Kashitarou Itou, a Shinsengumi member, championed imperialist ideals, pushing for alliance with factions seeking to restore the Emperor’s authority. This stance fueled internal tensions, particularly when clashing over strategic moves like relocating their headquarters to Nishi Hongwanji Temple. Though initially positioning himself as a comrade, his true allegiances and motivations remained shrouded in uncertainty.

At 29 during the upheavals of 1864, Itou operated alongside his brother, Miki Saburo, whose involvement complicated his standing within the group’s dynamics. Itou’s assassination marked a turning point, destabilizing the Shinsengumi’s command structure and exposing Hijikata Toshizo to heightened risks. The chaos enabled adversaries like Chikage Kazama to manipulate tensions, provoking Hijikata’s fateful consumption of the Ochimizu elixir to augment his battlefield prowess.

His demise laid bare the factional rifts and covert power struggles plaguing the Shinsengumi, mirroring the era’s volatile political landscape. Itou’s trajectory illustrates the precarious balance of loyalty and ideology within a fractured organization navigating external threats and internal dissent during the Bakumatsu period.