新選組―将軍警護の最後の武士団

by Romulus Hillsborough

Tankobon Hardcover

About the author

Romulus Hillsborough is a leading Western authority on the political upheaval and samurai active in the Meiji Restoration of 19th-century Japan. His fascination with this history has spanned over four decades, including sixteen years living in Japan, where he conducted original research and interviews with descendants of samurai.

He is the author of several acclaimed books, including Ryoma: Life of a Renaissance Samurai, Samurai Revolution, and Samurai Assassins, as well as the forthcoming Samurai Swordsmen: The Definitive History of the Shinsengumi (Helion, 2026). His work has been praised for its narrative style, historical accuracy, and deep cultural insight.

Hillsborough holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Humanities. A longtime practitioner of traditional Japanese martial arts, he has trained in Shotokan karate for over five decades under Tsutomu Ohshima — founder of Shotokan Karate of America and direct student of Gichin Funakoshi, the father of modern karate — bringing a rare, lived connection to the samurai spirit and its enduring legacy.

He also provides historical consulting on Bakumatsu–Meiji Restoration history and related samurai-era topics to authors, editors, publishers, documentarians, producers, screenwriters, translators, and other professionals seeking authoritative guidance.