Kondo Isami's Swordsmanship School

Shiayikan swordsmanship schools were fertile recruiting grounds for both Imperial loyalists and the Anti-Loyalist cause. Kondo Isami would be the one to take charge of the Shinsengumi, though the path to leadership was a bit fraught. Matsudairakata Mori turned it into a highly effective force that he used to restore order in Kyoto. The Ikadaya Incident took place at the Ikeda Inn on the Kama River in Kyoto, a hotbed of Loyalist activity as well.