Miyamoto

Musashi

Miyamoto Musashi ( 宮本 武蔵, c.

1584 – 13 June 1645),[1] also known
as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto
Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist
name, Niten Dōraku,[2] was a
Japanese swordsman, philosopher,
strategist, writer and rōnin, who
became renowned through stories
of his unique double-bladed
swordsmanship and undefeated
record in his 61 duels (next is 33 by
Itō Ittōsai). Musashi, as he was
often simply known, 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
years authored The Book of Five
五輪の書, Go Rin No Sho) and
Rings (
Dokkōdō (獨行道, The Path of
Aloneness).
 Miyamoto Musashi

Contemporaneous portrait of Miyamoto

Musashi (Edo period)

Born Shinmen Bennosuke

c. 1584

Harima Province or
 Mimasaka Province,
Died Japan
13 June 1645
(aged 60–61)

Higo Province, Japan

Native name 宮本武蔵

Other names Niten Dōraku;
Shinmen Musashi no
Kami Fujiwara no
Harunobu

Residence Japan

Style Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū

二天一流),
Kenjutsu (
Enmei-ryu (圓明流),
(二天流)
Children Mikinosuke (adopted)

Kurōtarō (adopted)

Iori (adopted)

Yoemon (adopted)

Daughter of unknown
name

Notable students Takemura Yoemon;

Terao Magonojō;
Terao
Motomenosuke;
Furuhashi Sōzaemon

Japanese name

Kanji 宮本 武蔵
Hiragana
Katakana
みやもと むさし
ミヤモト ムサシ
Transcriptions

Romanization Miyamoto Musashi

Both documents were given to

Terao Magonojō, the most
important 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
sense, i.e., his own practical martial
art and its generic significance; The
Path of Aloneness, on the other
hand, deals with the ideas that lie
behind it, as well as his life's
philosophy in a few short aphoristic
sentences.

The Miyamoto Musashi Budokan

training center, located in Ōhara-chō
(Mimasaka), Okayama prefecture,
Japan was erected to honor his
name and legend.

The Miyamoto Musashi Budokan in Ōhara-chō (Mimasaka), Okayama prefecture, Japan[4]

Biography
Birth

The details of Miyamoto Musashi's

early life 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
Year of the Monkey."[6] The historian
Kamiko Tadashi, commenting on
Musashi's text, notes: "Munisai was
Musashi's father ... he lived in
Miyamoto village, in the Yoshino
district [of Mimasaka Province].
Musashi was most probably born
here."[7]

Musashi gives his full 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). His father, Shinmen
[8]

Munisai (新免無二斎) was an

accomplished martial artist and
master of the sword and jutte (also
jitte).[7] Munisai, in turn, was the son
of Hirata Shōgen ( 平田将監), a
vassal of Shinmen Iga no Kami, the
lord 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 title, making him the
nominal governor of Musashi
Province. "Fujiwara" was the lineage
from which Musashi claimed
descent.[10]

Upbringing

Musashi's eczema developed in his

infancy, and this adversely affected
his appearance.[11] Another story
claims that he never took a bath
because he did not want to be
surprised unarmed.[12]

First duel

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 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 age of twenty-one I went up
to Kyōtō and fought duels with
several adepts of the sword
from famous schools, but I
never lost.

— Miyamoto Musashi, Go
Rin No Sho

According to the introduction of The

Book of Five Rings, Musashi states
that his first successful duel was at
the age of 13, against a samurai
named Arima Kihei who fought
using the Kashima Shintō-ryū style,
founded by Tsukahara Bokuden (b.
1489, d. 1571). The main source of
the duel is the Hyoho senshi denki
("Anecdotes about the Deceased
Master"). Summarized, its account
goes as follows:

In 1596, Musashi was 13, and

Arima Kihei, who was traveling
to hone his art, posted a public
challenge in Hirafuku-mura.
Musashi wrote his name 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 age. Kihei was
adamant that the only way his
honour could be cleared was if
Musashi apologized to him
when the duel was scheduled.
So when the time 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, overly
eager to battle, and not a
terribly talented swordsman.
 — William Scott Wilson, The
Lone Samurai[13]

Travels and duels

In 1599, Musashi left his village,

apparently at the age 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
other records were left with his
sister and her husband, Hirao
Yoemon. He spent his time traveling
and engaging in duels.

Duel with Sasaki Kojirō

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 powerful 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
guest of the Hosokawa clan at the
time. Somehow, a duel was
proposed between the two; in some
versions, Nagaoka proposed the
duel, in others, Kojirō proposed it
out of rivalry or jealously. Tokitsu
believes that the duel was politically
motivated, as a matter of
consolidating Tadaoki's control over
his fief.

The duel was scheduled for April 13,

1612, when Musashi was
approximately 30 years old. The
departure by 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 anyway. Kojirō was known for
wielding an oversized nodachi
(Japanese greatsword) called a
"laundry-drying pole" for its length,
as well as being titled "three-shaku
「三尺の白刃」).
silver blade" (
Using this sword, Kojirō was said to
be known for a swift two-stroke
sword technique called tsubame
gaeshi (not to confuse with the judo
move of the same name, which
received the name as a homage),
and he bore the nickname "The
Demon of the Western Provinces".
Kojirō arrived at the appointed 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 tale,
Musashi intentionally arrives late as
a sign of disrespect. As he sailed
over the Kanmon Straits, Musashi
carved a crude 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
irritated Kojirō chided Musashi's
lateness and dramatically threw his
scabbard into the sea, as a sign that
he would not stop and would fight to
the death. Musashi responded with
a taunt of his own, saying that Kojirō
clearly wasn't confident in himself if
he thought he'd never get a chance
to use a fine scabbard again.[15][16]

The two circled each other, and

Kojirō leaped toward Musashi with
his trademark overhead strike.
Musashi, too, jumped and swung his
weapon with a shout, and the two
sword strokes met. Musashi's
headband fell off, sliced by Kojirō's
sword, but somehow, only the
headband was cut rather than
Musashi's skull. Musashi's strike,
meanwhile, had struck true, cleaving
Kojirō's skull.[15]
"Seishin Chokudo" (earnest heart, straight way) monument dedicated to Miyamoto Musashi, located in
Kokura. These characters were engraved by Musashi on his bokken. It stands on the place 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 monument.

Later life
Miyamoto Musashi, Self-portrait, c. 1640

Six years later, 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 time that
the Hosokawa lords were also 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 lance specialist by the
name of Takada Matabei. Musashi
would officially become the retainer
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 rank of ōkumigashira
大組頭, and Chiba Castle in
Kumamoto as his residence."[18]
Miyamoto Musashi's grave in Ōhara-chō, province of Mimasaka[19]

The grave-marker of Miyamoto Musashi, in present-day Kumamoto Prefecture ( 熊本県)

Miyamoto Musashi kills a shark fish (Yamazame) in the mountains across the border of Echizen
Province, by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Miyamoto Musashi in his prime, wielding two bokken; woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi
In the second 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 hermit to
write The Book of Five Rings. He
finished it in the second month of
1645. On the 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 passing:

At the moment of his death, he

had himself raised up. He had
his belt 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
posture, at the age 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
tomb on Mount Iwato on the
order of the lord.

Miyamoto Musashi died of what is

believed to be thoracic 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-
discipline to guide future
generations.

Relationships
Writings on Musashi's life rarely
mention his relationship with
women, and often 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 lack
of interest as an indication of
homosexuality.[24] In contrast many
legends do feature Musashi in trysts
with women, some of these also
reflect the view that he would
eventually choose to forego
physical or emotional investments
to attain further insight into his
work.[25] This predominant cultural
view of Musashi is somewhat
contradicted by old texts such as
Dobo goen (1720) which relay his
intimacy with the courtesan Kumoi
during his middle age.[26] The Bushu
Denraiki also details Musashi
fathering a daughter by a courtesan.
It is uncertain if this courtesan and
Kumoi were the same person.[21] A
rumor also connected Musashi with
the oiran Yoshino Tayu.[27]

Teachings
Musashi created and refined a two-
sword kenjutsu technique called
二天一, "two heavens as
niten'ichi (
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
swordsman uses both a large
sword, and a "companion sword" at
the same 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 technique was forged
through Musashi's combat
experience. Jutte techniques were
taught to him by his father—the jutte
was often used in battle paired with
a sword; the jutte would parry and
neutralize the weapon of the enemy
while the sword struck or the
practitioner grappled with the
enemy. Today Musashi's style of
swordsmanship is known as Hyōhō
Niten Ichi-ryū.[29]

Musashi was also an expert 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 secret
techniques.[30]

Musashi spent many years studying

Buddhism and swordsmanship. He
was an accomplished artist,
sculptor, and calligrapher. Records
also show that he had architectural
skills. Also, he seems to have had a
rather straightforward approach to
combat, with no additional frills or
aesthetic considerations. This was
probably due to his real-life combat
experience; although in his later life,
Musashi followed a more artistic
approach. He made various 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 understood that
Musashi's writings were very
ambiguous, and translating them
into English makes them even more
so; that is why so many different
translations of The Book of Five
Rings can be found. To gain further
insight into Musashi's principles and
personality, one could read his other
works, such as Dokkōdō and Hyoho
Shiji ni Kajo.

Timeline
The following timeline follows, in
chronological order (of which is
based on the most accurate and
most widely accepted information),
the life of Miyamoto Musashi.
Date Age Occurrence

1578 −6 Musashi's brother, Shirota, is born.

1584 0 Miyamoto Musashi is born.

1591 6–7 Musashi is taken and raised by his uncle as a Buddhist.

11–
1596 Musashi duels with Arima Kihei in Hirafuku, Hyōgo Prefecture.
12

14– Duels with a man named Tadashima Akiyama in the northern part of Hyōgo
1599
15 Prefecture.

Believed to have fought in the Battle of Sekigahara (October 21) as part of the
1600 16
western army. Whether he actually participated in the battle is currently in doubt.

Musashi has three matches with the Yoshioka clan in Kyoto. (1) Match with
19– Yoshioka Seijuro in Yamashiro Province, outside the city at Rendai Moor (west of
1604
20 Mt. Funaoka, Kita-ku, Kyoto). (2) Match with Yoshioka Denshichiro outside the
city. (3) Match with Yoshioka Matashichiro outside the city at the pine of Ichijō-ji.

Visits Kōfuku-ji, Nara and ends up dueling with Okuzōin Dōei, the Buddhist priest
trained in the style of Hōzōin-ryū.[31]

1605– 20–
Begins to travel again.
1612 28

22–
1607 Munisai (Musashi's father) passes his teachings onto Musashi.
23

Duels with the kusarigama expert Shishido (swordsman) in the western part of
Mie Prefecture.

23–
1608 Duels Musō Gonnosuke, master of the five-foot staff in Edo.
24

25–
1610 Fights Hayashi Osedo and Tsujikaze Tenma in Edo.
26

26–
1611 Begins practicing zazen meditation.
27

Duel with Sasaki Kojirō takes place on April 13, on Ganryujima (Ganryu or Funa
1612 28
Island) off the coast of Shimonoseki in which Kojiro is defeated.

Briefly opens a fencing school.

1614– 30– Believed to have joined the troops of Toyotomi Hideyori in the Winter and Summer
1615 31 campaigns (November 8, 1614 – June 15, 1615) at Osaka Castle, but no
significant contributions are documented.

1615– 30– Comes into the service of Ogasawara Tadanao in Harima Province as a
1621 37 construction supervisor.

36–
1621 Duels Miyake Gunbei in Tatsuno, Hyōgo.
37

37–
1622 Sets up temporary residence at the castle town of Himeji, Hyōgo.
38

38–
1623 Travels to Edo.
39

Adopts a son named Iori.

41–
1626 Adopted son Mikinosuke commits seppuku following in the tradition of Junshi.
42

42–
1627 Travels again.
43

43–
1628 Meets with Yagyū Hyōgonosuke in Nagoya, Owari Province.
44

45–
1630 Enters the service of Lord Hosokawa Tadatoshi.
46

48–
1633 Begins to extensively practice the arts.
49

49– Settles in Kokura, Fukuoka Prefecture for a short time with son Iori as a guest of
1634
50 Ogasawara Tadazane.

Serves a major role in the Shimabara Rebellion (December 17, 1637 – April 15,
1637– 53–
1638) and is the only documented evidence that Musashi served in battle. Was
1638 54
knocked off his horse by a rock thrown by one of the peasants.

56–
1641 Writes Hyoho Sanju-go.
57

57–
1642 Suffers severe attacks from neuralgia.
58

1643 58– Migrates into Reigandō where he lives as a hermit.

 59

Finishes Go Rin No Sho/The Book of Five Rings. Dies from what is believed to be
1645 61
lung cancer.

Philosophy

Calligraphy by Musashi

In Musashi's last book, The Book of

Five Rings ( 五輪書, Go Rin no Sho),
Musashi seems to take a very
philosophical approach to looking at
the "craft of war": "There are five
ways in which men pass through
life: as gentlemen, warriors, farmers,
artisans and merchants."

Throughout the book, Musashi

implies that the way of the Warrior,
as well as the meaning of a "true
strategist" is that of somebody who
has made mastery of many art
forms away from that of the sword,
such as tea drinking (sadō),
laboring, writing, and painting, as
Musashi practiced throughout his
life.[32] Musashi was hailed as an
extraordinary sumi-e artist in the
use of ink monochrome as depicted
in two such paintings: "Shrike
Perched in a Dead Tree" (Koboku
枯木鳴鵙図) and "Wild
Meigekizu,
Geese Among Reeds" (Rozanzu, 魯
山図). Going back to the Book of
Five Rings, Musashi talks deeply
about the ways of Buddhism.

He makes particular 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 ruin of houses, the
splendor of houses, the style of the
house, the tradition and name or
origins of a house. These too, are
similar to the events which are seen
to have warriors and soldiers thrive;
the rise and fall of prefectures,
countries and other such events are
what make uses for warriors, as well
as the literal comparisons: "The
carpenter uses a master plan of the
building, and the way of strategy is
similar in that there is a plan of
campaign".

Way of strategy

Ni-Ten Ichi Ryu

Within the book, Musashi mentions

that the use of two swords within
strategy is equally beneficial to
those who use the skill for individual
duels or large 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
difficult to wield it freely to left and
right, so my method is to carry the
sword in one hand." He also
disagrees with the idea of using a
sword with two hands on a horse
and/or riding on unstable terrain,
such as muddy swamps, rice fields,
or within crowds of people.

To learn the strategy of Ni-Ten Ichi

Ryū, Musashi employs that by
training with two long swords, one
in each hand, 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 long swords

proficiently enough, mastery of a
long sword, and a "companion
sword", most likely a wakizashi, will
be much increased: "When you
become used to wielding the long
sword, you will gain the power of the
Way and wield the sword well."
In short, it could be seen, from the
excerpts from The Book of Five
Rings, that real strategy behind Ni-
Ten No Ichi Ryu, is that there is no
real iron-clad method, 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 also
win with a short weapon. In
short, the Way of the Ichi
school is the spirit of winning,
whatever the weapon and
whatever its size.
Religion

Even from an early age, 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 belief 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 further
elucidated: "Respect Buddha and
the gods without counting on their
help."[34]

As an artist
Shrike in a barren tree, 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 domain." He proved this by
creating recognized masterpieces
of calligraphy and classic ink
painting. His paintings are
characterized by skilled use of ink
washes and an economy of brush
stroke. He especially mastered the
"broken 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 involvement in
calligraphy and other arts as a
means of training in the art of
war.[35]

In Japanese and global

culture

Miyamoto Musashi Budokan

Miyamoto Musashi Budokan located in Ōhara-chō, Mimasaka province where Miyamoto Musashi was
born on March 12 of the Tenshō era.
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 Jitte, Hirata Sôkan

On 20 May 2000, at the initiative of

Sensei Tadashi Chihara[36] the
Miyamoto Musashi Budokan[37] was
inaugurated.[1] It was built in Ōhara-
Cho in the province of Mimasaka,
the birthplace of the samurai. Inside
the building, the life and journey of
Miyamoto Musashi are remembered
everywhere. Dedicated to martial
arts, the Budokan is the source for
all of Japan's official traditional
saber and kendo schools.
Practically, historically and culturally
it is a junction for martial 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 tenth in the lineage 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 event was
extended during the mandate of the
new mayor of Ōhara-Chō Fukuda
Yoshiaki, by the official invitation
from Japan and the consequent
visit of the mayor of Gleizé for the
inauguration of the Miyamoto
Musashi Budokan on 10 May 2000,
in the presence of personalities and
Japanese authorities.

In popular culture

Even in Musashi's time there were

fictional texts resembling comic
books. It is therefore quite difficult
to separate fact from fiction when
discussing his life. There have been
numerous works of fiction made
about or featuring Musashi. Eiji
Yoshikawa's novelization (originally
a 1930s daily newspaper serial) has
greatly influenced successive
fictional depictions (including the
manga Vagabond by Takehiko
Inoue) and is often mistaken for a
factual account 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 research
and translations by William Scott
Wilson.

The 2008 video game Ryū ga Gotoku

Kenzan! was based on his life and
personality.

He also appeared in the manga

Baki-Dou as a revived clone of
himself with his real soul intact as
one of the strongest fighters in the
series, and used his two-sword style
in almost every combat in which he
was shown.
In the video game Overwatch the
playable character Genji has a voice
line that quotes Musashi: "Mi wo
sutetemo myōri wa sutezu" ( 身を捨
てても名利は捨てず), which roughly
translates to "You may abandon
your body, but you must preserve
your honor."

The card game Magic: The

Gathering has a card based on him,
Isshin, Two Heavens as One, named
for his two swords as one
technique.
In Cyberpunk 2077 the character
Takemura sends a text message to
V that reads "Even should you
abandon your body, never abandon
your honor. Never stray from the
Way. Miyamoto Musashi" This text
can only be received after the
mission Search and Destroy, if the
player saves Takemura.

Gallery
Statue of Hosokawa Tadatoshi within
Suizen-ji Jōju-en

Mon of the Hosokawa clan

Mon of Miyamoto Musashi born in
Ōhara-chō province of Mimasaka[40]

Mon of Tokugawa Shogunate

 Statue of Musashi & Kojiro Battle

Bibliography
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 also
Martial
Arts
portal
Asia
portal
Japan
portal
History
portal
War
portal
Biography
portal

Yagyū Munenori
Gosho Motoharu
Hōjō Akinokami
Sasaki Kojiro
Takuan Soho
Terao Magonojō
Eiji Yoshikawa
Bizen
Mimasaka
Ōhara-chō
 Miyamoto Musashi Budokan
Miyamoto Musashi Station
Philosophy of war
List of military writers

References
1. Tokitsu, Kenji (1998). Miyamoto Musashi:
17th century Japanese saber master:
man and work, myth and reality ;
Miyamoto Musashi : maître de sabre
japonais du XVIIe siècle : l'homme et
l'œuvre, mythe et réalité (https://www.wor
ldcat.org/oclc/41259596) . Editions
désiris. pp. 19, 20. ISBN 9782907653541.
OCLC 41259596 (https://www.worldcat.o
rg/oclc/41259596) .
2. Toyota Masataka. "Niten Ki (A Chronicle
of Two Heavens)", in Gorin no Sho, ed.
Kamiko Tadashi (Tokyo: Tokuma-shoten,
1963), 239.
3. Miyamoto Musashi, trans.S. F. Kaufman
(1994), Book Of Five Rings, Tuttle
Publishing.
4. "Budokan" (http://www.ecole-miyamoto-
musashi.com/budokan_uk.html) .
Miyamoto Musashi school. 2009.
Retrieved 12 August 2020.
5. Miyamoto Musashi. "Go Rin No Sho", in
Gorin no Sho, ed. Kamiko Tadashi (Tokyo:
Tokuma-shoten, 1963), 13.
6. Toyota, p. 239
7. Miyamoto, p. 18ff.
 8. Miyamoto, 13.
9. Miyamoto, p. 17ff.
10. Musashi, Miyamoto (2018). Complete
Musashi : the Definitive Translations of
the Complete Writings of Miyamoto
Musashi—JapanÆs Greatest Samurai (ht
tps://www.worldcat.org/oclc/10762367
83) . Alexander Bennett. La Vergne:
Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-2027-
3. OCLC 1076236783 (https://www.world
cat.org/oclc/1076236783) .
11. Musashi, Miyamoto (2006). Rosemary
Brant (ed.). The Book of Five Rings: the
classic text of Samurai sword strategy.
New York: Barnes & Noble. ISBN 978-0-
7607-8457-0. Translated by Ashikaga
Yoshiharu.
12. Harris, Victor, p. 10, Miyamoto p. 16ff.
The latter footnote by Kamiko reads: "For
his entire life, Musashi never took a wife,
cut his hair, or entered a bath".
13. William Scott Wilson. (2004). The Lone
Samurai. Kodansha International.
ISBN 978-4-7700-2942-3.
14. Kenji Tokitsu (2004). Miyamoto Musashi:
His Life and Writings. Shambhala.
15. Lowry, Dave (1986). Bokken: Art of the
Japanese Sword. Ohara Publications.
pp. 21–27. ISBN 978-0-89750-104-0.
16. Wilson, William Scott (2004). The Lone
Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi
(https://books.google.com/books?id=0p0
C7Y8lkH8C&q=musashi+came+late+and
+unkempt&pg=PA18) (1st ed.). Tokyo:
Kodansha International. p. 19.
ISBN 9784770029423.
17. "Art of Miyamoto Musashi" (http://www.e
cole-miyamoto-
musashi.com/liens.html) . Miyamoto
Musashi Dojo. 2009. Retrieved 12 August
2020.
18. Toyota, p. 250
宮本武蔵 – Musashi" (http://www.ecole-
19. "
miyamoto-musashi.com/musashi_jp.ht
ml) . Miyamoto Musashi dojo. 2009.
Retrieved 13 August 2020.
20. Almo, Leif. "Musashi Miyamoto – the
Legend" (http://kendo.com/miyamotomu
sashi) . Kendo.com. Scandnet AB.
Retrieved 4 March 2017.
21. K. Groff, David (2016). The Five Rings:
Miyamoto Musashi's Art of Strategy.
Book Sales. p. 21. ISBN 9780785834007.
22. Thomas F., Cleary (2000). Classics of
Strategy and Counsel: Thunder in the sky.
Shambhala. p. 269.
ISBN 9781570627286.
23. William Scott, Wilson (2013). The Lone
Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi.
Shambhala Publications. p. 78.
ISBN 9781590309872.
24. Tokitsu, Kenji (2004). Miyamoto Musashi:
His Life and Writings. Shambhala. p. 222.
ISBN 9781590300459.
25. "Miyamoto Musashi" (https://www.nakas
endoway.com/miyamoto-musashi/) .
Nakasendoway.
26. William Scott, Wilson (2013). The Lone
Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi.
Shambhala Publications. p. 79.
ISBN 9781590309872.
27. Downer, Lesley (2002). Women of the
Pleasure Quarters: The Secret History of
the Geisha. Broadway Books.
ISBN 9780767904902.
28. Ratti, Oscar; Westbrook, Adele (20
December 2011). Secrets of the Samurai:
The Martial Arts of Feudal Japan (https://
books.google.com/books?id=Y47TAgAA
QBAJ&q=Musashi+created+and+refined+
a+two-sword+kenjutsu+technique&pg=P
A241) . Tuttle Publishing. p. 241.
ISBN 978-1-4629-0254-5.
29. Niten Institute. "The life of Miyamoto
Musashi" (http://niten.org/english/institut
o/miyamoto_musashi/musashi-biografi
a) . Instituto Cultural Niten. Retrieved
15 January 2019.
30. Hyakutake-Watkin, Colin; Masayuki, Imai;
Norikazu, Iwata. "Hyōhō.com" (https://we
b.archive.org/web/20040615033613/htt
p://www.hyoho.com/) . Archived from the
original (http://www.hyoho.com) on 15
June 2004.
31. Kagita, Chūbei. "The sickle-spear of the
Hōzōinryū (7) | SojutsuDE" (http://www.so
jutsu.de/en/home/texte-vom-20-soke/der
-sichelspeer-der-hozoinryu-7) .
www.sojutsu.de. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
First published in the Nara town
magazine Ubusuna on 8 July 2009.
32. "Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life: Five
Lessons from Miyamoto Musashi's 'Way
of the Warrior' – The Objective Standard"
(https://theobjectivestandard.com/2020/
05/ancient-wisdom-for-modern-life-five-le
ssons-from-miyamoto-musashis-way-of-t
he-warrior/) . theobjectivestandard.com.
28 May 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
33. Miyamoto, p. 57.
獨行道" (https://web.archive.org/web/20
34. "
081218202853/http://www.pref.kumamo
to.jp/education/hinokuni/isan/siteijoukyo
u/2003.9.12/dokoudou.html) . Archived
from the original (http://www.pref.kumam
oto.jp/education/hinokuni/isan/siteijouky
ou/2003.9.12/dokoudou.html) on 18
December 2008.
35. Uozumi Takashi (25 July 2019). "Master
Swordsman Miyamoto Musashi: The Man
Behind The Book of Five Rings" (https://w
eb.archive.org/web/20200305121209/htt
ps://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g
00689/master-swordsman-miyamoto-mu
sashi-the-man-behind-the-book-of-five-rin
gs.html) . Nippon.com. Archived from the
original (https://www.nippon.com/en/jap
an-topics/g00689/master-swordsman-mi
yamoto-musashi-the-man-behind-the-boo
k-of-five-rings.html) on 5 March 2020.
36. "the 10 th, Tadashi Chihara, hyouhou
niten ichiryū musashi seitannochi" (http
s://54369d1c-e4d2-4025-8e17-8bf19b68
e412.filesusr.com/ugd/c7032e_aab689e
3cf384be28fbad53526b96dbd.pdf)
(PDF). 11 April 2020.

37. "Miyamoto Musashi Dojo" (http://www.dojo-

miyamoto-musashi.com/budokan_uk.htm
l) .
38. "Reportage – Dojo – France3 – Miyamoto
Musashi School" (https://vimeo.com/387
165059) . February 1999.
39. "Heiho Niten Ichi Ryu Memorial" (https://
www.memorial-heiho-niten-ichi-ryu.com/r
econnaissance) . 2018.
 40. "Mimasaka. Musashi Miyamoto" (https://
www.memorial-heiho-niten-ichi-ryu.com/
mimasaka) . Mémorial Heiho Niten Ichi
Ryu. 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2020.

Further reading

Fiction

Sean Michael, Wilson (2014).

Musashi (A Graphic Novel).
Shambhala. (Manga/historical
fiction)
Sean Michael, Wilson (2012). The
Book of Five Rings: a graphic novel.
Shambhala. (Manga/historical
fiction)
 Inoue, Takehiko (1998). Vagabond.
Viz Communications.
(Manga/historical fiction)
Yoshikawa, Eiji (1995). Musashi
(reprint ed.). Kodansha
International. ISBN 978-4-7700-
1957-8. (Historical fiction)

Children's books

Moore, J.S. (2014). Under the Sun:

The Miyamoto Musashi Story.
Understanding Apples Press.
ISBN 978-1-5028-0491-4.

Essays
Tokitsu, Kenji (2004). Miyamoto
Musashi: His Life and Writings.
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
ISBN 978-1-59030-045-9.
Turnbull, Stephen R. (1990). The
Lone Samurai and the Martial Arts (h
ttps://archive.org/details/lonesamur
aimarti0000turn) . London: Arms
and Armour Press. ISBN 978-0-
85368-967-6.
Wilson, William Scott (2004). The
Lone Samurai. Kodansha
International. ISBN 978-4-7700-
2942-3.
De Lange, William (2010). The Real
Musashi: The Bushu denraiki.
Floating World Editions. ISBN 978-1-
891640-56-8.
De Lange, William (2011). The Real
Musashi: The Bukoden. Floating
World Editions. ISBN 978-1-891640-
60-5.
De Lange, William (2016). The Real
Musashi: A Miscellany. Floating
World Editions. ISBN 978-1-891640-
86-5.
De Lange, William (2014). Miyamoto
Musashi: A Life in Arms. Floating
 World Editions. ISBN 978-1-891640-
629.

Testimony

Iwami Toshio Harukatsu soke (11th

successor to Miyamoto Musashi),
Musashi's teachings – philosophy
first: translation in English (http://la
kischool.free.fr/IWAMI%20dragon%
20interview%20english.pdf) ,
Dragon n°7, January 2005, ed.
Mathis ; French original text:
L'enseignement de Musashi est
d'abord une philosophie (http://lakisc
hool.free.fr/DRAGON%2001%20200
 5-MUSASHI-ECOLE%20DES%202%2
0SABRES.pdf)
Iwami Toshio Harukatsu soke (11th
successor to Miyamoto Musashi),
Musashi's principles (http://lakischo
ol.free.fr/interview%20niten%20200
6.pdf) , Dragon n°13, January 2006,
ed. Mathis; French original text: Les
principes de Musashi (http://lakisch
ool.free.fr/DRAGON%2001%202006-
INTERVIEW%20IWAMI.pdf)

External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to
Miyamoto Musashi.
miyamotomusashi.eu (http://www.miya
motomusashi.eu)
Miyamoto Musashi Dojo (http://ww
w.memorial-niten-ichy-ryu.com/mus
ashi.html) (in French)
Some artwork by Miyamoto
Musashi (http://www.kampaibudoka
i.org/MusashiArt.htm) (archive link
(https://web.archive.org/web/20070
707073253/http://www.kampaibud
okai.org/MusashiArt.htm) )
The samurai warrior and Zen
Buddhism (website of the Asian Art
Museum, San Francisco) (https://we
b.archive.org/web/2012110300123
8/http://www.asianart.org/blog/inde
x.php/2009/05/29/5-samurai-fact
s/)
Complete texts in English by
Miyamoto Musashi (https://web.arc
hive.org/web/20190125131917/htt
p://www.bookoffiverings.com/)
Miyamoto Musashi; his
Swordsmanship and Book of Five
Rings (https://www.nitojuku.com/ar
ticles)
Profile on Shambhala Publications
website (https://www.shambhala.co
m/miyamoto-musashi)
Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Miyamoto_Musashi&oldid=113220536
9"

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