40 Facts About Miyamoto Musashi

Miyamoto Musashi, known as Shinmen Takezo, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Doraku, was a Japanese swordsman, philosopher, strategist, writer and ronin, who became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 61 duels.

Miyamoto Musashi was the founder of the Niten Ichi-ryu, or Nito Ichi-ryu, style of swordsmanship, and in his final years authored The Book of Five Rings and Dokkodo.

Miyamoto Musashi himself simply states in The Book of Five Rings that he was born in Harima Province.

Miyamoto Musashi gives his full name and title in The Book of Five Rings as Shinmen Miyamoto Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu.

Miyamoto Musashi's father, Shinmen Munisai was an accomplished martial artist and master of the sword and jutte.

Miyamoto Musashi's eczema developed in his infancy, and this adversely affected his appearance.

In 1596, Miyamoto Musashi was 13, and Arima Kihei, who was traveling to hone his art, posted a public challenge in Hirafuku-mura.

Dorin, Miyamoto Musashi's uncle, was shocked by this, and tried to beg off the duel in Miyamoto Musashi's name, based on his nephew's age.

Kihei was adamant that the only way his honour could be cleared was if Miyamoto Musashi apologized to him when the duel was scheduled.

Kihei attacked with a wakizashi, but Miyamoto Musashi threw Kihei on the floor, and while Kihei tried to get up, Miyamoto Musashi struck Arima between the eyes and then beat him to death.

In 1599, Miyamoto Musashi left his village, apparently at the age of 15.

Miyamoto Musashi spent his time traveling and engaging in duels.

In 1611, Miyamoto Musashi began practicing zazen at the Myoshin-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 Kyushu after the Battle of Sekigahara.

Kojiro sent out servants to retrieve Miyamoto Musashi, who ate a full breakfast, taking his time.

In some variants of the tale, Miyamoto Musashi intentionally arrives late as a sign of disrespect.

Miyamoto Musashi responded with a taunt of his own, saying that Kojiro clearly wasn't confident in himself if he thought he'd never get a chance to use a fine scabbard again.

Miyamoto Musashi, too, jumped and swung his weapon with a shout, and the two sword strokes met.

Miyamoto Musashi's headband fell off, sliced by Kojiro's sword, but somehow, only the headband was cut rather than Miyamoto Musashi's skull.

Twenty-one years later, in 1633, Miyamoto Musashi began staying with Hosokawa Tadatoshi, daimyo of Kumamoto Castle, who had moved to the Kumamoto fief and Kokura, to train and paint.

In 1642, Miyamoto Musashi suffered attacks of neuralgia, foreshadowing his future ill-health.

Miyamoto Musashi finished it in the second month of 1645.

Miyamoto Musashi had his belt tightened and his wakizashi put in it.

Miyamoto Musashi seated himself with one knee vertically raised, holding the sword with his left hand and a cane in his right hand.

Miyamoto Musashi died in this posture, at the age of sixty-two.

Miyamoto Musashi died of what is believed to be thoracic cancer.

Miyamoto Musashi died peacefully after finishing the text Dokkodo, 21 precepts on self-discipline to guide future generations.

The Bushu Denraiki details Miyamoto Musashi fathering a daughter by a courtesan.

Miyamoto Musashi created and refined a two-sword kenjutsu technique called niten'ichi or nitoichi or 'Niten Ichi-ryu'.

Miyamoto Musashi frequently threw his short sword, and Kenji Tokitsu believes that shuriken methods for the wakizashi were the Niten Ichi Ryu's secret techniques.

Miyamoto Musashi made various Zen brush paintings, calligraphy, and sculpted wood and metal.

Miyamoto Musashi's writings were very ambiguous, and translating them into English makes them even more so; thus many different translations of The Book of Five Rings can be found.

Miyamoto 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" and "Wild Geese Among Reeds".

However, the belief that Miyamoto Musashi disliked Shinto is inaccurate, as he criticises the Shinto-ryu style of swordsmanship, not Shinto, the religion.

Miyamoto Musashi's paintings are characterized by skilled use of ink washes and an economy of brush stroke.

Miyamoto Musashi especially mastered the "broken ink" school of landscapes, applying it to other subjects, such as his Kobokumeikakuzu, his Hotei Watching a Cockfight, and his Rozanzu.

On 20 May 2000, at the initiative of Sensei Tadashi Chihara the Miyamoto Musashi Budokan was inaugurated.

Inside the building, the life and journey of Miyamoto Musashi are remembered everywhere.

The inauguration of the Miyamoto Musashi Budokan perpetuated the twinning established on March 4,1999, between the inhabitants of Ohara-Cho and the inhabitants of Gleize.

Miyamoto Musashi 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.

Mon of Miyamoto Musashi born in Ohara-cho province of Mimasaka.