Search results
Learn about Miyamoto Musashi, a Japanese swordsman, strategist, artist, and writer who is considered a kensei (sword saint) of Japan. Find out his biography, duels, philosophy, and legacy from this comprehensive article.
Miyamoto Musashi was a famous Japanese soldier-artist of the early Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603–1867). Musashi began his career as a fighter early in life when, at age 13, he killed a man in single combat.
- Accept everything just the way it is. This precept encourages acceptance and mindfulness of the world as it truly is, not as we wish or fear it to be.
- Do not seek pleasure for its own sake. This teaches the avoidance of hedonism and the understanding that temporary pleasures are not the path to lasting happiness.
- Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling. This advises against making decisions based on incomplete emotions or information.
- Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world. This instructs us to remain humble and considerate of the bigger picture beyond our personal needs and wants.
- Austin Harvey
- Becoming Miyamoto Musashi. Details of Musashi’s life are often obscured by fable and fantasy. Even the identity of his mother is debated. Nonetheless, some historians have been able to create a compelling portrait of the man.
- Miyamoto Musashi Becomes A Ronin. Musashi grew up in a time of great change in Japan. The country seethed with feudal wars as the old ruling Ashikaga Shogunate declined then collapsed completely in 1573.
- The First Duels. Duels in premodern Japan were serious affairs and often lethal, even when using a wooden sword called a bokken as Musashi usually did. But death was not really a concern for Musashi and other samurai who followed the Bushido warrior code which placed honor and glory above death.
- “Agitating Your Opponent: You Should Investigate This Thoroughly.” Musashi spent the next several years wandering Japan and challenging others to duels in order to hone his skills and cement his reputation.
Jul 25, 2019 · Miyamoto Musashi, swordmaster of the early Edo period (1603–1868), fought over 60 battles during his life, losing none. His Gorin no sho (The Book of Five Rings) is considered one...
May 18, 2017 · Birth of a Legend. Around 1584, a boy was born into the Hirata family of samurai in the village of Miyamoto, located in the Harima Province of Japan. The boy’s father, Miyamoto Munisai (or Shinmen Munisai), was considered to be one of Japan’s greatest swordsmen, and he ran the village’s local dojo.
Jul 22, 2023 · Learn about the life and legacy of Miyamoto Musashi, one of the most famous Japanese swordsmen of all time. Discover his unconventional approach to martial arts and his philosophy of the Way of Strategy in his treatise Go Rin no Sho.
