NHK's program "Heroes' Choices," which focuses on heroes who made decisions that greatly changed history, will broadcast "The Last Samurai: The Mysterious Shinsengumi Member Saito Hajime" on NHK BS from 9:00 pm on March 31st. The program will feature Shinsengumi member Saito Hajime. He was a master swordsman who took over as leader after Kondo Isami was executed by the new government forces, but his life was shrouded in mystery. This program will trace the strange fate of the last samurai.
During the Boshin War, Kondo Isami of the Shinsengumi was captured by the new government forces in Nagareyama (Chiba Prefecture) and executed. Afterwards, Saito Hajime became the leader of the Shinsengumi. Saito Hajime, who led the remaining members of the group, was forced to choose between joining the Aizu clan and fighting against the new government forces, or joining up with Hijikata Toshizo, who was in Hijikata Toshizo at the time with Enomoto Takeaki of the former Shogunate fleet...
This film takes a closer look at the life of Saito Hajime, the last samurai who survived to the age of 72, and whose strange fate has only recently come to light.
