Musashi Miyamoto
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Miyamoto Musashi 宮本 武蔵 |
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Miyamoto Musashi in his prime, wielding two bokken. Woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.
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| Born | Bennosuke c. 1584 Harima Province or Mimasaka Province, Japan |
| Died | June 13, 1645 (aged 60–61) Higo Province, Japan Natural causes |
| Native name | 宮本 武蔵 |
| Other names | Miyamoto Bennosuke; Niten Dōraku; Shinmen Musashi no Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu |
| Residence | Japan |
| Style | Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū Kenjutsu |
| Teacher(s) | none verified |
| Notable students | Takemura Yoemon; Terao Magonojo; Terao Motomenosuke; Furuhashi Sōzaemon |
Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵?, c. 1584 – June 13, 1645), also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was an expert Japanese swordsman and rōnin. Musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his excellent and unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 60 duels (next to 33 of Itō Ittōsai). He was the founder of the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū or Niten-ryū style of swordsmanship and in his final years authored The Book of Five Rings (五輪の書 Go Rin no Sho?), a book on strategy, tactics, and philosophy that is still studied today.
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.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." 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." His childhood name was Bennosuke (弁之助).
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 Munisai (新免無二斎) was an accomplished martial artist and master of the sword and jutte (also jitte). 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. 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.
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