Magoshi Saburo (馬越三郎)

Saburo MAGOSHI (around 1848 - around 1887) was a Shinsengumi member who had come from Tokushima Domain in Awano Province. He was one of binan goninshu (five men of beauty).

It is said that he joined Shinsengumi in 1863.

In the funeral ceremony of Kenji NOGUCHI, he served as Tanomikoshibito (who were in charge of requesting burial of the deceased after hara-kiri and/or carrying the body of the deceased after hara-kiri) together with Kanryusai TAKEDA.

"Shinsengumi Story" written by Kan SHIMOZAWA contains the following anecdote. He was in trouble because he was loved by Kanryusai TAKEDA, who was homosexual. He complained it to the vice chief, Toshizo HIJIKATA, and he was allowed to leave the Shinsengumi. Some say, however, that this story was made up by SHIMOZAWA. According to the book, he would often went out smartly dressed when he was off-duty. The book also says that the dimples appeared on both sides of his cheeks when he smiled, and that he laughed and got angry as if he had been a young girl. Even when he visited Mibu around 1887, he looked so youthful that he did not look a day over 27 or 28, according to the book.

[Original Japanese]