"I Really didn't say everything I said." *Yogi Berra

 

The exact details of Musashi's life are lost somewhere in his legend. Japanese historians in my opinion are relatively incompetent in discerning historical fact. When doing research on the pre-and-post WWII Japanese economy for my book; "Japan: a Changing Model of Competitiveness," I found the Japanese historians were not capable of properly chronicling even the much more recent facts of WWII, and, so to are the facts of Musashi muddled in conflicting accounts. Of course, not all Japanese historians should be painted with the broad brush of revisionism, but there is a history of revisionism that goes back 4 centuries in Japan, and we must learn to find the lotus blossom in the muddy water if we are to understand Musashi.

Dr. Eric Scott; editor
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1585 saw the rising of the famed Toyotomi Hideyoshi to the rank of Kampaku or Chief Political Advisor. A year before, Musashi was born in Miyamoto village in the Yoshino area of Mimasaka province. His father, a low ranking Samurai and swordsmen, Shinmen Munisai, named his son Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin. Omasa, his natural mother died soon after Musashi’s birth. Musashi was raised by his stepmother, Yoshiko, as her own son. Musashi was not destined to have a happy childhood. When Musashi was still very young, Munisai divorced Yoshiko, and she returned to her family home in Harima province along with her young step-son Musashi. It was there that the young Musashi was raised by his step-mother along with his older sister Ogin, with only intermittent visits to his father 50km away. It was during these visits where Munisai took it upon himself to teach his son the discipline of the Sword and the Jitte.

During Musashi’s infancy he contracted eczema caused by a congenital disease that left scars that he would carry throughout his life. Musashi couldn't shave his sakayaki because of the scars on his head, and therefore could not properly wear the Topknot that would distinguish him as a Samurai.

Musashi and the myth of cleanliness:

It is written in many modern accounts that Musashi had a peculiar trait: that he had aversion to personal cleanliness. It is far more likely that Musashi practiced the Zen ritual of taking cold, pre-dawn baths, called "Mizugori" from the Japanese words "mizu" and "gori"? "Mizu" meaning "cold-water" and "gori" meaning "ablutions." "Mizugori", or performing cold-water ablutions, was a way of life for Buddhist monk or Samurai. Thank you Mr. Kozakai.

Musashi looked different from the typical 17th century samurai, and in fact in both his appearance and talent set, was very different from his contemporaries. Physically, musashi was a giant amongst men of his time. Musashi stood over 184cm, or just over 6 feet. The average Japanese of the time were well under 153cm (or well under 5 feet). Musashi was reputed to be very athletic, able to jump over 1.8 meters ( 5 feet 9 inches) from a standing position, and that was one tactic used against Kojiro in Musashi’s most famous battle.

 

Musashi’s relationship with his father is the cause of some interest to Musashi scholars. Lets look at a couple of things that interest us in our discussion:

At an early age; 13, Musashi had his first Fencing dual. His opponent that day was Arima Kibei, who was already famous in the area as an exponent of Shinto-Ryu Kenjutsu (the Shinto school of swordsmanship).

On the day before the duel Musashi passed by a sign that read; “Whoever wants to challenge me shall be accepted. Arima Kibei.” Musashi added to the notice; “I will challenge you tomorrow” and left his name and address. That evening a message arrived from Kibei accepting the challenge and setting the site of the duel.

Next morning, Musashi set out, sword in hand. When Musashi defeated his opponent, he became a minor sensation in the area. It was three more years before Musashi dueled again, and this time, his opponent was from Tajima.

Musashi stayed close home for another five years. His confidence grew, but he felt that he had not really tested himself, and his ambition to become a great fencer grew.

 

 

In 1605, Musashi left home and headed towards Kyoto, the old capital of Japan, to test his skills as a swordsman and to make a name for himself. This was the beginning of a series of journeys that Musashi would make that could be termed a Musha-Shugyo.

The common translation that is used for the term Musha-Shugyo is “Warrior Pilgrimage,” it describes an act whereby the warrior sets out on the road, traveling here and there, consciously seeking out opponents to fight in order to improve and prove ones prowess .Another term needed to discuss the next part of Musashi’s life is the concept of a “Taryu-Jiai.” This is a contest whereby the opponents, practitioners of different schools/styles fence to help in the progress of their ability and to prove one school/styles superiority over the other. During the Edo period there were many of these types of duels occurring.

 

During the Muromachi period, the Yoshioka family served the Ashikaga Shogunate as Martial Arts Instructors and, although the Ashikaga had already collapsed, the family still managed to retain most of its former prestige as skilled warriors. It therefore seemed a foolhardy move on the part of Musashi that he had challenged Yoshioka Genzaemon, the head of the family. For Genzaemon to refuse a match with someone as insignificant as Musashi would have been no loss of face ( Musashi was not only completely unknown in these parts he was both young and a low ranking Samurai) he accepted, and the match was set for the next day. As the match started Genzaemon was angry and impatient whereas Musashi was reserved and indifferent. The match ended when Genzaemon collapsed and lost consciousness. Musashi had won.

 

The fight with the Yoshioka was not yet over . Genzaemon’s younger brother, Denshochiro, attempted to restore the family honor but Musashi, again, won. This time the result was death to the loser. The Yoshioka challenged a third time. Musashi’s opponent was Genzeamon’s son; Matashihiro, and this duel was to be different than the former ones. Matashihiro’s challenge was a ruse; the real plan was for the Yoshioka followers to ambush and kill Musashi once and for all.

 

Musashi, arrived early to the match site. He hid to examine the Yoshioka’s plan. When Matashihiro and his followers arrived they expected Musashi to be late so they were not as alert as they should have been and never anticipated Musashi’s strategy: Musashi attacked preemptively. He flew from his cover, issued his challenge, cut down a few Yoshioka including Matashihiro himself, killing him, then escaped the trap of some 80 samurai who waited in ambush to kill Musashi.

 

Musashi now felt more confident of his abilities than he ever had before. Musashi was to spend the next eight years on the road. In this time he would fight many opponents, he recorded more than sixty duels, never being defeated!

In the next few years he wandered about, always improving upon himself and devising tactics. During this time he sometimes stayed for short periods with persons that had heard of his ever spreading reputation, both Daimyo and high-ranking Samurai, some of whom he taught some of his evolving fencing style to. He never stayed too long, however, and would shortly be back on the road by himself searching to improve himself.

***

This period of Musashi's life closes after the most famous battle of his career: On April 14th 1612, Musashi defeated the famous, and some think superior fencer Sasaki Ganryu Kojiro, using a simple wooden sword he carved from a boat’s oar on the way to the duel. Musashi had an opportunity to see Kojiro’s sword sometime before the duel, and knew of it’s great length. Musashi carved the wooden sword to be of greater length, and when he arrived on the beach for the dual, he kept it hidden behind him until the dual started. *I have personally held that sword, and can attest that Musashi must have had great strength and speed. He jumped over the low strike of Kojiro, reaching the height of about a meter off the ground and came down on Kojiro’s head with his heavy wooden sword. Kojiro lay dying on the sand, but Musashi left in a hurry with out killing him out-rite. Some of Musashi’s critics call him a coward for not killing him, but Musashi had proved his point, and the killing of Kojiro was not the goal, defeating him was. Musashi’s wooden sword can be seen in the display case on the home page if this site.

 

*(Ed. It is an amazing weapon, and I was very honored to be able to handle it. If you visit Japan, be sure to take some time to visit Reigan-Do, or write to Priest Baba if you’d like!)

Following this victory, - with his reputation now made - he returns to Kyoto and established his first Fencing school. Musashi had now accomplished what most only dreamed of, but he was not yet finished.

 

 

A chronological list of the major events in Musashi’s latter life:

Appointed Okumigashira, with a small stipend (300 Koku) Musashi was given great privileges such as hawking, and received permission to assume many of the trappings of a samurai general. Musashi wished to apply his philosophies and strategies to governmental policy, but was never given the chance, Lord Tadatoshi died a year after he joined the Hosokawa clan, thus ending Musashi’s dream. The lord’s death was a blow to Musashi, who became depressed. He walked from Kumamoto castle over a large mountain to Reigan-Do, a cave and ancient Buddhist shrine, and spent 18 months in the cave meditating and writing the now legendary “Book of Five Rings.” One week after the book was finished, at the age of sixty one, very old age in that epoch, Musashi leaves this life.
***

Musashi, by request made one hour before his death, wished to be buried in the armor of a samurai general, standing with sword in hand, guarding the Tokaido road to Edo (Tokyo) at the border of the Kumamoto prefecture (today’s name). It was carried out to the letter, including the full armor and standing position with his sword in his hand.
You can visit Musashi's grave today, it’s beautiful, but out-of-the-way place, overlooking the prefecture, with a relaxing Zen garden, next to a fencing dojo (practice hall). You can also visit Reigan-Do, and view the Musashi exhibit, maintained by two Zen monks who maintain the ancient site, at the Zen Temple: Un Gan Zen Ji.

You can still read Musashi's book written in the Reigan-Do cave with excellent translation and clear understanding.

 

 

Musashi's Pretty Correct History

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