Abiru Eizaburo (阿比類鋭三郎)
Eizaburo ABIRU (born 1842, died May 23, 1863), was a soldier of the Mibu masterless warriors group. He also went by the names 阿比留鋭三郎 Eisaburo ABIRU (two different spellings), 阿比留栄之介 Einosuke ABIRU, and another version of Eizaburo Abiru written with different characters such as 阿比原栄三良 阿比留栄三郎.
He was from Tsushima Domain.
He was studied the Hokushin-Ittoryu Kobudo school of swordsmanship under Eijiro CHIBA (Eijiro Nariyuki CHIBA) who was the second son of Shusaku CHIBA, and
He joined a group of masterless warrior in February 1863, and travelled to Kyoto. He became a member of the Tonouchi-Iesato group (i.e., the group led by Yoshio TONOUCHI and Tsuguo IESATO). After the group decided to return to Edo, they remained behind in Kyoto with Isami KONDO, Kamo SERIZAWA and others. He was one of twenty-four members of the Mibu masterless warriors group at the time of its formation. While active in the group he worked together with Kondo and associates.
He died on April 6, 1863. It is thought that he was either murdered, or died of disease. An alternative version maintains that he died on March 25.
Fiction
Although he is not often made the subject of dramatic depictions and the like, due to its humble status, he did appear in the NHK Historical drama "Shinsengumi!" (his role was played by Taro YABE, of comedy duo Karateka).
He fell ill and was unable to return to Edo due to weakness, so he joined the masterless warriors group by default. One night while he was having a coughing fit in the hallway, he reported to Isami Kondo that he had witnessed from the window a member of the masterless warriors group named Yoshio TONOUCHI make contact with a member of the Tadasaburo SASAKI group. That served as the basis for the assassination of Yoshio Tonouchi. Because of these developments, the Mibu masterless warriors group became fractured, whereupon Toshizo HIJIKATA is said to have made Kondo stand up and bear verbal abuse in relation to the demise of Tonouchi, offering his condolences, and expressing his resolve to play a more active role. As a result, Abiru's report indirectly determined that the direction taken by the Mibu masterless warriors group to come under the guiding influence of the way of life of Hijikata.
In the end, he turned to his kin in Otsu for support, saying farewell to Kondo and the others, and leaving the group. There is no description of his subsequent activities or his death.