<p>Gintama's setting is mix of fictional inter-galactic universe (which might be depicting foreigner coming to Japan during that era) referencing to actual Japan historical era specifically Bakumatsu period.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In 1876, samurai were banned from carrying swords. A standing army was
  created, as was a police force. This "sword hunt" was performed for,
  ostensibly, different reasons, and certainly with different methods
  than those of several centuries earlier. Ironically, perhaps, this
  sword hunt put an end to the class system while the earlier ones were
  intended to deepen the distinctions between commoners and nobles.
  Ultimately, however, the result of this sword hunt was the same as the
  results of its predecessors; the hunt ensured that the only weapons
  were in the hands of the ruling government and not available to
  potential dissenters. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_hunt" rel="noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_hunt</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>During this time Shinsengumi is the special police force that are there to protect the government. So it's just the same as now where the military and police may carry gun but commoners will need certificate to be able to carry gun legally. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-13T06:52:17.147Z
2017-07-13T06:52:17.147Z
Windalfin
<p>The beginning of Gintama clearly mentions various times the sword ban but the Shinsengumi are constantly carrying around swords. Why is that allowed?</p>

<gintama>
In Gintama, why are the Shinsengumi allowed to have swords?
# In Gintama, why are the Shinsengumi allowed to have swords?
Posted by: username_0 on 2017-07-12
The beginning of Gintama clearly mentions various times the sword ban but the Shinsengumi are constantly carrying around swords. Why is that allowed?
**Tags:** gintama
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## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2017-07-13. Score: 6 | Accepted answer
Gintama's setting is mix of fictional inter-galactic universe (which might be depicting foreigner coming to Japan during that era) referencing to actual Japan historical era specifically Bakumatsu period.

> In 1876, samurai were banned from carrying swords. A standing army was
> created, as was a police force. This "sword hunt" was performed for,
> ostensibly, different reasons, and certainly with different methods
> than those of several centuries earlier. Ironically, perhaps, this
> sword hunt put an end to the class system while the earlier ones were
> intended to deepen the distinctions between commoners and nobles.
> Ultimately, however, the result of this sword hunt was the same as the
> results of its predecessors; the hunt ensured that the only weapons
> were in the hands of the ruling government and not available to
> potential dissenters. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_hunt>

During this time Shinsengumi is the special police force that are there to protect the government. So it's just the same as now where the military and police may carry gun but commoners will need certificate to be able to carry gun legally.
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