Kawakami Gensai

Kawakami Gensai
Native name
河上 彦斎
Birth nameKomori Genjiro (小森 彦次郎)
Other name(s)Kouda Genbei (高田 源兵衛)
Nickname(s)Hitokiri
Born(1834-12-25)25 December 1834
Kumamoto, Higo Province, Japan
Died13 January 1872(1872-01-13) (aged 37)
Kodemmachōin, Nihombashi, Tokyo, Japan
Buried
AllegianceIshin Shishi (former)
Chōshū Domain (former)
Kumamoto Domain
UnitKiheitai (former)
Battles / warsFirst Chōshū expedition
Second Chōshū expedition
Spouse(s)
(m. 1861⁠–⁠1872)
ChildrenKawakami Gentarō (son)
RelationsKomori Sadasuke (father)
Waka (mother)
Kawakami Genbei (adoptive father)
Komori Hanzaemon (brother)
Kawakami Toshiharu (grandson)
Other workmilitary official, sword trainer, former assassin

Kawakami Gensai (河上 彦斎, 25 December 1834 – 13 January 1872) was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period. A highly skilled swordsman, he was one of the four most notable assassins of the Bakumatsu period. Gensai's high-speed sword discipline allowed him to assassinate targets in broad daylight.