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Japan

Sakamoto Ryoma

Ryōma 龍馬
Hello everyone,

I'd made my profile mid 2024, and decided to leave because there wasn't much activity. But I've come back in hopes to get some chats here. Does anyone have any past lifetimes where they were in Japan? It's strange, but I just feel as if I need to get things off my chest and speak about my past a bit. I'm usually pretty quiet about sharing but felt the need to post here tonight.
 
Hi Sakamoto Ryoma!

Welcome!
You are free to post your memories here. There will be a lot of people that will read them, even if they don't react.

Personally, I don't have an active memory of a life in Japan.
However, I do have the experience of glimpses of a historical event in Japan. That happened while I was under hypnosis by a regressional therapist (who also happened to be a shaman). I had made the appointment on behalf of my young son (around 8 years old by that time) who had severe problems. The lady didn't want to work with the child without a consultation with me first. She said that the mother-child bond is often so strong, that it was likely that his memories would come through me as well.

And so it happened. In one of the past life memories, my point of view was in ancient Japan. It felt as if the observer (me/my child) was a high ranked female, watching over a crowd of soldiers. They held sticks with flags in the air. White, rectangular flags with symbols or letters on them. It was mostly flags that could be seen but I can still recall one person/soldiers cloths. I don't know if all of them wear the same clothes.
The atmosphere in the air was tense and building up. Like a gathering just before a battle to begin.

The female watcher had no influence over the event, she just watched. She felt extremely sad. Somehow she had been the cause of this coming battle, without wanting it.

By the time of this regression, I was a believer in reincarnation but I was not invested in it like I am today. I never had any regression or memory of my own past. I hadn't known what to expect of a regression or even being under hypnosis. It was completely new to me. The therapist brought me back to three former lives of my child. At this very moment, I can recall two of them and I wonder what the third one was.

If I were to repeat such an experience, I think I would have the skills to navigate through the images and memories. It is not cheap to do such sessions, so it's not something to do just for fun.
At that time (20 years ago), I went back one more time in company of my son. The therapist had a good feeling to invite my son, although it was an exception to her policies. I assume that this confidence came from the information of one other life that came to the surface while I was under hypnosis.
And yes, my son handled it very well and a life changing discovery came up when it was his turn.
 
Hi Sakamoto Ryoma!

Welcome!
You are free to post your memories here. There will be a lot of people that will read them, even if they don't react.

Personally, I don't have an active memory of a life in Japan.
However, I do have the experience of glimpses of a historical event in Japan. That happened while I was under hypnosis by a regressional therapist (who also happened to be a shaman). I had made the appointment on behalf of my young son (around 8 years old by that time) who had severe problems. The lady didn't want to work with the child without a consultation with me first. She said that the mother-child bond is often so strong, that it was likely that his memories would come through me as well.

And so it happened. In one of the past life memories, my point of view was in ancient Japan. It felt as if the observer (me/my child) was a high ranked female, watching over a crowd of soldiers. They held sticks with flags in the air. White, rectangular flags with symbols or letters on them. It was mostly flags that could be seen but I can still recall one person/soldiers cloths. I don't know if all of them wear the same clothes.
The atmosphere in the air was tense and building up. Like a gathering just before a battle to begin.

The female watcher had no influence over the event, she just watched. She felt extremely sad. Somehow she had been the cause of this coming battle, without wanting it.

By the time of this regression, I was a believer in reincarnation but I was not invested in it like I am today. I never had any regression or memory of my own past. I hadn't known what to expect of a regression or even being under hypnosis. It was completely new to me. The therapist brought me back to three former lives of my child. At this very moment, I can recall two of them and I wonder what the third one was.

If I were to repeat such an experience, I think I would have the skills to navigate through the images and memories. It is not cheap to do such sessions, so it's not something to do just for fun.
At that time (20 years ago), I went back one more time in company of my son. The therapist had a good feeling to invite my son, although it was an exception to her policies. I assume that this confidence came from the information of one other life that came to the surface while I was under hypnosis.
And yes, my son handled it very well and a life changing discovery came up when it was his turn.
Hey, thanks for welcoming me.

I actually have two strong lives I am currently recalling from Japan, my time as Ryoma and a time a few centuries before. Japan has always felt like home to me for as long as I could remember.

It's interesting what you saw in your session. I've never had a regression myself, but have seen it seems quite successful for many. Thanks for sharing your experience, it was fascinating to read. Perhaps I'll share mine soon too, there are quite a few so I don't know where to start but I'll find a way. 😂
 
Welcome back!

Didn’t have any past lives in Japan (as far as I know), but I find the country and culture interesting. So I’m here to listen.

I admit, I had to look him up, as I'm not familiar with Japanese history, but Ryoma Sakamoto is really a household name in Japan. I understand staying rather quiet and not opening up about it because of fear of backlash. I can relate to that. Well, you never know, who might come around to post and what, but those people, who are on here for a long time already, are friendly and polite, even then when they’re sceptical sometimes.
(Yes, the forum is very quiet these days, but that's another issue...)
Did you try other communities? Did you have any bad experiences because of the PL you claim?

I can also understand very well you wish to find others who lived during the same times you did or who even knew you in your past life. Same goes for me. But from my experience, when they are not incarnated close to you in this life around, that’s very difficult, like looking for a needle in a haystack. After all, best chances are they do not remember at all or are not incarnated now. But who knows who might read your post in future?

So, would you like to share how your memories began and how you came to the conclusion who you were in your past life? Since when do you remember it? Or if there is anything else you want to talk about instead, feel free.
 
Welcome back!

Didn’t have any past lives in Japan (as far as I know), but I find the country and culture interesting. So I’m here to listen.

I admit, I had to look him up, as I'm not familiar with Japanese history, but Ryoma Sakamoto is really a household name in Japan. I understand staying rather quiet and not opening up about it because of fear of backlash. I can relate to that. Well, you never know, who might come around to post and what, but those people, who are on here for a long time already, are friendly and polite, even then when they’re sceptical sometimes.
(Yes, the forum is very quiet these days, but that's another issue...)
Did you try other communities? Did you have any bad experiences because of the PL you claim?

I can also understand very well you wish to find others who lived during the same times you did or who even knew you in your past life. Same goes for me. But from my experience, when they are not incarnated close to you in this life around, that’s very difficult, like looking for a needle in a haystack. After all, best chances are they do not remember at all or are not incarnated now. But who knows who might read your post in future?

So, would you like to share how your memories began and how you came to the conclusion who you were in your past life? Since when do you remember it? Or if there is anything else you want to talk about instead, feel free.
Thanks for the warm welcome.

Thanks for listening too, I've only recently since late 2023 had Ryoma coming to me. Beforehand, I'd felt drawn to Japan but hadn't had any clear, obvious memories yet.

Yes, I wasn't a person many outside Japan would know, but in Japan it's a different story, entirely. I really fear backlash, and concern about how I'd be perceived because of it. I've not tried other communities, I stay away from Facebook. It's just a combative place about anything so I stay clear. I'm unaware of any other places though.

It feels sort of lonely at times, I have friends I talk to about reincarnation but no one understands me because they didn't live when I did or where I did. They have feelings about it, at most. So I hoped perhaps here, I'd find someone I can connect to even if we didn't know one another.

I'll share what I remember, and when it all took place further in the post, because like you say who knows could read it in the future?
 
Hi. Welcome back indeed. = )

One memory I have of Japan is from an, "awakening" dream in 2008. But it's not impressively detailed. I was in a place that I believe has been called, "in between lives" and taught a few things. I could teleport, and I ended up going to Japan. I went into a business building. I believe I went up to the 42nd floor. I looked out from this building and saw nothing but a massive green ocean. Everything was flooded.

I understand the feeling of isolation. Presently, I am understanding worlds and realities that make it feel as if very few can relate with me. And those that do relate, it's even rarer still to find someone who understands you. You may find someone who had a past life in Japan, but still feel very lonely.

What I can say is, we can count our blessings that we have forums like this as a place to journal and share with like minded individuals. We may not agree with everything, but it is a friendlier climate than most social medias as you've rightly pointed out. Most social medias to me should be called, "Social Programming."

That said, please do chronicle your emotions and discoveries. "Who knows who could read it in the future" could also be a beautiful message for your self. What I am learning is that we are never alone. It's not always easy to see or feel. At times our self interest really clouds that reality. But I am learning it is true. You may find great value in having this public space to share and to come back to as more is revealed. You may even find what your Heart is looking for.

Gentle regards~
CP
 
Hi. Welcome back indeed. = )

One memory I have of Japan is from an, "awakening" dream in 2008. But it's not impressively detailed. I was in a place that I believe has been called, "in between lives" and taught a few things. I could teleport, and I ended up going to Japan. I went into a business building. I believe I went up to the 42nd floor. I looked out from this building and saw nothing but a massive green ocean. Everything was flooded.

I understand the feeling of isolation. Presently, I am understanding worlds and realities that make it feel as if very few can relate with me. And those that do relate, it's even rarer still to find someone who understands you. You may find someone who had a past life in Japan, but still feel very lonely.

What I can say is, we can count our blessings that we have forums like this as a place to journal and share with like minded individuals. We may not agree with everything, but it is a friendlier climate than most social medias as you've rightly pointed out. Most social medias to me should be called, "Social Programming."

That said, please do chronicle your emotions and discoveries. "Who knows who could read it in the future" could also be a beautiful message for your self. What I am learning is that we are never alone. It's not always easy to see or feel. At times our self interest really clouds that reality. But I am learning it is true. You may find great value in having this public space to share and to come back to as more is revealed. You may even find what your Heart is looking for.

Gentle regards~
CP
Thanks for your comments, you've said a lot that made me think. Your memory was fascinating, sort of reminds me of things I've experienced. I've had the in between situations as well. But you're right, who knows what could happen if I post here. I'll do so soon. This forum seems much kinder than other places out there to share, much more. Social media can be a negative place, I prefer the days of old in many ways lol before all of that was heavily around.

Again, thanks for your comments, they've given me a lot to think of.
 
I'll just add memories and such to this thread rather than make a new one. So here it goes, I've got a lot to say so I'll try and condense it.

Some of this may seem lame, but just give me a chance. ;)

The town I live in only just in recent years had its closure of its last video store, it was a place I frequented as a kid, and I often rented video games on weekends. It was my final year of highschool, or my first year out in 2006 or 2007, can't recall for certain, I noticed the game titled, Yakuza. I wanted to try it badly, but sadly I never did. Time went on, sequels came out in the series but I never got my hands on them. Eventually I forgot about the series until 2023.

As someone who is heavily involved in gaming communities, I take notice of a popular game. One that stood out had a crazy character with a mop for hair. I'd later learn this character was Ichiban, but at the time he lured me in and that's all that matters. I saw he was from a series called Yakuza: Like a Dragon. It sent me back to those years of wanting those old games, so I decided to look into them again. A kind friend gifted me $50 on Xbox and I decided to take the plunge after second and triple guessing if I'd like the games or not, and I purchased Like a Dragon Gaiden: the Man Who Erased His Name. I played and became hooked. I decided to purchase other games in the franchise as they were heavily on sale due to a new release. Soon I had all but two of the games, the newest release Infinite Wealth, and Like a Dragon: Ishin!.

Mid March, a sale went on, I saw it was 75% off and I questioned if I should buy it or not, but the game called out to me heavily, way more than the others had. I couldn't explain it, I'd wanted it more than any of the others. I'd skimmed through game play videos, it just felt like I needed it. It took place in old Japan, and I wanted the ability to walk around old Japan. After questioning for a few days, March 22nd rolled around and I decided to purchase it. I didn't realize this purchase was the beginning of something extraordinary.

It may seem confusing where I'm going with this, but this game was one thing that led me to find myself. The series itself, doesn't mean anything to my past lives, except one in particular. Just the inital draw to the games was an unrelated topic that would help me find myself. With that backstory out of the way, I'll carry on to the past life discovery in comments below.

In March 2024, I began getting several signs leading me to who I was in my past life.

I played Like a Dragon: Ishin! on March 23, and the entire time I played I had a weird feeling. The story they were painting felt incredibly familiar to me, yet some things felt wrong. The game showed Ryoma returning from training from Edo, and returning to Tosa. In game he's greeted unfavorably, and thrown into a cell. He's met by his adoptive father, Yoshida, and later meets with his brother Takechi. In time, it's explained there is a plan to rid Tosa of the hierarchy of goshi and joshi. The three plan to clean up Tosa together in the form of a Liberal party that will absolve the class system set between ranks.

During a meeting at the castle in Tosa between Ryoma, Takechi, and Yoshida, an assassin enters and kills Yoshida. The assassination is blamed on Ryoma, and Ryoma then hurries out of the castle to evade being captured. In the process, Takechi becomes wounded, and at a temple the two part ways with Ryoma jumping off a cliff to escape and Takechi staying behind. Ryoma exclaims to want to find justice by seeking out the real murderer, and so ends Chapter One of the game.

I have never read, or even known about the history of Ryoma Sakamoto, nor did I even know he was a real person. When I began playing I didn't know at all. I assumed this game was a complete work of fiction at this point, so as I played I wasn't sure why I was getting the feelings I was getting. It was peculiar. Why was I feeling like the story was wrong? Why was I feeling a sense of déjà vu? Why did I feel so strange when I heard the name Sakamoto Ryoma being spoken? I didn't understand any of my feelings.

As I played, there were things I felt were wrong from the very start. The training in Edo didn't seem incorrect, however something felt off about how it was portrayed. I can't say much about why or how at this point, because I honestly don't know what feels off about it at this point in time. The story of imprisonment, the meeting of Takechi, and Yoshida felt incredibly wrong. I felt like Ryoma was not being involved enough. It showed Ryoma had no knowledge of anything going on, or the planning involved in removing Yoshida, but I feel this was not the case. The meeting at the castle felt incredibly wrong. The shock Ryoma had of knowing Yoshida would die, the assassin, how it was carried out all felt very incorrect. When escaping the castle, admittedly I wasn't paying much attention other than not dying in game, so I lost focus here, however later on things again felt very incorrect. Meeting at the cliff edge, and telling Takechi he should stay and reform the people of Tosa, that he wouldn't die, etc., felt incredibly strange. How Ryoma disappeared, escaping from an accused assassination. It felt off. I feel like something terrible happened around the time of the escape, but I feel like much was left out and not shown, and instead fantasy was filled in.
I felt weird about all of this because how did I know? This game's just all fantasy written for a good video game story? Wasn't it? I didn't yet realize that it was all really based off of a true story, but loosely.
 
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The next day, March 24 I was scrolling through Instagram, and randomly in the search area of the app there was a video showing something all too familiar to me. It was a Torii gate. This gate in particular had been eluding me since October 2023. Months prior to all this I had a dream, a dream in which I stood by a Torii gate. The dream was as follows:

The air was crisp, the breeze was gentle. In the distance I heard the chiming of furin, and small birds chirping. The sky was a beautiful blue, the air was calm. I felt a sense of peace. I looked down to my feet, and noticed I was in full Samurai attire. I looked up, and I looked toward the sky and through the canopy created by the trees. The branches moved gently, the leaves making a gentle sound as the wind blew them. I began walking, I heard moss and branches squish and crunch beneath every step. I approached a Torii gate, and I paused for a moment. The gate appeared as a portal, it looked as if water was within it, a golden, yet white blue glowing and flowing water. I approached slowly, and walked through the gate. As I did, it was as if time stopped. An insect that had been flying, and falling leaves looked as if they were suspended in air. The ones flowing leaves were still, the birds and chimes were no more. Sound itself did not stop, but it sounded as if I was underwater, in a deep cave. As I looked closely, I noticed it wasn't that time stopped altogether, it just became very slow. The light looked different, as if everything was cloaked in a cyan light. I felt a sense of peace I've never felt, as if nothing could ever harm me. I knew in this moment I had died, and I felt at peace with my death, and myself. I felt whole, I felt complete. I felt a peace I've never known, and a happiness that cannot be described with any language I know. Then I woke up.

When I woke up, I began searching for a gate that looked like the one I dreamt of, but to no avail I couldn't find it. There was one I found over the course of a few weeks however, that gave me a strange feeling. I knew it wasn't the gate in my dream, but something about it rang true, perhaps it somehow is similar, I don't yet have the answer. I'm still seeking the gate of my dream even today. Sadly, it may not stand anymore.

As I was on Instagram, a video of this very Torii gate came up, I again was lured in as if it was a sign. I felt like a moth drawn into a flame. My dream came back, washing through my mind and the video had text on it, quoting a Samurai. The quote called to me, like words I have said myself. Indeed, they actually were words I had said before. Many years ago I had written poetry and verses, and one of the pieces I wrote nearly matched what this Samurai had written. I couldn't help but think, does this mean something? I took note of his name, Sakamoto Ryoma. I thought, my game character? What? I hadn't realized he was a real person, I had no clue. This triggered me to search about the game a bit, I saw it was based off of history. Though it had some creative changes placed into the story, it strongly follows the history of Japan and the story of Sakamoto Ryoma.

I was surprised, what did it all mean? I couldn't help but search for the real man himself, and when I saw his image I felt a strange feeling, one I couldn't yet explain. I decided to research a bit of what happened to Ryoma, just his early beginnings and what I saw surprised me.

I read about the series of events that happened in the game to see if what they depicted matched what actually happened, and I was taken aback. My feelings about what was wrong, was correct. I was right, I knew the history of Ryoma in absolute truth.

Yoshida Toyo did not have a solid political base. The former feudal Lord Yamauchi Yodo, who had been backed by Toyo, had fallen from power from the Ansei Purge. He was dissatisfied with the policy of reforming the domain system. Several conservatives among the powerful senior officers were in position. This all was at odds with the Conservatives. This allowed an establishment of a cooperative relationship with the Conservatives. Takechi decided that his course of action needed to be the assassination of Yoshida and to kidnap the young daimyō. Yamauchi Tomono was en route to Edo, and on April 8, 1862 three members of the Tosa Kinnō-tō murdered Toyo before fleeing Tosa. Takechi took action to seize the Tosa government. Yamauchi Yodo began searching for assassins of Yoshida, and arrested three members of the Kinno-to, who all confessed to the crime under interrogation. Takechi refused suggestions that he should leave Tosa, and continued to offer unsolicited political advice to Yamauchi. In September, Takechi and the other Kinno-to members were arrested, lower ranks tortured. Takechi himself was not initially harmed and denied involvement in the murder.

Like I had thought, the game showed the story completely incorrect. I knew the story felt odd by making Toyo be “Pops” to Takechi and Ryoma, he was not a father figure, and the arrest and everything was dismissed. Takechi also being a brother to Ryoma was incorrect, and they didn't know one another since childhood as it was depicted. I felt they met in later years, and I was absolutely correct. Takechi would have been 26 or 27 when he met Ryoma, and Ryoma would have been 19 or 20 years old. The fake family story of the game set off red flags to me and I knew it was incorrect.
 
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As I continued to play the game, it showed a depressive Ryoma one year later, who was now living in Kyo. The game was still feeling off, so I wanted to check if what I was feeling, again, was true. Upon searching I discovered the following: In September of the following year, there was an uprising of Samurai who were sympathetic to Takechi. They rounded the Kinno-to members and supporters and carried strong. On July 3, 1865 the four leaders of the Kinno-to were sentenced to death by decapitation, and Takechi was ordered to commit Seppuku by Yamauchi Yodo. He had been imprisoned for 1 year and 8 months. The game showed him free, and I knew this wasn't true.

With Takechi dying, the Tosa Kinno-to was destroyed. Some survivors, including Nakaoka Shintarō left the domain becoming a ronin and continued to engage in anti-shogunate activities. Later, Nakaoka mediated and Tosa eventually joined the anti-shogunate alliance and Goto Shojiro, a domain official who led the suppression of the Kinno-to to eventually become a political advisor working with Sakamoto Ryoma for the restoration of Imperial Rule. Takechi received posthumous pardons In 1877, and was promoted to Senior Fourth Court rank by the Imperial Court in 1891.

Again, I knew this whole story was fabricated with Takechi being my brother, and the huge involvement the two had in one another was false. I knew Takechi nearly disappeared from my life, and with imprisonment and death it certainly was the case.

In terms with Ryoma, and what I felt was wrong there, well I certainly again was very correct. I felt the Loyalist Party, the Kinnoto, was built to serve and revere the Emperor. I also felt it was built to cleanse Japan of outsiders, it truly was just this. The political slogan was “Revere the emperor, expel the barbarians” and it consisted of around 2000 samurai, mostly ones of lower rank. The group wasn't recognized and planned to assassinate Toyo.

Ryoma participated in the plot himself, without really supporting it. So again, I was correct. I knew Ryoma’s utter unknowing of the death of Toyo was wrong, because in fact I knew about it. I also was not close to him as it's painted, he was not an adoptive father. I knew every detail was wrong, and what I felt in my heart and gut happened, truly did. Takechi asked for a revolution only for the Tosa clan, and Ryoma thought the acts would be for all of Japan rather than Tosa alone.

For this reason, Ryoma decided to leave Tosa, and part with Takechi. This was a criminal act however, because in those days one was not allowed to leave their clan without permission, and if committed you will meet death.

Somehow, I knew about this man's life, but how? I even knew the true actions and reasons for leaving Tosa. What did it all mean? The thought crossed my mind, was I the reincarnation of Ryoma Sakamoto?

At this time I honestly didn't know what to think. I didn't know if it was all coincidence or what. But I'm not one to grab onto a person or figure like this. I felt it all had to mean something.

Still on March 24, I pondered and pondered all day. Could I be the reincarnation of Ryoma? How else could I have known all this? I kept thinking about it a good part of the day.

I took everything in, and thought, I really think this was me. I looked at the dates Ryoma lived and saw it collided with another past life I thought I'd lived that took place around the same time, so I began to doubt myself. I wondered though, maybe Ryoma wasn't the life that was incorrect. That feeling felt good, and felt right. I thought over everything I remembered from the other lifetime, and saw how grey it felt in comparison, and decided at that moment I was not the person I once believed I was. Instead, maybe I really was Ryoma Sakamoto.

I let the thought sit in deep, and in a way I came to an acceptance of the possibility fairly quickly. I of course had doubts, and made sure I considered all possibilities but left the idea open.

Once I left this idea open for myself, dreams started coming to me nearly every night and signs came my way daily. This also made me remember dreams that I had years ago, even from my childhood. Sadly I passed them off at the time, and because of this, who knows visions and memories I've at least temporarily lost from not recording them in the past. All I can hope for is they'll one day come back to me.
 
I've forced myself to not read too much, all I've read are things to confirm my thoughts and feelings when playing Ishin. I was able to see what i think and feel is correct, when the game is not. I even skimmed through a movie featuring Ryoma's story and life, and since there are no subtitles I've decided to not watch the movie yet in full. My Japanese is not good enough to watch a full film without them. (I'm learning because I want to move to Japan)

I however went to the end of the film to see how Ryoma is shown to die, and I knew it was wrong. It was depicted being done early in the day in full light, and there was a large sword battle to the death. I knew this wasn't right, I just knew. Truth is, Ryoma died much differently and how he truly died matches how I know it happened based on resurfaced memories. I remember it being night, and I was with someone close to me.

We were in a room, resting and having some sort of discussion that I can't recall. There was some sort of disruption outside our room, and men came in and unexpectedly, I was attacked. It all felt erratic, I remember hearing something shatter, and it being dark. I don't recall any sort of battle, just a feeling of unexpected fear and shock. I remember a heavy impact, and just complete shock. I recall lying on the floor, bleeding out, and feelings of regret and dishonor heavily flowed in. I felt shame in how I died, unprepared and not being able to fight back. I felt shameful, and dishonorable.

I felt the day was a marked day for me for some reason, a major event besides just my death for that day. I just couldn't put my finger on why.

What actually happened that night? Sakamoto was assassinated at the Omiya Inn in Kyoto, on December 10, 1867 at the age of 31. At night assassins gathered at the door of the Inn, one approached and knocked acting like an ordinary caller. The door was answered by the bodyguard and servant of Sakamoto, Yamada Tokichi. He told the stranger he would check and see if Ryoma was accepting calls at that hour, and as he turned his back the visitor fatally slashed his back. The assassins rushed past Yamada, up the stairs and into the guests’ rooms. Sakamoto and his associate Nakaoka Shintarō were resting and talking in a room. Hearing the ruckus on the floor below, Ryoma opened his door to yell at Yamada, thinking he was wrestling with a friend and assassins charged into the room. Paper doors were torn, lamps were knocked over and the whole room went dark. Sakamoto and Shintaro were lying badly wounded, and the assassins fled. Ryoma dies that night, regretting his last words that the assassins caught him unprepared. According to the traditional lunar calendar, Sakamoto was born on the 15th day of the 11th month, and killed on his birthday in 1867. My memory matches the true events.

Some strange feelings came from this, even an explanation for a nonsensical fear I've had my entire life, that I'd die on my birthday. In my youth, around 10 years old, my dog of 13 years died on her birthday. I could never understand, but it bothered me. I had this weird Irrational fear that the same fate would meet me one day.

The fear carried on my whole life, and sadly re-emerged in 2022 for a much more terrible reason than before. My mother died February 24, 2022. It's a day I'll never forget, she was in ICU for a few weeks, and I believe for myself and the rest of my family they held off letting her go for one day, because the day prior was her birthday. They knew she was going to die, most likely before the 23rd, but kept her alive until after her birthday. We celebrated the only way we could during COVID, during a video conference call. She was not awake, and she already looked gone. I knew when I saw her, the birthday wishes wouldn't be heard. The doctors out of kindness allowed her one more day, I think for all of us. Looking back now, I see it that she truly died on her birthday, just as I always fear for myself. Perhaps though this fear was simply due to the fact it happened to me once before, in a past life. I'm just sad my dear mother met that sort of fate as well.

Other strange happenings gave me signs, bringing focus to Ryoma yet again. Another game I've wanted since February 2023, Rise of the Ronin also unknowingly features Sakamoto Ryoma. I didn't know until just recently however, after all these other findings. I saw a post in a gaming community talking about saving Ryoma, and it piqued my interest. It was yet another thing all bringing me back to Ryoma. I decided to look up information on the game itself, and there it verified Ryoma’s presence, and I also noticed the name of the sword matched the one in Ishin, Yoshiyuki. This intrigued me a bit because that name stood out to me when I first saw it a few months prior. An actor I recently began to follow, Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi, had that same name as the sword. I didn't know why his name stood out when I first saw it, but I later came to understand that the name of Ryoma’s sword was Yoshiyuki. Maybe that was why.

All sorts of peculiar signs, or things that keep directing me back to Ryoma had me thinking, there must be something here, but I didn't truly accept my past, not yet. For me I need much more solid proof, and for that I needed more memories before I felt I could truly say I was Ryoma in my past. Soon, these memories came. Everything I've written here actually is from notes I wrote last year and I'm recording it here as well. Since then I've had a lot more experiences and memories I've yet to record, in time I'll share them here. I'll stop for now, I wrote a lot. 😅
 
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I'm not sure how much more I'll continue to post here, I'm still going by old things I typed up last year. But here's a bit for now.

After feeling that it was possible that I was Ryoma, I began having memories spark up as I slept. The first one I had I saw a Caucasian man that really reminded me of what you think to be a Cowboy. He was a gunslinger type of man, and what you expect when you think of old Western films. He was a handsome man, and quite the flirt with many women. He was also very sure of himself. Some women seemed very interested in him for multiple reasons. One reason was out of curiosity, even if the woman wouldn't truly be with him, she had intrigue in him. There also seemed to be some women that liked the idea he was a foreigner, and being with him would be taboo. The rush of it all seemed enticing. However, some for that reason also ignored his advances. Other people in general, didn't even interact with him because he was a foreigner and saw him as a barbarian. They even looked down upon him for his appearance, and felt nervous around him. Me, myself I didn't even know what to think of him. I took note that he was involved in some sort of illegal activity, but I wasn't sure what so I kept my distance. He seemed like some sort or arms dealer or something of the sort. Unfortunately, I woke up and this memory ended. I could tell in the dream I was in Japan, based on my surroundings, the architecture and the people, and the man I was observing was American.

A few nights later, I had another dream and had some memories come to me as I slept again. This dream I saw another Caucasian man, this one was different than the last. I think perhaps this dream actually took place sometime prior to the one I had earlier. I think he was one of the first foreigners I got closer to, and I found myself being somewhat rude accidentally. I was really staring at the poor man as we spoke, really looking at how his features differed from my own. We would often talk, and I felt he was a person that could talk, and talk, and talk. His Japanese was interesting, I could tell it wasn't his first language although he spoke well. I wondered who this man was, so I tried searching for a while, for some possibilities of who he could be, and eventually came across Ernest Satow. This man looked exactly like who I'd dreamt of.

In another memory, I was walking indoors. I had no shoes on, and was in a Tatami room. I sat for some tea and was gazing out a window. It was around sunset, and I felt quite tired. After I finished my tea, I laid down and fell asleep. I feel like I was asleep for what seemed like less than an hour, and awoke to my door sliding open. A woman came in, and she closed the door as she entered. She came over quietly to me. By now it was night, I could only see her with a small amount of light from outside. I felt I barely knew this woman at all, so was confused by her entry. I don't know what happened afterwards, but when I woke up, she was gone.

On April 25th 2024, I had the most clear evidence for myself to have been Ryoma. In meditation I sought out the answers, of knowing if I was indeed Ryoma Sakamoto. As I meditated, I saw my feet, and I was wearing Waraji. (I saw footwear I had on and wanted to research what I saw - after some time I fouund waraji matched my vision) The hall I was walking through had wooden floors, I'm uncertain why or what I was doing there. Everything zoomed quickly, almost as if the vision was on fast forward. I could barely see anything because of this, but I knew I was running through tall grass, and trees through a forest. I was unable to hear anything except the sound of my feet hitting the ground and brushing through grass and trees. I also saw blurs running through what appeared to be a bamboo forest. Then I couldn't see anything, and all I heard was my breathing. I was breathing hard from running for so long. My thoughts then ran through my mind, and I was thinking that I had to keep running. My thoughts weren't in English however, they were in Japanese. I forget most of what I heard, however clearly remember hearing the word ‘hashiru’ ( 走る) I wasn't aware at the time, but this word means to run in Japanese.

At first I didn't think what I saw answered any questions, but I didn't know how wrong I was. It suddenly clicked for me that what I saw was very pivotal. I saw my escape from Tosa. When I committed Dappan, leaving Tosa, that was a criminal offense. One I could've been killed for committing such a crime. Upon reading about the event, I saw that I had run away, deep into the mountains and woods. "Sakamoto decided to separate from Takechi and leave Tosa without authorization. In those days, no one in Japan was permitted to leave their clan without permission under the penalty of death, known as dappan." In history, this took place in March, which intrigued me since I have been remembering my life heavily since March 2024. As I had mentioned, I was wearing waraji, and I knew I'd seen bamboo during my escape.

I attached images of the exact location I would have traveled. It also matched what I did see. 1000066375.jpg1000073021.jpg1000072417.jpg1000072415.jpg
 
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The next bit I'll talk about, are of some old memories that resurfaced to me last year because of new ones coming in.

Remembering new memories and coming to terms with this new life surfacing made me realize I had remembered a lot from this life all along. At the young age of 4, I had memories surface from a past life. I had remembered a past life where I was murdered. It was so intense, it caused me to have nightmares for months, and it always stayed with me. It was extremely vivid, but that was from another time separate from Ryoma. However, I bring this up because I believe the similarity in death of this life triggered memories of my death as Ryoma as well. I hadn't realized all these years prior, but now I can see it. Alongside my other lifetime's death, I saw a death that mirrors the one I described above. Since they're so similar I got confused about them and wondered why I saw myself die in two different ways. I noticed how they were similar but there also were major differences. One was somewhere that appeared like the Middle East or Western Asia, whereas the other seemed like Japan. It is only now after discovering my past as Ryoma that I'm able to understand this all and see I was seeing my deaths from two separate times.

Aside from the memory of dying, I also look back now and remember I had several dreams where I was a Samurai. I would be training, and fighting in a traditional style for the time. The dreams were always short, but I never forgot them.

I have other basic memories of walking through Japan, and I would always be intrigued because I saw Japan much different than it is now. There were no bright lights, nothing of what we know Japan to be today. I saw old cities, old towns, I was in Japan before modern times. Some memories place me walking through city streets, others fishing, and some sitting beneath a cherry blossom tree in meditation. Some of these memories are so small, and appear almost like a flight of ideas, but they've stuck with me throughout my life. I just always assumed they were fantasy, and just mere daydreams of myself wishing to be in a place that is a dream home to me. All in all, Japan is a place I would love to call home one day so it wouldn't be a far stretch, but now I know Japan calls home to me for a deeper reason. I know now, that I have been for years now seeing flashes of my past life in Japan.

With old memories resurfacing, and being remembered, I now look forward to the new memories springing forth for me to learn more and more about myself each and every day that passes. Our past, after all, can certainly shape us and who we are as individuals. I've learned already, that every action, even in a past life shapes us all more than we sometimes realize.

I'll leave it at this for now, I feel like I'm just rambling. I perhaps will share more soon.
 
I can add this bit for now, still old writings from last year. I havent written new memories down and experiences for a few months. Kinda mad at myself for that, but I'll write it all up in time. I did record dreams as they happened, luckily.

Anyway, in my experience, a common question always comes to pass when you encounter a past life where photos of a past self are present, and that is, can I see myself in this person? While understanding that physical appearance doesn't really matter when it comes to reincarnation, I have found it fascinating when the likeness is very clear. I believe in my case, this is seen. For privacy reasons, I don't feel comfortable sharing it here however.

But, I didn't think to compare myself now to then at first, until I saw a particular photo of Ryoma. As I was looking at it, it was as if the photo came to life. I saw the eyes move, and then could imagine what it was like if they were my eyes looking back at me. I then could see it all as if it were my own face, looking up, down and all around. I knew what my hair felt like, looked like. What it looked like to see that face as a reflection. I could look down, and see my body, and know what it felt like to bring my hand up and touch my face. I've never felt this way when looking at a photo of someone, other than myself. I had a complete sense of self when looking at this photo, it was me. As I stared at this photo, it was as if I was looking into a mirror and it triggered a lot of micro memories on the spot. Being able to see myself was a final little addition that proved my past identity to myself. It gave me a full recognition of myself from the past, and seeing this gave me an acceptance of sorts. Doing so, seemed to allow more memories to flow in as well.
 
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