Miyamoto Musashi

Miyamoto Musashi at the age of thirteen.

Miyamoto Musashi is an historic Japanese figure.  He was born in the 17th century and is known today for two majors feats:  he established his fame by winning over sixty duels and defeating a distinguished samouraï, Sasaki Kojiro; he is the author of the greatest work of Japanese strategy, the “Book of Five Rings” or Gorin no Sho.  He was exceptional on many levels.

Miyamoto Musashi was a swordsman who never recognised having a master.  He was, however, the beneficiary of his father’s expertise, which included, among other things, knowledge of the Jitte.  But it has been reported that he criticized the art of his father, Miyamoto Munisaï, very early on.   He acquired his knowledge by traveling (from the age of 18) across Japan and on the occasion of deadly duels he measured and collected the teachings from other schools.  In a Japan where the techniques aim to kill as quickly as possible and the secrets are hidden, the only way to learn was to challenge a school’s expert.  Sixty fights were necessary for Miyamoto Musashi to improve his art.

Despite the caliber of his capacities, Miyamoto Musashi knew no lord to whose service he could put his knowledge of the sword and strategy.  He traveled and approached the Shogun and many lords.  He participated in different battles where he could verify his views on the art of war.  In the end he established himself in the south of Japan on the isle of Kyûshû, namely Kumamoto and Kokura.  His adopted son Iori became the vassal of Lord Hosokawa of Kokura and his descendants still live on the area.  The school Hyôhô Niten Ichi Ryu is established today at Kokura and is represented by Master Iwami Toshio.

Miyamoto Musashi is one of the few to have left behind written work:  The Mirror of the Way of Strategy, Hyôdôkyô, in 1605 at the age of 21; Thirty-five Instructions on Strategy, Hyôhô sanjû-go-kajô, in 1641 at 57 years old; and the writings on the five elements, Gorin no Sho, in 1645 at the age of 61.  His vision, we could say his conception of the world, does not separate the different faces of human activity because for him their efficiency resides in the unity of their use. Martial expertise, the mastery of strategy and spiritual perfection fuse in his research, from whence comes the ideogram Hyôhô, way of strategy and spiritual study.

Miyamoto Musashi urges us to study.  Following the example of the Buddha, he rejects the authority of tradition in the sense that it is only by ourselves, by examination and by testing it that we can discern the way to follow.  To this end, he traveled, defying swordsmen and meeting masters of many arts.  He left behind literary works, calligraphy, paintings, statues, gardens, and pieces of metalwork.  He never stopped gathering excellence from the arts and traditions of Japan in his era.  His spirit and his teaching can be grasped through his works, in museums, in novels, in diverse films including interpretation with Toshiro Mifune.  But above of all, a lineage of men, of masters, assistants and practitioners, crossing over four centuries to forward such a teaching.