The Real Ikedaya Plot

We all know or think we know about Ikedaya. It's in all the movies,
after all-- Okita and Kondou burst in, Choshu man comes down the
stairs, Kondou goes up the stairs, dead Choshu man rolls down, and so
on. We also think we know the leadup-- Furutaka Shuntaro, posing as a
merchant, gets taken in, tortured, and confesses.

Here's some things from Oishi Manabu's book "Shinsengumi"-- where he
makes use of primary sources to put together a composite picture of
the event. Some of the information contradicts itself, but by putting
together a multitude of sources, a general idea about what happened
can be acquired.

But I'd like to talk about the Choshu men's plans. Their intent, as is
known to those who have seen the movies or read manga like Rurouni
Kenshin, was to set fire to the city, kill Matsudaira Katamori (the
lord of Aizu and the Shinsengumi's boss), and kidnap the Emperor and
rush back to Hagi, Choshu's capital.

However, in the items confiscated after the Shinsengumi raid which
took in Furutaka, many secret documents were uncovered (Oishi p. 105).
According to these documents, their plan was to wait for the Gion
Festival (where many people would crowd the streets), dress as AIZU
MEN (they even had lanterns with the Aizu crest for this), and wait
for strong wind and set fire to the imperial palace. They would kidnap
the Emperor, kill Nakagawa-no-miya Asahiko (the prince who was
sympathetic to Aizu and Satsuma at the time) and Matsudaira Katamori
(who were due for an appearance at the palace), and then take the
Emperor and flee to Hagi, the Choshu capital. (Oishi, 104)

I'd like to reiterate that point-- they intended to masquerade as AIZU
men and do this. By doing so, they would not only destroy Aizu's
credibility as protectors of the peace in Kyoto, but it would also be
very easy for the fire to spread from the palace, to the surrounding
nobles' houses, to the city at large. And by masquerading as Aizu men,
they would be able to go about the city at will, without being questioned.

Furthermore, the whole plan was Choshu's attempt at revenge for their
loss to Aizu in 1863.(Oishi, 104)

If that were to happen to Aizu, Shinsengumi would have also suffered,
because they depended on Aizu for their entire livelihood.

However, Shinsengumi, as Aizu's "dirty" tool, struck hard and fast and
defused the plot in the carnage at Ikedaya.

No one can deny that Ikedaya was a bloodbath. However, it is critical
that its antecedents and background be closely examined, as well.

-M.