(Voice actor) Mr.David Radtke

Hikeshi (present day firefighters) were the most respected of the Edo people. As the saying “fire and fight are the glory of Edo,” illustrates, the town of Edo was struck by fire fairly often. And hikeshi were the heroes who risked their lives to stop the fire spreading every time it broke out. Tatsugoro Shinmon was a renowned leader of Edo’s hikeshi towards the end of the Tokugawa administration. Shinmon led the Asakusa hikeshi “Wo” team. He was admired by many and it was said that no one could disagree with his judgements in settling fights. As a result, he was also respected by the mobs (so-called yakuza) and became a boss-like figure among them. With his broad connections, he came to be acquainted with Kokichi Katsu, a gokenin (lower class vassals who directly served the Shogun). Katsu was a strong, burly man who earned his living being a bodyguard and such. So, Shinmon and Katsu encountered each other at various occasions and became closer with time. Kaishu Katsu, who later saved Edo from war at the end of the Tokugawa regime, was a son of Kokichi Katsu. Shinmon also became acquainted with the 15th Shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, the last Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, through Gikan Kakuoin who was the Ueno Daiji-in betto (*betto was a head of one institution serving also as the head of another). Yoshinobu Tokugawa, impressed with Shinmon’s character and courage, put his confidence in Shinmon. When Yoshinobu Tokugawa came to Kyoto as the governor-general of Kyoto Imperial Palace guard, he summoned Shinmon from Edo and gave him the job of guarding the Nijo Castle. Shinmon, grateful for Yoshinobu’s trust in him, contributed enthusiastically to the Tokugawa Shogunate. One story still told to this day is of when the Tokugawa army lost a war to the anti-Tokugawa army in January of 1868, and retreated from Osaka castle. Yoshinobu fled to Edo, and Shinmon brought him the gold fan Uma-jirushi (*horse insignia = massive banner with the army emblem) of Ieyasu Tokugawa, first Shogun of the Tokugawa administration, which had been left behind at the Osaka castle. He continuously guarded Yoshinobu after that. Despite the number of enemies who were after Yoshinobu’s life, Shinmon and his firemen protected him to the end. Shinmon was trusted and loved by the Tokugawa family and the people of Edo, however, he did not become hikeshi by succeeding a family business from his parents. There was a sad reason to why he became a hikeshi. Read the story of how the number one hikeshi and star of Edo was born.