Shishi

The Ishin Shishi(維新志士) were patriots loyal only to the Emperor and anti-shogunate , who helped start the Meiji period in Japanese history and who were at odds with the pro-bakufu forces (also loyal to the Emperor) such as the special police force, the Shinsengumi. Their battle cry was sonno-joi, which stands for "honor the emperor and expel the barbarians". Some were imperialists with little regard for public safety (as seen in their plan to burn down the city of Kyoto which was stopped by the Shinsengumi), who supported a change in government by opposing the current Tokugawa shogunate and instead wanted to put an emperor back on the throne. They were responsible for the death of Ii Naosuke, a powerful bakufu official who dealt (relatively) favorably with European and American traders and had placed an underaged shogun on the "throne". Area code: 595