Ito Kashitaro

Ito Kashitaro (伊東歌詞太郎) is the councilor in the Shinsengumi who's known for his intellect and love of beautiful things (and people).

Early Life
Ito Kashitaro was born Suzuki Okura, the eldest son of Suzuki Senemon, a regional offical, and his wife. Unfortunately, his father was caught up in false rumors that lead to him being put under house arrest; he send his sons to live with their grandmother in Shizuki instead.

In contract to Ito's calm, no-nonsense attitude, his younger brother, Suzuki Tamon (now known as Miki Saburo, relied heavily on Ito's guidance and was often unsure of himself. As Miki later tells Tominaga Sei, Ito was his parent, his brother and his teacher, and gained a huge amount of respect for him.

When Ito was teenager of about 16, he asked his mother to be allowed to study in Mito in order to learn more about the world and clear his father's name. Though Miki was shocked, their mother allowed this, proud of her son's ambitions. While in Mito, he mastered the Shinto Munen-Ru.

Ito did not return until his father became ill. Though he was finally free of house arrest, and even started a small school, Senemon was gravely ill and passed away shortly after Ito arrived. Highly intellectual with a thirst for knowledge and a skill for teaching, 18 year old Ito took over his father's school and it flourished.

In the summer of 1853, Ito recieved word that the black ships (the American fleet seeking trade with Japan) had arrived and immediately begged his mother to let him go to Edo; she agreed though his brother begged him not to leave. In Edo, Ito studied the Hokushin Itto-Ryu in Saga-Cho. While there, his teacher fell ill and he married his daughter Ito Ume taking over the dojo in the process.

Ito was gone for several years and during that time his brother had been disowned by both his adoptive parents and their mother as he had indulged in drinking instead of studying. Miki gained weight and when he finally went to Edo to see his brother, Ito did not even recognize him.

In the Shinsengumi
A skilled master of two schools (the Hokushin Itto-Ryu, where Todo Heisuke and Yamanami Keisuke trained, and the Shinto Munen-Ryu), Ito is known as much for his intellect and poetry as for his skill in battle. Immediately after joining the Shinsengumi he falls for Hijikata Toshizo and later Tominaga Sei, much to their hatred.

The Shinsengumi reorganizes with the addition of Ito and the other newly recruited members. Ito is given the new role of councilor and allowed to instruct the members on Japanese poetry and literature. Though at first the members were hardly interested, Ito's charm was able to win over many of them; the solace that Ito brought was understandably enticing when most other aspects were highly disciplined. Of course, not everyone agreed and some refused to take Ito's class.