asagi-iro
The Light-Blue Color of the Shinsengumi’s Haoris. Back in their period, this color is actually very unpopular and anybody that wore it back in Edo would be considered a clown due to another wording, asagi-ura. It’s very unfashionable and geishas from high-class districts would mock samurais wearing this shade of blue as Asagi-Ura, so basically a Backwood Samurai or if we want to be American and 2020 memers, a clown.
The one that asked for this design was Serizawa Kamo, a former Commander of the Shinsengumi.
The stripes are in honor of the Ako-Roshi, or better known as Forty-seven Ronin, a legendary event that happens in 1702. A kabuki play named Chushingura features them.
A short summary of Ako-Roshi ( thanks wiki ), after losing their Master from being charged assault to a court official and committing seppuku, the group of samurais that were in service to their Master, Naganori Asano, waited and planned for one year to avenged their Master’s honor. This story became extremely popular in Japenese Culture to symbolized loyalty, sacrifice, persistence, and honor that people should display in their daily lives. This story became extremely popular during the Meiji Era.
Now while you know that when a samurai is ordered to commit seppuku, they are supposed to wear white, it is the default color. However, the Ako-Roshi wore this shade of blue when they committed seppuku.
Thus this became the Shinsengumi’s default uniform and color when they go out on patrol and became Shinsengumi’s symbol. Though later down in the Shinsengumi’s service, the haori was discarded as it was slowly backfiring on them when they work.
