= the real man =

 When I discovered that my Saitou / Fujita Gorou actually lived and breathed (back in the good old days), I vowed to find out as much as possible in regards to the man. I searched in vain for books in English on either Saitou or the Shinsengumi. I scoured the internet, frantic for some dirt on the guy!

 Here are the fruits on my labor, and I have to send thanks and credit out to two pages in particular for helping me in my quest for knowledge; Shinsengumi. and Dr.Fanglang's Saitou Watcher's Tea Room. More recently, I've had a great influx of information from my man, Serizawa Kamo. His additions are in this color.

• SaitouÆs origins are kind of sketchy. Not even his birthday is certain! Most agree itÆs January 1st (the name Hajime meaning "one" in kanji being a reference to the first day on the first month) of 1844.
• He was born in Edo (now Tokyo), in the Kanda Kogawa District.
• However, his family belonged to the Harima feud.
• His father was Yamaguchi Yusuke (a lower class samurai) his mother was Masu (a farmer) he had an elder brother (Hiroaki) and an elder sister (Katsu).
• When he was 19, he had to depart from home because he killed a man.
• His entrance to the Shinsengumi was sponsored by the Aizu han. 
• He joined the Shinsengumi when he was 21/22 years old.

His wife, Takagi Tokio was the daughter of an important Aizu official (Takagi Kojuurou), and their marriage was even handled by Matsudaira Katamori! (see Shinsengumi section) She was born in Aizu on April 15th, two years after Saito's birth. 
• Some say his most powerful sword skill was the "Left-hand single thrust". It was rumored that this attack of his was even more powerful then OkitaÆs special technique. The Gatotsu that he uses in Rurouni Kenshin was invented, but the Hiratsuki he says he based it on was a real technique.
• But nobody knows for sure what his kenjutsu style was. The most accepted  is the Mugai style, although some sources say Mizoguchi Ittou style or Taishi style.

• He was one of the three strongest members of the Shinsengumi ^_^
• As Kenshin mentioned, Saitou handled the execution of corrupt Shinsengumi members.
• His philosophy of Aku.Zoku.San isnÆt fiction - in fact, it was the motto of the entire Shinsengumi.
• Saitou and Takagi Tokio were married in 1873, and their first son, Tsutomu was born in 1876. There were other children as well, Tsuyoshi, and Tatsuo. ^_^
• In 1877 he joined the sword wielding police troop and fought in the Seinan War using the name of Fujita Gorou. After that, he became a spy directly responsible to the Police Commissioner, Kawaji Toshiyoshi.
• Later on in life, he worked as a museum guard in Tokyo.
• He died at the age of 72, of a gastric ulcer on September 28, 1915. (;_;)

 Thanks to another Saitou fan, I have some images for you. Thanks RukesRiese! 

• Saitou's son, Tsutomu & his wife, Tokio! Does it look like me? Maybe... I'm not telling!
• Tsuyoshi, another of Saitou's sons! ^_~ I was a busy wife!
• Tatsuo, yet another son! See, told you I was busy!
• A Fujita Gorou Woodcut
• And, Rukes says: "The Real Saitou Hajime"  (portrait) "It's a face only a really saintly wife could love"
• A picture of the squad he was in (Can you point him out ^_^;)

• ikedaya.jpg  the photo of the Ikeda Inn (now demolished)
• koseki.jpg  the "koseki touhon" (an official document where one's life is recorded) of Saitoh Hajime
• mibu.jpg  the Shinsengumi HQ in Mibu (the photo is the HQ of Yagi house. There was another one, the Maekawa Souji's house).
• mon.jpg  the family crest of Saitou (Fujita Gorou)
• rekisho.jpg the record of Saitoh in the Police 
• truesait.jpg  the true Saitoh Hajime (or it seems so)