An adjutant of Shinko-ryū under the command of Isurugi Raijūta, Tsuruzaemon is one of the four swordsmen dispatched to attack Himura Kenshin at the Kamiya dojo with an ultimatum: join their band or die. After breaking down the door, Tsuruzaemon attacks Himura after Toji and Tsukio fail, but is struck down easily despite his large size.