Kido Takayoshi, according to rumors, was tipped off by his geisha lover Ikumatsu and he spent the next five days in hiding under Nij Bridge along the Kamo River.
He was known as Katsura Kogoro ( ) during the late Tokugawa period. However, there were rumors varied that Katsura was tipped off by his geisha lover Ikumatsu (), that the Shinsengumi were coming for him and wisely chose not show up for the meeting, or that he climbed out the window of the upper floor of the inn during the attack by the Shinsengumi and escaped over the roofs. He spent the next five days in hiding under Nijo Bridge along the Kamo River, posing as a beggar, his lover would brought him riceballs from the shop of the Choshu merchant Imai Taroemon and later aided in his escape. 
