High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Yamanami Keisuke (1833 - March 20, 1865) was a Japanese samurai. He was the General Secretary (Vice Commander) of the Shinsengumi, a special police force in Kyoto during the late Edo period. Though the details of his origin are unclear, he was thought to be the son of a kenjutsu instructor originated from the Sendai domain. Yamanami was trained under Chiba Shusaku Narimasa, the founder of the Hokushin Itto-ryu, and attained Menkyo Kaiden (license of total transmission) sometime before 1860. In 1860, after Yamanami was defeated by Kondo Isami in a match, he was enrolled at the Tennen Rishin Ryu's Shieikan dojo in Edo (which was run by Kondo from 1861.) Yamanami was particularly educated in literary and military arts, with a gentle personality and a kind heart. He was very much admired by the Head Teacher (Jukutou) at the Shieikan, Okita Soujirou (the later Okita Souji), who called him a big brother. In 1863, Yamanami, Kondo and other members of the Shieikan joined the Roshigumi, the military unit being sent to Kyoto by the Tokugawa Shogunate.