At a young age, he was known as the 'Corpse-Eating Demon,' surviving alone by scavenging food from the bodies of the fallen. It is said his name was given to him by someone who saw the color of his hair. One day, Yoshida Shouyo heard rumors of such a child and sought him out. Shouyo remarked, "I heard you were a corpse-eating demon, but I didn't expect such a cute one," and tossed Gintoki his sword, scabbard and all. He told him, "If you want to know how to use that sword, follow me." Gintoki accepted, accompanying Shouyo and receiving many teachings. While skipping class at the private school to nap in a tree, he happened to meet Katsura Kotaro and Takasugi Shinsuke, eventually getting caught and dragged away by Shouyo. Shortly after, Shinsuke and Katsura took an interest in Shouyo and began visiting the school daily under the pretext of challenging the dojo, marking the beginning of their bond. Initially, when Shinsuke challenged Gintoki, the gap in their skills was so vast that Gintoki won every match. However, as Shinsuke's abilities grew, the three—Katsura, Shinsuke, and Gintoki—honed their skills through rotating 1v1 matches or three-way duels under their master's guidance. Their life at the wandering school continued in this way. Tragedy struck when Shoka Sonjuku was burned to ashes by unknown forces. Gintoki was helplessly captured by mysterious enemies. After hearing a final request from Shouyo as he was being arrested and led away, Gintoki let out a desperate scream. From that point on, he joined the Joui War alongside his friends Katsura and Shinsuke to rescue their master, standing against the Bakufu. About ten years prior to the current setting, during the Kansei Purge, he fought as a Joui patriot in his mid-to-late teens, defeating Amanto with incredible swordsmanship. He became a figure of fear for both enemies and allies alike, earning the nickname 'Shiroyasha' (White Demon). Alongside his friends Katsura, Shinsuke, and later Sakamoto Tatsuma, the four of them scoured the battlefields, becoming famous as the legendary four and the last samurai.