Santōka Taneda

Santōka Taneda (種田 山頭火) is the director of the Special Ability Department.

Appearance
Taneda is a middle-aged man, bald and with green eyes. He wears a pair of glasses and he is always seen wearing a kimono under a black haori (a traditional Japanese thigh-length kimono-style jacket, commonly worn by men).

Personality
Not much is known about his personality. According to Fukuzawa, Taneda has "a ridiculous personality, a strange man in terms of a normal person."

Ability
His ability Hail in the Begging Bowl (鉄鉢の中へも,) allows him to see through the nature of someone's ability immediately if activated near him.

Background
Not much is known about his past. It's hinted that he helped on the creation of the Armed Detective Agency and was also the one who helped Osamu Dazai to find a job in the Agency after he left the Port Mafia.

Dark Era Arc
Together with Ōgai Mori, he is called for a meeting by Ango Sakaguchi at a ship near Yokohama Bay. After the meeting, he gives Ōgai Mori a gifted business permit.

Decay of Angels Arc
While Ranpo Edogawa was searching for a lead to find the Decay of Angels, he finds Taneda injured in a building. Taneda was attacked by one of the three unknown members from the Decay of Angels, who has the ability to exchange the information they most wish to know for the information their enemy most wishes to know. Consequently, the Angels stole a page from the book in exchange for what their goal is.

Appearances
{{Appearance
 * Chapters =

Cannibalism Arc

 * Chapter 50 - Mutual Destruction, Part 4 (cameo)

Decay of Angels Arc

 * Chapter 58 - Sunday Tragedy, Part 2
 * Chapter 59 - Dogs Hunt Dogs, Part 1
 * Chapter 64 - You and I are Children of Sin
 * Chapter 70 - Record of a Jailbreak, Part 2 (mentioned)
 * Chapter 74 - Skyfall, Part 1 (flashback)
 * Chapter 76 - Skyfall, Part 3 (flashback)
 * Episodes=

Dark Era Arc
}}
 * Episode 16 - Bungo Stray Dogs

Trivia

 * It's very possible that he was Sōseki Natsume's pupil as well.
 * Fukuzawa refers to him as "Taneda-sensei".