Sagara Sōzō

Sagara Sōzō
Native name 相楽 総三
Birth name Kojima Shirō (小島 四郎)
Born 1839 (1839)
Akasaka, Edo, Japan
Died March 26, 1868(1868-03-26) (aged 28–29)
Shimosuwa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Buried Aoyama Cemetery, Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan
Allegiance Government of Meiji Japan
Service/branch Sekihōtai
Years of service 1868
Commands held Sekihōtai 1st Unit
Memorials Monument to the memory of Sagara Sōzō Sagara-zuka Monument, Shimosuwa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Spouse(s)
Watanabe Teru (m. 1864–1868)
Children Kimura Kawajirō (son)
Relations Kojima Hyoma (father)

Sagara Sōzō (相楽 総三, 1839 - March 26, 1868), real name Kojima Shirō (小島 四郎),[1] was the leader of the Sekihōtai 1st Unit.

History

He was born Kojima Shirō in Akasaka, Edo in 1839 as the fourth son to the wealthy father Kojima Hyoma.

He married Watanabe Teru, the daughter of the retainer of the Matsudaira clan in 1864 (Genji 1). Their son, Kawajirō, was born in 1865 (Genji 2) whom he was happy with and thought his newly born son was a gift of the divinity of Hikawa Shrine.

After the Battle of Toba–Fushimi in 1868, the Sekihōtai, in which Sagara was the leader of the 1st Unit, constituted of a civilian squad made principally of farmers and merchants, was formed on February 1, 1868 at Kongōrin-ji temple in Matsuoji, Ōmi Province with the support of Saigō Takamori and Iwakura Tomomi. The group promised a reduction in taxes to the people who supported it. When Sagara was asked to return to the headquarters by the Meiji forces, Sagara decided not to because he believed it would be too soon. As a result, the Meiji forces turned on the group, and Sagara, along with seven more leaders, were arrested in March 24, 1868 and later executed by decapitation at Shimosuwa, Nagano Prefecture in March 26, 1868.[2] His wife Teru, upon hearing the news, entrusted her son Kawajirō to Sagara's three sisters, and committed suicide soon afterwards.[3]

Sagara was buried at Aoyama Cemetery, Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan.

Monument

The Monument to the memory of Sagara Sōzō or the Sagara-zuka Monument was unveiled by Ochiai Naoaki in 1870.[4]

In 1928, his grandson Kimura Kametaro had since restored his honor and Sagara was enshrined in Yasukuni Shrine, Tokyo by 1929.

Sagara is portrayed in the manga and anime series Rurouni Kenshin, where he is the mentor of Sagara Sanosuke, a fictional character.[1]

The character DJ Sagara of Kamen Rider Gaim is named for Sagara Sōzō. Like Sōzō, he's been secretly fielding the Beat Riders to run his own agenda against the Yggdrasil corporation.

References

  1. 1 2 Watsuki, Nobuhiro. "The Secret Life of Characters (5) Sagara Sōzō," Rurouni Kenshin Volume 2. VIZ Media. 28.
  2. ↑ "Historical characters Archived 2007-09-05 at the Wayback Machine.." Town of Shimosuwa. Retrieved on July 16, 2009.
  3. ↑ 『ビジュアル幕末維新 「日本の夜明け」を目指した激動の時代を追う！！』 Gakken p.76～77
  4. ↑ "Sagara Festival and the Sekihōtai Army of the Meiji Restoration : Research : Chuo Online : YOMIURI ONLINE". www.yomiuri.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-06-05.


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