Katana of one of Japan’s most famous swordsmen goes on display to help Kumamoto earthquake victims

The sword of the vice-captain of the Shinsengumi is being called into action once again in a touching story of repaying kindness.

On Tuesday morning, a powerful earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, on Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu. While the full extent of the damage is still being assessed, at least 30 people are known to have lost their lives, with hundreds injured, thousands forced to evacuate, and tens of thousands dealing with power outages and water supply disruptions.

In the wake of the disaster, many are looking for ways to help the victims, and one surprising source of aid is going to be Hijikata Toshizo.

Born in 1835, Toshizo (pictured at the top of this article) was a member of the Shinsengumi, a group of swordsmen loyal to the Shogunate who operated in Kyoto during the final years of the Edo period. As the unit’s vice-commander, Toshizo features prominently in both the actual history of the Shinsengumi as well as its many romanticized retellings in film, anime, and video games, and his folk hero status draws admirers and history buffs to the Hijikata Toshizo Museum in Tokyo’s Hino district, where he was born.

The museum is a treasure trove of historical artifacts related to Toshizo’s life and times, but it does not have a large staff. Instead, the museum is managed directly by Toshizo’s descendants, and the modest scale of operations means that it’s only open for a few days every month. On Wednesday, though, the museum announced that it has decided to open on the previously unscheduled August 1 and 2. The museum will be displaying Toshizo’s prized katana, the Izumi no Kami Kanesada, on both days, with all admission fees to be donated to relief efforts for victims of the Kumamoto quake.

This isn’t just a way for the museum to offer support to Kumamoto, but a way for the museum to give something back to the prefecture’s people. The Hijikata Toshizo Museum first opened in 1994, but in 2022 it made the decision shut down for an extended period, as other pressing responsibilities were making it difficult for the family to continue running it. The museum wouldn’t reopen until 2024, but in the meantime, a significant portion of its collection was taken into the care of the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art, who cared for the artifacts and displayed them in special exhibitions, continuing the Hijikata Toshizo Museum’s mission of sharing this part of Japanese history with visitors.

So now the Hijikata Toshizo Museum feels that it’s its turn to lend a hand, saying:

The Hijikata Toshizo Museum is just a two-minute walk from Manganji Station on the Tama Toshi Monorail Line, and will be open from noon to 4 p.m. on August 1 and 2, with admission costing 800 yen (US$4.90).

Update: The museum has announced that due to expected ticket demand on August 1 and 2, admission will be by online reservation, with reservations opening through the website here at 9 p.m. on July 30.

Museum information
Hijikata Toshizo Museum / 土方歳三資料館
Address: Tokyo-to, Hino-shi, Ishida 2-1-3
東京都日野市石田２丁目１−３
Open days/times vary by month (announced on official website)
Website