Rise of the Rōnin Guide | How to Unlock Toshizo Hijikata as Ally

A guide on how to unlock Toshizo Hijikata as Ally in Rise of the Rōnin.

Game Guide by Groot on Aug 17, 2025

Toshizo Hijikata becomes available alongside Isami Kondo through the same story mission and represents another key member of the Shinsengumi leadership in Rise of the Rōnin. His recruitment demonstrates the group recruitment mechanics where multiple related allies become available simultaneously.

Rise of the Rōnin, Rise of the Rōnin Guide, How to Unlock Toshizo Hijikata as Ally, PS5, Gameplay, Screenshot, NoobFeed

Hijikata offers panic state enhancement that creates synergistic effects with other Shinsengumi allies.

How to Unlock Toshizo Hijikata

To unlock Toshizo Hijikata as your ally, you must complete the ronin mission "The Shogun's Journey to Kyoto." This mission provides access to multiple Shinsengumi members simultaneously, reflecting their shared organizational loyalty and mutual decision to join your cause.

The "The Shogun's Journey to Kyoto" mission represents a major narrative milestone that advances the story into its later phases. The mission involves traveling to Kyoto and encountering the political and military complexities of the ancient capital.

Rise of the Rōnin, Rise of the Rōnin Guide, How to Unlock Toshizo Hijikata as Ally, PS5, Gameplay, Screenshot, NoobFeed

During this mission, you will interact with the Shinsengumi organization and witness their role in maintaining order during turbulent political times. The mission explores the relationships between different Shinsengumi members and their shared commitment to their cause.

There are different fights, government talks, and story scenes in the task that must be finished successfully. These tasks will test your skills and help you get to know the Shinsengumi leadership.

Successfully completing all objectives within "The Shogun's Journey to Kyoto" mission will make Hijikata available as a permanent ally, along with Kondo and other Shinsengumi members who recognize your capabilities and choose to support your mission.

Combat Abilities and Equipment

As his main weapon, Toshizo Hijikata only uses a paired sword. He is an expert at the dual-blade skills that this type of sword allows. His skill with a linked sword gives him unique benefits in battle, such as the ability to quickly hit and defend.

He has no secondary weapon, focusing entirely on maximizing his effectiveness with paired swords and developing mastery over the complex techniques available to this weapon specialization.

Rise of the Rōnin, Rise of the Rōnin Guide, How to Unlock Toshizo Hijikata as Ally, PS5, Gameplay, Screenshot, NoobFeed

His blessing ability creates synergistic effects when combined with Isami Kondo's blessing. Hijikata's blessing increases how long enemies remain in their panic state after being affected by fear or confusion effects during combat.

The extended panic duration creates tactical opportunities for critical hits, which receive damage bonuses from Kondo's blessing when both allies accompany you on missions, demonstrating the coordinated combat effectiveness of Shinsengumi leadership.

Bond Level Rewards and Combat Training

When you reach maximum bond level with Toshizo Hijikata, he provides specialized training in paired sword combat techniques. He teaches you the Tennen Ryu combat style for your paired sword, which comes from the Te skill tree and represents historical Shinsengumi fighting methods.

The Tennen Ryu fighting style uses different attacking and defensive moves that focus on the special qualities of a paired sword, like quick hits and defensive combos that can't be done with a single sword.

Rise of the Rōnin, Rise of the Rōnin Guide, How to Unlock Toshizo Hijikata as Ally, PS5, Gameplay, Screenshot, NoobFeed

At maximum bond level, Hijikata grants you two dexterity skill points, which can be invested in the dexterity skill tree to enhance agility, accuracy, speed-based combat abilities, and reaction times during various gameplay situations.

Hijikata is useful for players who like fast-paced fighting styles that focus on accuracy and speed because it extends the panic state, teaches historical combat, improves paired sword skills, and gives dexterity skill point awards.

Rise of the Rōnin, Rise of the Rōnin Guide, How to Unlock Toshizo Hijikata as Ally, PS5, Gameplay, Screenshot, NoobFeed

When combined with Kondo, his blessing is especially powerful because the longer panic states make it easier for critical hits, which results in multiplicative damage bonuses that are similar to how the Shinsengumi actually worked together when they were in Kyoto in the past.

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