He was formerly classified by the game as a tachi until July 2015. Both he and Horikawa Kunihiro are personifications of swords that belonged to Hijikata Toshizou of the Shinsengumi. He was asked to be made after the Shinsengumi started to become well known, and Hijikata thus sought after a swordsmith from the Kanesada school, requesting that his new sword be similar to his wakizashi (Horikawa). This is likely the reason why Izumi-no-kami and Horikawa have the same hair and eye color. He is still around today, located in the Hijikata Toshizou Museum in his hometown of Hino, Tokyo.
Despite looking like an adult, he is technically the youngest character in the game, being the most recently forged sword as he was made in 1867. Because of this, he often comes across as reckless and a bit overconfident, which is why Horikawa often has to assist him or reign him in. Much of his personality is also inspired by the real-life Hijikata.
