Miyamoto Musashi ( 宮本 武蔵, 1584 – 13 June 1645 ), [ 1 ] besides known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, [ 2 ] was a japanese fencer, philosopher, strategist, writer and rōnin. Musashi, as he was much simply known, became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 61 duels ( following is 33 by Itō Ittōsai ). He is considered a Kensei, a sword-saint of Japan. [ 3 ] He was the founder of the Niten Ichi-ryū, or Nito Ichi-ryū, style of swordsmanship, and in his final examination years authored The Book of Five Rings ( 五輪の書, Go Rin No Sho ) and Dokkōdō ( The Path of Aloneness ). Both documents were given to Terao Magonojō, the most crucial of Musashi ‘s students, seven days before Musashi ‘s death. The Book of Five Rings deals primarily with the character of his Niten Ichi-ryū school in a concrete feel, i.e., his own hardheaded soldierly art and its generic significance ; The Path of Aloneness, on the other hand, deals with the ideas that lie behind it, a well as his life ‘s philosophy in a few light axiomatic sentences. The Miyamoto Musashi Budokan train center, located in Ōhara-chō ( Mimasaka ), Okayama prefecture, Japan was erected to honor his name and legend .
biography [edit ]
parturition [edit ]
The details of Miyamoto Musashi ‘s early life sentence are difficult to verify. Musashi himself simply states in The Book of Five Rings that he was born in Harima Province. [ 5 ] Niten Ki ( an early biography of Musashi ) supports the theory that Musashi was born in 1584 : “ [ He ] was born in Banshū, in Tenshō 12 [ 1584 ], the class of the Monkey. ” [ 6 ] The historian Kamiko Tadashi, commenting on Musashi ‘s text, notes : “ Munisai was Musashi ‘s father … he lived in Miyamoto greenwich village, in the Yoshino zone [ of Mimasaka Province ]. Musashi was most credibly born here. ” [ 7 ]
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Musashi gives his fully name and title in The Book of Five Rings as Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu ( 新免武蔵守藤原玄信 ). [ 8 ] His beget, Shinmen Munisai ( 新免無二斎 ) was an accomplished warlike artist and dominate of the sword and jutte ( besides jitte ). [ 7 ] Munisai, in bend, was the son of Hirata Shōgen ( 平田将監 ), a vassal of Shinmen Iga no Kami, the overlord of Takayama Castle in the Yoshino district of Mimasaka Province. [ 9 ] Hirata was relied upon by Lord Shinmen and so was allowed to use the Shinmen name. As for “ Musashi ”, Musashi no Kami was a court style, making him the nominative governor of Musashi Province. “ Fujiwara “ was the linage from which Musashi claimed descent. [ 10 ]
Upbringing [edit ]
Musashi contracted eczema in his infancy, and this adversely affected his appearance. [ 11 ] Another history claims that he never took a bath because he did not want to be surprised unarmed. [ 12 ]
first duel [edit ]
I have trained in the manner of scheme since my youth, and at the historic period of thirteen I fought a duel for the first base time. My adversary was called Arima Kihei, a sword adept of the Shinto ryū, and I defeated him. At the age of sixteen I defeated a powerful adept by the name of Tadashima Akiyama, who came from Tajima Province. At the long time of blackjack I went up to Kyōtō and contend duels with several adepts of the sword from celebrated schools, but I never lost .Miyamoto Musashi, Go Rin No Sho
According to the presentation of The Book of Five Rings, Musashi states that his first successful duel was at the long time of 13, against a samurai named Arima Kihei who fought using the Kashima Shintō-ryū style, founded by Tsukahara Bokuden ( bacillus. 1489, d. 1571 ). The chief generator of the duel is the Hyoho senshi denki ( “ Anecdotes about the asleep Master ” ). Summarized, its history goes as follows :
In 1596, Musashi was 13, and Arima Kihei, who was traveling to hone his art, posted a populace challenge in Hirafuku-mura. Musashi wrote his identify on the challenge. A messenger came to Dorin ‘s temple, where Musashi was staying, to inform Musashi that his duel had been accepted by Kihei. Dorin, Musashi ‘s uncle, was shocked by this, and tried to beg off the duel in Musashi ‘s name, based on his nephew ‘s historic period. Kihei was adamant that the entirely way his honor could be cleared was if Musashi apologized to him when the duel was scheduled. therefore when the fourth dimension set for the duel arrived, Dorin began apologizing for Musashi, who merely charged at Kihei with a six-foot quarterstaff, shouting a challenge to Kihei. Kihei attacked with a wakizashi, but Musashi threw Kihei on the floor, and while Kihei tried to get up, Musashi struck Arima between the eyes and then beat him to death. Arima was said to have been arrogant, excessively tidal bore to battle, and not a terribly talented fencer .William Scott Wilson, The Lone Samurai[13]
Travels and duels [edit ]
In 1599, Musashi left his greenwich village, obviously at the senesce of 15 ( according to the Tosakushi, “ The Registry of the Sakushu Region ”, although the Tanji Hokin Hikki says he was 16 years old in 1599, which agrees time-wise with the age reported in Musashi ‘s first duel ). [ 14 ] His family possessions such as furniture, weapons, genealogy, and early records were left with his sister and her conserve, Hirao Yoemon. He spent his time traveling and engaging in duels .
duel with Sasaki Kojirō [edit ]
Sasaki Kojiro ( right ) engages Miyamoto Musashi on the shores of Ganryū Island. In 1611, Musashi began practicing zazen at the Myōshin-ji temple, where he met Nagaoka Sado, vassal to Hosokawa Tadaoki ; Tadaoki was a knock-down lord who had received the Kumamoto Domain in west-central Kyūshū after the Battle of Sekigahara. Munisai had moved to northern Kyūshū and became Tadaoki ‘s teacher, leading to the possibility that Munisai introduced Musashi to Sasaki Kojirō, another node of the Hosokawa kin at the fourth dimension. Somehow, a duel was proposed between the two ; in some versions, Nagaoka proposed the duel, in others with Kojirō proposed it out of competition or jealously. Tokitsu believes that the duel was politically motivated, as a matter of consolidating Tadaoki ‘s dominance over his fief. The duel was scheduled for April 13, 1612, when Musashi was approximately 30 years old. The passing by gravy boat for the duel was arranged for the Hour of the Dragon in the early morning ( approximately 8:00 AM ) to the island of Ganryūjima, a small isle between Honshū and Kyūshū. While Hosokawa officials banned spectators, the island was filled with them anyhow. Kojirō was known for wielding an outsize nodachi ( japanese greatsword ) called a “ laundry-drying punt ” for its length, adenine well as being titled “ three- shaku eloquent blade ” ( 「三尺の白刃」 ). Using this sword, Kojirō was said to be known for a swift two-stroke sword technique called tsubame gaeshi, and he bore the nickname “ The Demon of the western Provinces ”. Kojirō arrived at the appoint time, but was then left to wait for hours ; Musashi had overslept. Kojirō sent out servants to retrieve Musashi, who ate a full breakfast, taking his time. In some variants of the fib, Musashi intentionally arrives belated as a polarity of disrespect. As he sailed over the Kanmon Straits, Musashi carved a petroleum oversized bokken from one of the ship ‘s oars with his knife, making an improvised wooden sword, possibly to help wake himself up. Upon his arrival, an irritate Kojirō chided Musashi ‘s lateness and dramatically threw his scabbard into the sea, as a augury that he would not stop and would fight to the death. Musashi responded with a tease of his own, saying that Kojirō clearly was n’t confident in himself if he thought he ‘d never get a prospect to use a fine scabbard again. [ 15 ] [ 16 ] The two circled each other, and Kojirō leaped toward Musashi with his trademark overhead strike. Musashi, excessively, jumped and swung his weapon with a cry, and the two sword strokes met. Musashi ‘s headband fell off, sliced by Kojirō ‘s sword, but somehow, only the headband was cut preferably than Musashi ‘s skull. Musashi ‘s strike, interim, had struck true, cleaving Kojirō ‘s skull. [ 15 ]
“ Seishin Chokudo ” ( earnest kernel, directly manner ) memorial dedicated to Miyamoto Musashi, located in Kokura. These characters were engraved by Musashi on his bokken. It stands on the invest where Musashi is supposed to have lived, at the foot of the castle. The Hombu dojo of a main branch of Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryū is in Kokura and demonstrates every year in front of this memorial .
later life [edit ]
Six years former, in 1633, Musashi began staying with Hosokawa Tadatoshi, daimyō of Kumamoto Castle, who had moved to the Kumamoto fief and Kokura, to train and paint. [ 17 ] It was at this clock that the Hosokawa lords were besides the patrons of Musashi ‘s chief rival, Sasaki Kojirō. While he engaged in very few duels ; one would occur in 1634 at the arrangement of Lord Ogasawara, in which Musashi defeated a spear specialist by the name of Takada Matabei. Musashi would officially become the servant of the Hosokowa lords of Kumamoto in 1640. The Niten Ki records “ [ he ] received from Lord Tadatoshi : 17 retainers, a stipend of 300 koku, the membership of ōkumigashira 大組頭, and Chiba Castle in Kumamoto as his residency. ” [ 18 ]
The grave-marker of Miyamoto Musashi, in contemporary Kumamoto Prefecture ( 熊本県 ) In the second calendar month of 1641, Musashi wrote a work called the Hyoho Sanju Go ( “ thirty-five Instructions on Strategy ” ) for Hosokawa Tadatoshi, this work overlapped and formed the basis for the later The Book of Five Rings. This was the year that his adopted son, Hirao Yoemon, became Master of Arms for the Owari fief. In 1642, Musashi suffered attacks of neuralgia, foreshadowing his future ill-health. In 1643 he retired to a cave named Reigandō as a anchorite to write The Book of Five Rings. He finished it in the second month of 1645. On the one-twelfth of the fifth month, sensing his impending death, Musashi bequeathed his worldly possessions, after giving his manuscript copy of The Book of Five Rings to the younger brother of Terao Magonojo, his closest disciple. He died in Reigandō cave around June 13, 1645 ( Shōhō 2, 19th day of the 5th month ). The Hyoho senshi denki described his pass :
At the moment of his end, he had himself raised improving. He had his belt out tightened and his wakizashi put in it. He seated himself with one knee vertically raised, holding the sword with his left hand and a cane in his right hand. He died in this military capability, at the long time of sixty-two. The principal vassals of Lord Hosokawa and the other officers gathered, and they painstakingly carried out the ceremony. then they set up a grave on Mount Iwato on the decree of the godhead .
Miyamoto Musashi died of what is believed to be pectoral cancer. [ 20 ] He died peacefully after finishing the text Dokkōdō ( “ The Way of Walking Alone ”, or “ The Way of Self-Reliance ” ), 21 precepts on self-denial to guide future generations .
Relationships [edit ]
Writings on Musashi ‘s life rarely mention his kinship with women, and much when they do Musashi is regularly depicted as rejecting sexual advances in favor of focusing on his swordsmanship. [ 21 ] [ 22 ] [ 23 ] Alternative interpretations have taken his miss of interest as an reading of homosexuality. [ 24 ] In contrast many legends do feature Musashi in trysts with women, some of these besides reflect the view that he would finally choose to forego forcible or aroused investments to attain far penetration into his employment. [ 25 ] This overriding cultural view of Musashi is slightly contradicted by old texts such as Dobo goen ( 1720 ) which relay his closeness with the concubine Kumoi during his middle long time. [ 26 ] The Bushu Denraiki besides details Musashi fathering a daughter by a concubine. It is changeable if this concubine and Kumoi were the like person. [ 21 ] A rumor besides connected Musashi with the oiran Yoshino Tayu [ Ja ]. [ 27 ]
Teachings [edit ]
Musashi created and refined a two-sword kenjutsu proficiency called niten’ichi ( 二天一, “ two heavens as one ” ) or nitōichi ( 二刀一, “ two swords as one ” ) or ‘ Niten Ichi-ryū ‘ ( A Kongen Buddhist Sutra refers to the two heavens as the two guardians of Buddha ). In this technique, the fencer uses both a large sword, and a “ companion sword ” at the like time, such as a katana with a wakizashi. [ 28 ] The two-handed movements of temple drummers may have inspired him, although it could be that the proficiency was forged through Musashi ‘s combat experience. Jutte techniques were taught to him by his father—the jutte was frequently used in battle paired with a sword ; the jutte would parry and neutralize the weapon of the foe while the sword strike or the practitioner grappled with the enemy. Today Musashi ‘s style of swordsmanship is known as Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū. [ 29 ] Musashi was besides an adept in throwing weapons. He frequently threw his short sword, and Kenji Tokitsu believes that shuriken methods for the wakizashi were the Niten Ichi Ryu ‘s clandestine techniques. [ 30 ] Musashi spent many years studying Buddhism and swordsmanship. He was an carry through artist, sculptor, and calligrapher. Records besides show that he had architectural skills. besides, he seems to have had a preferably aboveboard approach path to combat, with no extra frills or aesthetic considerations. This was probably due to his real-life battle feel ; although in his subsequently life, Musashi followed the more aesthetic. He made assorted Zen brush paintings, calligraphy, and sculpted wood and metal. even in The Book of Five Rings he emphasizes that samurai should understand other professions as well. It should be understand that Musashi ‘s writings were very ambiguous, and translating them into English makes them tied more so ; that is why so many different translations of The Book of Five Rings can be found. To gain far insight into Musashi ‘s principles and personality, one could read his early works, such as Dokkōdō and Hyoho Shiji ni Kajo .
timeline [edit ]
The following timeline follows, in chronological rate ( of which is based on the most accurate and most wide accepted information ), the life of Miyamoto Musashi .
philosophy [edit ]
In Musashi ‘s last reserve, The Book of Five Rings ( 五輪書, Go Rin no Sho ), Musashi seems to take a very philosophical set about to looking at the “ craft of war ” : “ There are five ways in which men pass through life : as gentlemen, warriors, farmers, artisans and merchants. ”
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Throughout the koran, Musashi implies that the way of the Warrior, vitamin a well as the mean of a “ truthful strategist ” is that of person who has made mastery of many art forms away from that of the sword, such as tea drinking ( sadō ), laboring, writing, and paint, as Musashi practiced throughout his life. [ 32 ] Musashi was hailed as an extraordinary sumi-e artist in the habit of ink black and white as depicted in two such paintings : “ Shrike Perched in a dead tree ” ( Koboku Meigekizu, 枯木鳴鵙図 ) and “ wilderness Geese Among Reeds ” ( Rozanzu, 魯山図 ). Going second to the Book of Five Rings, Musashi talks deeply about the ways of Buddhism. He makes especial note of artisans and foremen. When he wrote the book, the majority of houses in Japan were made of wood. In the use of building a house, foremen have to employ strategy based upon the skill and ability of their workers. In comparison to warriors and soldiers, Musashi notes the ways in which the artisans thrive through events ; the destroy of houses, the magnificence of houses, the style of the house, the tradition and name or origins of a house. These excessively, are like to the events which are seen to have warriors and soldiers thrive ; the arise and fall of prefectures, countries and other such events are what make uses for warriors, angstrom well as the literal comparisons : “ The carpenter uses a maestro plan of the construct, and the way of scheme is like in that there is a plan of campaign ” .
way of scheme [edit ]
Ni-Ten Ichi Ryu [edit ]
Within the reserve, Musashi mentions that the function of two swords within strategy is evenly beneficial to those who use the skill for individual duels or big engagements. The idea of using two hands for a sword is an idea that Musashi opposes because there is no fluidity in movement with two hands : “ If you hold a sword with both hands, it is unmanageable to wield it freely to left and right, so my method is to carry the sword in one hand. ” He besides disagrees with the estimate of using a sword with two hands on a cavalry and/or riding on unstable terrain, such as boggy swamps, rice fields, or within crowd of people. To learn the strategy of Ni-Ten Ichi Ryū, Musashi employs that by training with two farseeing swords, one in each pass, one will be able to overcome the cumbersome nature of using a sword in both hands. Although it is difficult, Musashi agrees that there are times in which the long sword must be used with two hands, but one whose skill is good enough should not need it. After using two farseeing swords proficiently adequate, mastery of a hanker sword, and a “ companion sword ”, most probable a wakizashi, will be much increased : “ When you become used to wielding the long sword, you will gain the baron of the Way and wield the sword well. ” In brusque, it could be seen, from the excerpts from The Book of Five Rings, that veridical strategy behind Ni-Ten No Ichi Ryu, is that there is no real number iron-clad method acting, path, or type of weaponry specific to the style of Ni-Ten No Ichi Ryu :
You can win with a long weapon, and yet you can besides win with a inadequate weapon. In brusque, the Way of the Ichi school is the spirit of winning, whatever the weapon and whatever its size .
religion [edit ]
even from an early long time, Musashi separated his religion from his involvement in swordsmanship. Excerpts such as the one below, from The Book of Five Rings, demonstrate a philosophy that is thought to have stayed with him throughout his life :
There are many ways : confucianism, Buddhism, the ways of elegance, rice-planting, or dance ; these things are not to be found in the way of the warrior. [ 33 ]
however, the impression that Musashi disliked Shinto is inaccurate, as he criticises the Shintō-ryū style of swordsmanship, not Shinto, the religion. In Musashi ‘s Dokkōdō, his stance on religion is far elucidated : “ Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help. “ [ 34 ]
Musashi as an artist [edit ]
Shrike in a barren tree, by Miyamoto Musashi, by Miyamoto Musashi In his later years, Musashi said in his The Book of Five Rings : “ When I apply the principle of strategy to the ways of different arts and crafts, I no longer have need for a teacher in any world. ” He proved this by creating recognized masterpieces of calligraphy and classic ink paint. His paintings are characterized by skilled consumption of ink washes and an economy of brush stroke. He specially mastered the “ interrupt ink ” school of landscapes, applying it to other subjects, such as his Kobokumeikakuzu ( “ Shrike Perched on a Withered Branch ” ; part of a triptych whose other two members were “ Hotei Walking ” and “ Sparrow on Bamboo ” ), his Hotei Watching a Cockfight, and his Rozanzu ( “ Wild Geese Among Reeds ” ). The Book of Five Rings advocates participation in calligraphy and other arts as a means of education in the art of war. [ 35 ]
Musashi in japanese and global culture [edit ]
Miyamoto Musashi Budokan [edit ]
Jitte, Hirata Sôkan
Kamidana of the Heiho Niten Ichi Ryu Official School established at the inauguration of the Miyamoto Musashi dojo on March 4, 1999 in Gleizé under the aegis of the Emperor Miyamoto Musashi’s great-grandfather’s, Hirata Sôkan On May 20, 2000, at the first step of Sensei Tadashi Chihara [ 36 ] the Miyamoto Musashi Budokan [ 37 ] was inaugurated. [ 1 ] It was built in Ōhara-Cho in the state of Mimasaka, the birthplace of the samurai. Inside the build, the life sentence and travel of Miyamoto Musashi are remembered everywhere. Dedicated to warlike arts, the Budokan is the source for all of Japan ‘s official traditional saber and kendo schools. much, historically and culturally it is a junction for warlike disciplines in the heart of traditional Japan dedicated to Musashi. The inauguration of the Miyamoto Musashi Budokan perpetuated the twinning established on March 4, 1999 between the inhabitants of Ōhara-Chō ( japanese province of Mimasaka ) and the inhabitants of Gleizé. It was formalized in the presence of Sensei Tadashi Chihara, guarantor and one-tenth in the ancestry of Miyamoto Musashi carrying a mandate from the mayor of Ōhara-Chō, and in the presence of the mayor of Gleizé Élisabeth Lamure. [ 38 ] [ 39 ] This consequence was extended during the mandate of the fresh mayor of Ōhara-Chō Fukuda Yoshiaki, by the official invitation from Japan and the attendant visit of the mayor of Gleizé for the inauguration of the Miyamoto Musashi Budokan on May 20, 2000, in the presence of personalities and japanese authorities .
In popular culture [edit ]
even in Musashi ‘s time there were fictional texts resembling comic books. It is consequently quite difficult to separate fact from fabrication when discussing his life. There have been numerous works of fabrication made about or featuring Musashi. Eiji Yoshikawa ‘s novelization ( originally a 1930s daily newspaper serial ) has greatly influenced consecutive fabricated depictions ( including the manga Vagabond by Takehiko Inoue ) and is often mistaken for a factual report of Musashi ‘s life. In 2012, writer Sean Michael Wilson and japanese artist Chie Kutsuwada published an attempt at a more historically accurate manga entitled The Book of Five Rings: A Graphic Novel, based on inquiry and translations by William Scott Wilson. The 2008 video recording crippled Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan! was based on his life and personality. He besides appeared in the manga Baki-Dou as a revived clone of himself with his veridical soul intact as one of the strongest fighters in the series, and used his two-sword style in about every battle in which he was shown. In the videogame Overwatch the playable character Genji has a voiceline that quotes Musashi : “ Mi wo sutetemo myōri washington sutezu, ” which roughly translates to “ You may abandon your body, but you must preserve your honor. ”
veranda [edit ]
bibliography [edit ]
- Hyodokyo (The Mirror of the Way of Strategy)
- Hyoho Sanjugo Kajo (Thirty-five Instructions on Strategy)
- Hyoho Shijuni Kajo (Forty-two Instructions on Strategy)
- Dokkōdō (The Way to be Followed Alone)
- Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings; a reference to the Five Rings of Zen Buddhism). Translated into English by Victor Harris as A Book of Five Rings, London: Allison & Busby, 1974; Woodstock, New York: The Overlook Press.
See besides [edit ]
References [edit ]
further reading [edit ]
fiction [edit ]
Children ‘s books [edit ]
- Moore, J.S. (2014). Under the Sun: The Miyamoto Musashi Story. Understanding Apples Press. ISBN 978-1-5028-0491-4.
Essays [edit ]
testimony [edit ]
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