Kawakami Gensai

Kawakami Gensai (, December 4th, 1934 with Kumamoto- January 13rd, 1971 - He was a partisan of the Emperor of Japan and one of the 4 famous Hitokiri or assassin (literally destroying of man) at the period of Bakumatsu (XIX century old middle).

Biography

He fought against Shogunat de Tokugawa which controlled the country since 1600. Shogunat had issued the independence of the country which thus isolated it from the remainder world. However, in 1953, the United States has forced Shogunat to abolish this decree E aisin accpeter the occidentalization of Japan and the opening towards other countries.

Japan lived during several century under the aegis of ancestral habits and traditions and was very faithful to the local religion. This great change had thus weakened Shoguna de Tokugawa and provoca the anger of the Emperor who decided to dissolve it, to take the reindeers of the State and to expel the foreigners. Thus the career of assassin of Gensai Kawakami militant against the opposing party starts. Of very calm nature, it showed incredible “a cold blood” at the time of tension or decision making. Because of its fine features and its hair length, much confused it with a woman or a child.

Its true name was Komori Genjiro. It changed then its identity when it was adopted by the Kawakami family which intended it for a career of monk. It was devoted then to Boudhisme. However, he was not appreciated because of his character a little too cold and calculator. However, it succeeded in changing its bad reputation thanks to its heroic acts which saved the life of several people at the time of a fire.

Kawakami included/understood that it had more the heart of a warrior than of a monk. It thus learned handling from the saber and its strategies from attack. Its style of combat was Furanui Kenjitsu (powerful flash) known also under the name of Shiranui-ryu.

It was one fervant disciple of Impérialisme and belonged to the group Ishin Shishi (Impérialiste) which was oppasait in Shogunat de Tokugawa. Thanks to its beliefs and with its large capacity of fencer, it became one of the 4 Hitokiri (assassins) of Bakumatsu; a group of elite of samurai assassins to the services of the emperor. The other members were Nakamura Hanjiro (also known under the name of Kirino Toshiaki), Tanaka Shimbe and Okada Izo. However, Kawakami was most sanguinary of the four.

Kawakami was made known with assassinated of Sakuma Shozan in 1864, politician and scholar Japanese who was in favor of the entry from abroad. It killed it in full day and with the sight of several witnesses. It is supposed that he is the author of good of other assassinations but one found no proof of his culpability to date.

After the Restoration Meiji and end of the era of Samuraï, Kawakami taught a few times philosophy Bushido (the way of the samurai). However, its ideals extremists defended a very preserving policy, and strongly criticized the new government which saw in him a threat for the future of the nation. The new government developped at the point a plot against kawakami with Kido Takayoshi, one of its clean in favor. Thus, it was stopped with false loads with its charge and was carried out the fourth year of the era Meiji (1871) at the 37 years age.

Influence postumes

The model of Kawagami Gensai inspired beaucoups of Japanese works. Most important is that of the main character of the work of Nobuhiro Watsuki under the features of Kenshin Himura.

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