Bruce LudlowSamurai Legend
October 7th 2011 01:04
Miyamoto Musashi was born to his father, Shinmen Munsai, in the town of Harima in 1582. Shinmen was an accomplished martial artist and swordsman, having been trained in the art of "Jutte" as well. Jutte, or "Jitte" literally translated means,"Ten Hands", referring to the power, behind the weapon. The weapon itself, short and of heavy steel, somewhat resembles a "Sai" with a prong missing.Juttes or Jittes, were carried by all levels of police officers, including high ranking "Samurai Police".
Musashi from the age of seven was raised by his uncle, Dorbin, in a Shoreian Temple.There he was taught,about reading,writing, and Buddhism. He was thought to have been trained in swordplay by his father and his uncle.
Musashi's words taken from "A Book Of Five Rings" which he authored, "I have trained in the way of strategy since my youth, and at the age of thirteen I fought a duel for the first time. My opponent was called Arima Kihei, a sword adept of the Shinto ryu and I defeated him.At the age of sixteen, I defeated a powerful adept by the name of Akiyama who came from the Tajima Province. At the age of twenty-one, I went up to Kyoto and fought duels with several adepts of the sword from famous schools, but I never lost".
At the ripe young age of thirteen years old, Musashi accepted a publicly posted challenge, by a traveling Samurai warrior named Arima Kihei, who was looking to make a name for himself. A messenger came to the temple where Musashi stayed, in acceptance of the challenge, much to his uncles shock and surprise.He begged Kihei to call off the duel based on Musashi's age, but the samurai insisted the that only way that to nullify the duel and preserve Kihei's honor, would be for Musashi to apologize to him. On the day set for the match, Musashi and his uncle showed up. While trying to apologize for his nephews actions, Musashi charged at Kihei with a six foot bow staff.Arima Kihei attempted to defend himself with a wakizashi ( a samurai sword) however Musashi threw him to the ground and beat him to death with his quarterstaff.
At sixteen years old he left home, and while traveling, encountered his second foe, a samurai called Akiyama, the next to fall by Musashi's hand.
In the year 1600, he took up arms in a war against a clan called Tokugawa, fighting along side the Toyotomi. As the Toyotomi army lost the war it has been said that Musashi spent time training on Mount Hiko.
Musashi believed that technical flourishes were excessive, and considered all technique as a merely a method of cutting down his opponent. Musashi advocated a two sword fighting technique (nitojutsu) wielding a katana and a wakizashi ( both samurai swords). He is Quoted as saying " Timing is important in dancing and pipe or string for they are in rhythm only if timing is good. In all skills and abilities there is timing.It is especially important to know background timing, otherwise strategy becomes uncertain".
At twenty, the young Samurai arrived in the Kyoto a larger city. The Yoshioka school, the foremost of eight schools in Kyoto, was the one that Musashi sought out. Legend says that the schools were founded by eight monks, all taught by a legendary martial artist who resided on mount Kurama. Musashi challenged Yoshioka Seijuro, master of the school to a duel. Musashi arrived late to the match, which infuriated Seijuro. Musashi struck a single blow, as per their agreement, on his left shoulder knocking him out, and crippling his left arm. Yoshioka Seijuro passed on the headship of the school to his equally adept brother Yoshioka Denshichiro,who promptly challenged Musashi out of revenge. Denshichiro's weapon of choice for the match was a staff. Musashi again showed up late, then disarmed and defeated him as well. The Yoshioka family was outraged as the head of the school was now a twelve year old boy called Yoshioka Matashichiro. The family secretly put together a band of archers, swordsmen, and musketeers , and then issued a challenge from Matashichiro to Musashi for a duel to be held just outside of Kyoto near a temple called Ichijoji. Apparently sensing something was amiss, Musashi arrived a couple hours early and hid out in the temple. Once they assembled, Musashi attacked the force killing Matashichiro. He escaped while being attacked by dozens of villagers, defending himself with two swords. With the death of Matashichiro, this branch of the Yoshioka school was destroyed.
Musashi went on to fight in two more wars, ran with nobility, opened a couple of schools and adopted two sons. He finally died at the age of sixty two of throat cancer. But not before writing " A Book Of Five Rings". His legend lives on through his writings as his book is still widely used by Japanese businessmen today.
He was considered Kensei (a swords saint) given as an honorary title to a swordsman of legendary skill.
Musashi from the age of seven was raised by his uncle, Dorbin, in a Shoreian Temple.There he was taught,about reading,writing, and Buddhism. He was thought to have been trained in swordplay by his father and his uncle.
At the ripe young age of thirteen years old, Musashi accepted a publicly posted challenge, by a traveling Samurai warrior named Arima Kihei, who was looking to make a name for himself. A messenger came to the temple where Musashi stayed, in acceptance of the challenge, much to his uncles shock and surprise.He begged Kihei to call off the duel based on Musashi's age, but the samurai insisted the that only way that to nullify the duel and preserve Kihei's honor, would be for Musashi to apologize to him. On the day set for the match, Musashi and his uncle showed up. While trying to apologize for his nephews actions, Musashi charged at Kihei with a six foot bow staff.Arima Kihei attempted to defend himself with a wakizashi ( a samurai sword) however Musashi threw him to the ground and beat him to death with his quarterstaff.
In the year 1600, he took up arms in a war against a clan called Tokugawa, fighting along side the Toyotomi. As the Toyotomi army lost the war it has been said that Musashi spent time training on Mount Hiko.
Musashi believed that technical flourishes were excessive, and considered all technique as a merely a method of cutting down his opponent. Musashi advocated a two sword fighting technique (nitojutsu) wielding a katana and a wakizashi ( both samurai swords). He is Quoted as saying " Timing is important in dancing and pipe or string for they are in rhythm only if timing is good. In all skills and abilities there is timing.It is especially important to know background timing, otherwise strategy becomes uncertain".
At twenty, the young Samurai arrived in the Kyoto a larger city. The Yoshioka school, the foremost of eight schools in Kyoto, was the one that Musashi sought out. Legend says that the schools were founded by eight monks, all taught by a legendary martial artist who resided on mount Kurama. Musashi challenged Yoshioka Seijuro, master of the school to a duel. Musashi arrived late to the match, which infuriated Seijuro. Musashi struck a single blow, as per their agreement, on his left shoulder knocking him out, and crippling his left arm. Yoshioka Seijuro passed on the headship of the school to his equally adept brother Yoshioka Denshichiro,who promptly challenged Musashi out of revenge. Denshichiro's weapon of choice for the match was a staff. Musashi again showed up late, then disarmed and defeated him as well. The Yoshioka family was outraged as the head of the school was now a twelve year old boy called Yoshioka Matashichiro. The family secretly put together a band of archers, swordsmen, and musketeers , and then issued a challenge from Matashichiro to Musashi for a duel to be held just outside of Kyoto near a temple called Ichijoji. Apparently sensing something was amiss, Musashi arrived a couple hours early and hid out in the temple. Once they assembled, Musashi attacked the force killing Matashichiro. He escaped while being attacked by dozens of villagers, defending himself with two swords. With the death of Matashichiro, this branch of the Yoshioka school was destroyed.
Musashi went on to fight in two more wars, ran with nobility, opened a couple of schools and adopted two sons. He finally died at the age of sixty two of throat cancer. But not before writing " A Book Of Five Rings". His legend lives on through his writings as his book is still widely used by Japanese businessmen today.
He was considered Kensei (a swords saint) given as an honorary title to a swordsman of legendary skill.
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