fifth master of the Tennen Rishin-ryū, succeeding Kondō himself.Mori, Makiko. Okita Soji Feature. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1999, p. 132
Although highly improbable, there were rumors suggesting that Okita wielded a renowned katana called Kiku-ichimonji. Nevertheless, he certainly possessed a set of Kaga Kiyomitsu, consisting of a katana and a wakizashi, and the sword referred to as "Kikuichimonji Norimune" was likely a Yamashiro Kunikiyo instead.Oji, Kazuko. Okita Sōji wo Aruku. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1989, p. 96
==Death==
Following the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in the first month of Keiō-4 during the Boshin War, Okita sought refuge at Matsumoto Ryōjun's hospital in Edo.Oji, Kazuko. Okita Soji wo Aruku. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1989, p. 235 Subsequently, he relocated to a guesthouse along with Okita Rintarou, Okita Mitsu, and their children. While the Bakufu forces, including the Shinsengumi and the Shinchōgumi, retreated to the Tōhoku region, Okita chose to remain in Edo by himself.Mori, Makiko. Okita Soji Feature. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1999, pp. 170–171 On July 19 (the 30th day of the fifth month according to the lunar calendar), 1868, he succumbed to tuberculosis. That very night, he was interred at Senshō-ji Temple in Azabu, Edo, under his original name (with Okita Sōji recorded in the death records). The notion that Okita died at the age of 25 stems from the hypothesis that he was born in 1844, making him 25 by East Asian age reckoning at the time of his demise in 1868.
For years, the cemetery at Senshō-ji Temple had been accessible to the public until the airing of NHK's Taiga drama, Shinsengumi!, in 2004. Due to the newfound interest in the Shinsengumi and Okita sparked by the drama, numerous visitors flocked to the temple to pay respects at his grave. Consequently, access to the temple's cemetery was restricted to the public, except for a single day each year in June.Oji, Kazuko. Okita Soji wo Aruku. Tokyo: Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1989, p. 252
==Name==
His family name was "Okita" (沖田), while his given name was "Sōji" (総司). "Fujiwara" (藤原) represented his family clan, serving as the surname of his ancestors. "Kaneyoshi" (房良) was his jitsumei (a formal given name comparable to a middle name for gentlemen). The exact timing of Okita's name change to Okita Sōji Fujiwara no Kaneyoshi remains unclear, whether it occurred in 1863, 1862, or, less likely, in 1861. One theory suggests that he adopted the name "Sōji" because some individuals around him referred to him as "Sō-Ji," a shortened form of Sōjirō. Besides his full name, he could also be addressed as Okita Sōji or Okita Sōji Kaneyoshi. In written form, he was occasionally referred to as Fujiwara no Kaneyoshi, representing his formal name used in writing, or Okita Kaneyoshi, akin to "initials" for his complete name.
==References==
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Category:Historical counterparts