Aizu samurai Yamakawa Hiroshi’s Kyōto Shugoshoku Shimatsu, a history of the office of the protector of Kyoto, was published in 1911. The office of the protector of Kyoto, which lasted for more than five years (1862 – 1867), was held by Matsudaira Katamori, daimyo of Aizu. As the protector of Kyoto, he was the master of the Shinsengumi.

Yamakawa served as a senior retainer to Katamori during the latter’s tenure in Kyoto. His book is a key source for my forthcoming Samurai Swordsmen: The Definitive History of the Shinsengumi amid the Fall of the Tokugawa Bakufu.

For professional guidance on Bakumatsu–Meiji Restoration history, see Historical Consulting.
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