The Shinsengumi were a highly trained military police force in late 19th century Japan. They followed the samurai code and allowed anyone willing to be trained to join. Their distinctive blue and yellow uniform was practical and intimidating. The group disbanded after their leader’s death.
The Shinsengumi, or “special force,” were a highly trained military police that served the Japanese government in the late 19th century. The Shinsengumi force was initially created to work on protecting the shogun’s empire, but later became active in civilian policing and fighting attempts at organized revolution. There were originally three subdivisions of the Shinsengumi, but two groups were disbanded after their leaders were assassinated. Both Shinsengumi soon became feared rather than respected, and quickly gained a corrupt reputation.
The Shinsengumi followed the samurai code, which put honor above all else. In fact, Shinsengumi members were ordered to commit seppuku, or sword suicide, if they broke the code or allowed their leader to be harmed. The Shinsengumi, however, had one distinct difference from the samurai: they allowed anyone willing to be trained to join the force. The samurai had strict caste rule, but the Shinsengumi allowed peasants and clergy to join them, as long as they were willing to accept the code. At the height of their popularity, the Shinsengumi had over 300 swordsmen in its ranks.
The Shinsengumi wore a distinctive blue and yellow uniform. The colorful clothes were meant to intimidate the enemy into a fight, but had the effect of making the Shinsengumi a very popular sight in cities. As the uniforms became even flashier in the aftermath, the Shinsengumi opted for more practical add-ons, such as a chest drawstring used to control loose sleeves and a series of knots that kept the kimono from interfering during a fight. While flashy, the uniform was also more practical than that of other fighters of the time.
The Shinsengumi were disbanded as a group after their leader Toshizō Hijikata died in 1869. As others tried to take over from Hijikata and keep the force running, it became clear pretty quickly that that was not going to happen. The remaining members soon left Kyoto and the Shinsengumi tradition died with them.
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