The third volume of the Samurai Revolution Trilogy focuses on Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last shogun.
[At grave of Katsu Kaishū, “the Shogun’s Last Samurai”]
Author Archives: Romlus Hillsborough
Just before the Ikédaya Incident
From my forthcoming Samurai Swordsmen: just before the Ikédaya Incident:
In the Fourth Month, Tomizawa Chūémon, the wealthy headman of Renkōji village in Tama, was in Kyoto. Ten years older than Kondō Isami, he had served as go-between for the former’s marriage and was a patron of Tennen Rishin. As such, he had close relations not only with Kondō himself but also with other Tennen Rishin swordsmen, including Hijikata, Okita, and Inoué. On 4/11, the four Shinsengumi men held a farewell party for their friend at the Shimabara pleasure quarter. It was probably at this time that Tomizawa handed Kondō an iron-ribbed fan on which he asked him to write something as a keepsake. On the front surface of the fan was a painting of a pair of “Mikawa manzai” comedians. On the back surface, which was blank, Kondō, with brush and ink, composed three large, flowing characters in classical Chinese: “I want to soar with force.” He signed his calligraphy, “Imperial Palace Guard, Kondō Isami.” He would realize his desire in less than two months at the Ikédaya inn.
Samurai Swordsmen: The Definitive History of the Shinsengumi amid the Fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1863–1869) (Helion, 2026) is now in production.
View the book on the Helion website
Writing the Third Book of the Samurai Revolution Trilogy
I’m currently writing a new book, the third volume of my Samurai Revolution Trilogy. More to come.
Samurai Swordsmen: The Definitive History of the Shinsengumi, the second volume of the Samurai Revolution Trilogy, will be published in Fall 2026.
The Imperative of Minor Details in Historical Writing
This morning, during several hours of writing, I reconfirmed that a single genealogical detail can alter how a chapter – or even an entire book – is interpreted. Precision in historical writing often turns on relationships that may seem minor but reshape interpretation, perhaps especially when the subject is the last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu.
Samurai Swordsmen Listed on the Publisher’s Website
Samurai Swordsmen: The Definitive History of the Shinsengumi amid the Fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1863–1869) is now listed on the website of its publisher, Helion & Company. The book is scheduled for publication in fall 2026.
The listing marks the formal public cataloging of the volume, which represents the culmination of many years of research into the history of the Shinsengumi and the political world of late Tokugawa Japan. The book builds on my earlier work while incorporating extensive primary-source material not previously available in English.
Further updates will be posted here as publication approaches.
View the book on the Helion website
Background: The Shinsengumi Hub