Itami Kiyotada (板見清忠, August 24, 1843 – May 9, 1907) more commonly known as Yatoshi Kenji (夜刀師賢司) was a Japanese swordsman, statesman and shiyōnin during the late Hosokawa Shogunate. Born simply as Ichirō (一郎), literally meaning “first son”, Kenji was the eldest child of a poor peasant family in Ōsumi Province. After stealing swords from a Rōnin camp, Ichirō was brought before the samurai Aso Moromoto to be rewarded for his actions. Impressed by the young boy’s tenacity and ability, Moromoto took him on as a retainer in the mid-1850s. Over the following years Ichirō would begin to earn widespread fame and respect due to his martial skill and quick wits, both in the fields and in conversation. He even drew the attention of Moromoto’s liege lord, Kyōgoku Tsunakatsu who requested that Ichirō would work for him as a personal bodyguard and advisor.
Under the tutelage of Tsunakatsu, Ichirō would become one of the first to learn of the planned declaration of the Republic of Kyushu. Having grown up in poverty himself, Ichirō was eager to aid the cause. He did so by founding the Kyōwakokuno shiyōnin (“servants of the Republic”), often just shortened to shiyōnin or “servants”. Acting as their leader, he operated as an undercover insurrectionist and assassin across Chūgoku and Kansai, under the pseudonym Yatoshi Kenji (literally “Wise Night Sword Master”).
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Born into a poor family in northern Ōsumi, Kenji first held the name Ichirō, a name given to the first son of a family. Apparently, he earned the nickname Kage-saru (影猿) or “shadow monkey” after he managed to sneak into a Rōnin mountain den during the night and stealing several of their swords. The exact reason for him doing this is lost to time but considering the proximity of the camp to Ichirō's home village in Kimotsuki, it is likely that they had been raiding or extorting the local people.
After this daring act, he was brought before the local samurai, Aso Moromoto. Moromoto was impressed by Ichirō’s daring actions and took him under his wing as a retainer. Throughout the 1850s, Ichirō would earn respect and admiration due to his martial skills and intelligence and before long, Moromoto made him a trainer for his ashigaru and lower-ranking samurai of Ōsumi and Satsuma. During this time, Ichirō was granted the name Itami Kiyotada.
He eventually came to the attention of Kyōgoku Tsunakatsu, the daimyō of Ōsumi who requested him as a bodyguard. Tsunakatsu made Kiyotada his chief of staff, in charge primarily over the Koguma (黒熊) or "Black Bear" troops, as well as an important military advisor.
Shiyōnin[]
During his time under Tsunakatsu, Kiyotada became heavily involved in Gakushū or "study" that focused on the modernisation of Japan. Whilst he himself never left Japanese soil until later in life, he nonetheless was an integral part of the process of Gakushū, often educating individuals from lower-social classes. Satsuma Domain had been influenced by western traders for centuries and during the waning days of the Hosokawa Shogunate had become far more receptive to the newly arriving concept of democracy, with many leaders seeing it as a viable option to maintain their authority yet throw off the yoke of the Shogunate.
Having grown up in poverty and being of such renown, Kiyotada was amongst the first to be informed of the intended declaration of the Republic of Kyushu. Upon the signing of the declaration, war immediately broke out against local Hosokawa supporters. Kiyotada fought with distinction at the battle of Kijo but he sustained a bullet wound to his shoulder. Realising that Kiyotada was far more useful outside of battle, Tsunakatsu ordered him to refrain from largescale conflicts. Instead, Kiyotada suggested that he and a large number of his students should form a select underground anti-Shogunate resistance, designed to spread Republican ideas and sentiments throughout Japan and eliminate anti-Republican agents.
With financial support from Shimazu Hisamitsu, Kiyotada founded and lead the Kyōwakokuno shiyōnin (“servants of the Republic”) often just shortened to shiyōnin, or “servants”. He operated as an underground insurrectionist and agitator, spreading Republican propaganda, and encouraging the peasantry to rise up against Hosokawa representatives. As its founder, Kiyotada was named Saisho or “first” of the shiyōnin. Despite his new position, Kiyotada still chose to continue engaging anti-Republican agents, either in planned duels, or as an assassin and is alleged to have killed nearly a thousand men loyal to the Shogunate. He is also considered responsible for a number of successful insurrections around Kyoto, which ultimately lead to the retreat of the Hosokawa from the capital and the successful seizure by the Republic. Most of his actions were performed under the pseudonym of Yatoshi Kenji, composed of the kanji for "Wise Night Sword Master" in reference to his preferred method of ambushing agents under cover of darkness.
No records were kept for shiyōnin missions and as such, we may never know how many men were assassinated by Kenji, but it is estimated to be in the hundreds considering how long he operated for and the renown he possessed amongst his compatriots.
Post-Nōmin War[]
After the end of the Nōmin War, Kiyotada retired to found a dōjō in Kumamoto Domain. The shiyōnin continued to exist, but now as bureaucrats in the Republican Government and as such, the military minded Kiyotada chose to step down as Saisho. He continued to train individuals in swordsmanship until the late 1890s, even after the dismantling of the old feudal system. Considered one of the finest sword masters in all of Japan, his dōjō became incredibly popular, especially after the victories against China in the War of the Yellow Sea and the subsequent revitilisation of Japanese militarism.
Only marrying in 1885 to Tomatsu Isako, Kiyotada had two children: Kazuhiro and Kiyouchi. He died in 1907 of a heart attack.