After the Hakodate war, SHIMADA regularly prayed to Amitabha for the repose of departed Shinsengumi souls including Isami KONDO, always putting in his bosom the posthumous Buddhist name of Toshizo HIJIKATA, who died in the Hakodate war.
島田は箱館戦争後、近藤勇をはじめ散っていった新選組隊士の菩提を弔うため念仏をかかさず、箱館で戦死した土方歳三の戒名を常に懐に携えていたという。