Born the eldest son of a village head in Kitagawa, Tosa (Kōchi).
Around this time he studied swordsmanship at Takechi Hanpeita's school.
He joined Takechi's Tosa Loyalist Party.
When Tosa cracked down on the loyalists, he left the domain for Chōshū.
He fought alongside Chōshū in the Kinmon Incident.
With Sakamoto Ryōma he mediated between the rival Satsuma and Chōshū domains, working to forge the Satchō Alliance.
He formed the Rikuentai and became its commander. Attacked while talking with Sakamoto Ryōma at the Ōmiya inn in Kyoto, he lost his life two days later.
Sakamoto RyōmaTakechi Hanpeita (Zuizan)
Atsuhime (Tenshō-in)Matsudaira KatamoriYamaoka TesshūTokugawa YoshinobuTakasugi ShinsakuKusaka GenzuiOkita SōjiPrincess Kazu
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.