Miyamoto Musashi
Japanese swordsman, founder of the two-sword style Niten Ichi-ryu and author of Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings), which he completed in 1645.
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JapanBiography
Miyamoto Musashi was a Japanese swordsman, founder of the two-sword style Niten Ichi-ryu, and author of Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings). He was born around 1583 in the village of Miyamoto in Harima Province, though some sources give Mimasaka Province. He died on 13 June 1645 at the age of 60–61 in Higo Province; as the place of death, sources give either the Reigando cave or Chiba Castle in Kumamoto.
His father, Shinmen Munisai, was a respected warrior. Musashi fought his first duel at thirteen, defeating Arima Kihei, and at sixteen he defeated Tadashima Akiyama. He also trained in the jitte technique and in throwing shuriken. On 13 April 1612 on Ganryu Island he killed his opponent Sasaki Kojiro with a wooden sword carved from an oar. A source states that he was undefeated in 62 duels; in 1634 he defeated the spearman Takada Matabei.
His Niten Ichi-ryu style combines the katana and wakizashi. From 1633 he stayed with the daimyo Hosokawa Tadatoshi at Kumamoto Castle, and from 1640 he was formally his vassal. In 1641 he wrote Hyoho Sanju Go (Thirty-five Instructions on Strategy). In 1643–1645 he withdrew to the Reigando cave, where in the second month of 1645 he completed Go Rin No Sho. He is also the author of Dokkodo (The Way of Walking Alone).
Seven days before his death he bequeathed his manuscripts to his student Terao Magonojo. According to more recent research, his participation in the Battle of Sekigahara is disputed: it is uncertain which side he fought on, or whether it was the Battle of Sekigahara or the Battle of Ishigakihara.
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Filmography
A screen role does not mean the person actually practises the art — that is listed above.