Mizuguchi Ichimatsu (水口市松)
Ichimatsu MIZUGUCHI (1824-January 29, 1868) was a member of the Shinsengumi (a special police force who guarded Kyoto during the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate). In the Shinsengumi's heyday, he served as a teacher in swordsmanship.
His (real) name was 'Tadateru.'
His real surname was 'Fujita.'
He was a certified swordsman of the Ittoryu school.
Biography
He was a retainer of the Tsu domain of Ise Province. He was formerly a chamberlain of the Obama Domain. He was the son of Chuzen Hesuke FUJITA and served the Todo clan of the Tsu Domain but left the domain. He migrated to Kyoto and became the adopted son of the Mizuguchi family, who were doctors.
He had a good relationship with Kawashima (perhaps Shinsengumi).html">Katsuji KAWASHIMA of the Shinsengumi) and often visited Mibu Tonsho (the Shinsengumi post in Mibu, Kyoto City). Because of that, he joined the Shinsengumi around October 1864. He was later assigned to the sixth squad led by Kanryusai TAKEDA.
In the Sanjo-ohashi Bridge Noticeboard Incident of October 20, 1866, Ichimatsu fought in the seventh squad led by Sanosuke HARADA. He was given 15-ryo (unit of currency) as a reward for his contribution.
Upon his promotion as the Shogun's retainer in 1867, he was conferred the title of Mimawarigumi Oyatoi.
He fought in the Battle of Toba and Fushimi started on January 27, 1868, but was shot to death on January 29 in Yodo. He died at the age of 45. According to the register of war deaths of the East Squad at the Gokonomiya-jinja Shrine, Ichimatsu was killed in the Battle of Fushimi. His name was inscribed on the Shinsengumi Cenotaph built by Shinpachi NAGAKURA in 1876.
Personal Profile and Anecdotes
It is said that he was easygoing and liked children.
It is said that he was good at using a blowgun.
Whenever he won prizes by shooting targets, he gave them to children who admired him.