Kondō Isami (近藤 勇, November 9, 1834 – May 17, 1868) was a Japanese swordsman and samurai of the late Edo period.

[6] His renown as a scholar and his fame at having defeated a group of thieves who tried to break into his family home was great, and caught the attention of Kondō Shūsuke, the third generation master of the Tennen Rishin-ryū.

[17] In 1863, the Tokugawa shogunate organized a massive group of rōnin for the purpose of protecting the shōgun Iemochi during his time in Kyoto.

[18] Kondō joined the unit, which became known as the Rōshigumi, with his close friend Hijikata Toshizō, as well as Shieikan's members and guests Yamanami Keisuke, Okita Sōji, Harada Sanosuke, Nagakura Shinpachi, Tōdō Heisuke, and Inoue Genzaburō.

[19] After the de facto commander Kiyokawa Hachirō revealed their true purpose as being Imperial supporters, the Rōshigumi was disbanded and most of the members returned to Edo.

Kondō, Hijikata, former Mito retainer Serizawa Kamo, and a handful of others remained in Kyoto and formed the Mibu Rōshigumi.

There he met with the military commander Katsu Kaishū and was promoted to the rank of wakadoshiyori (wakadoshiyori-kaku 若年寄格) in the rapidly disintegrating Tokugawa administration.

[27] Kondō created a new unit, Kōyō Chinbutai (甲陽鎮撫隊, Pacification Corps), based on the surviving remnants of the Shinsengumi and led them under the alias of Okubo Tsuyoshi.

On March 29, 1868, Kondō and his unit were attacked by the Imperial forces at the Battle of Kōshū-Katsunuma, holding out for about two hours but ultimately losing.

The Vice-chief of Staff Arima Tota of Satsuma Domain suspected that "Okubo Yamato" was Kondō himself, and ordered him brought back to the Imperial forces camp at Koshigaya.

The following day, April 28, a messenger arrived at Itabashi with a letter seemingly written by Katsu requesting that Kondō's life be spared.

Three days later on May 20, 1868, Kondō's body was claimed by his nephew to be taken back to Osawa, Edo to be buried, while his head was salted and moved to Kyoto, where it was displayed on a pike on Sanjō Ōhashi.

While on display on the bridge, Kondō's head was taken away by Saitō Hajime, who would later ask the priest Sonku Giten to hold a memorial service for him.

[30] Hijikata, was convalescing nearby from an injury sustained at the Battle of Utsunomiya, brought Kondō's hair there and was said to have personally supervised the preparation and construction of the site.

[30] Another grave site is located at Ryugenji Temple in Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo where his body was brought by his nephew and buried with his family.

[31] Kondō Isami is often depicted in fiction, across different media, including television, film, books, anime, and manga.