was a Japanese swordsman, strategist, artist, and writer who became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 62 duels. Musashi is considered a kensei (sword saint) of Japan. He was the founder of the Niten Ichi-ryà « (or Nito Ichi-ryà «) style of swordsmanship. In his final years, Musashi authored and Dokkà Âdà  (ç¨è¡ÂéÂÂ, The Path of Aloneness).
Both documents were bequeathed to Terao Magonojà Â, Musashi's most important student, seven days before Musashi's death. The Book of Five Rings focuses on the character of his Niten Ichi-ryà « school in a concrete sense; his own practical martial art and its generic significance. On the other hand, The Path of Aloneness deals with the ideas that lie behind it, as well as his life's philosophy in a few short aphoristic sentences.
It is believed that Musashi was a friend of Mizuno Katsunari, a Tokugawa shogunate general. As part of the Tokugawa Army, they fought together in the Battle of Sekigahara, Siege of Osaka, and Shimabara Rebellion .
The Miyamoto Musashi Budokan training center in à Âhara-chà  (Mimasaka), Okayama Prefecture, Japan, was erected in his honour.
Details of Miyamoto Musashi's early life are difficult to verify. Musashi writes in The Book of Five Rings (Go Rin No Sho) that he was born in Miyamoto, a village in Harima Province. Niten Ki, an early biography of Musashi, supports the assertion that Musashi was born in 1583. "[He] was born in Banshà «, in Tenshà  12 [1583], the Year of the Goat." 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."
Musashi gives his full name and title in The Book of Five Rings as Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu (æ°å Âæ¦èµå®Âè¤åÂÂçÂÂä¿¡) . His father, Shinmen Munisai (æ°å Âç¡äºÂæÂÂ) was an accomplished martial artist, master of the sword, and jutte (also jitte). Munisai, in turn, was the son of Hirata Shà Âgen (å¹³ç°å°Âç£), 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. "Fujiwara" was the lineage from which Musashi claimed descent. Other names of his include Shinmen Takezà Â, Miyamoto Bennosuke, and Niten Dà Âraku (his Buddhist name). Hirata's wife was Omasa. She died as a result of giving birth to Musashi.
Musashi developed eczema during infancy, which had an adverse effect on his appearance. Another story claims that he never bathed himself because he did not want to be surprised unarmed. Historian Kamiko writes, "For his entire life, Musashi never took a wife, cut his hair, or entered a bath."
According to The Book of Five Rings, Musashi testified that his first duel occurred when he was still 12- 13 years old. His opponent was a Arima Kihei, a swordsman who practised Kashima Shintà Â-ryà « martial arts, which were created by Tsukahara Bokuden. Musashi was victorious. The second duel happened when Musashi was 16 years old, when he won another victory against Tadashima Akiyama, a swordsman who was native to Tajima Province. Musashi's third duel, at age 21 was in Kyoto, where he defeated several students of a famous sword fighting school.
In 1599, Musashi left his village at age 15 or 16.
In 1600, Musashi served inÃÂ Kuroda Yoshitaka's army on the Eastern side and fought in the BattleÃÂ of IshigakiharaÃÂ and the Siege of Fuka Castle againstÃÂ Ã Âtomo Yoshimune's army from the Western side. In this battle, the force of Kuroda Yoshitaka emerged victorious at 21 October.
For a long time, the popular theory stated that Musashi participated in the Battle of Sekigahara on the Western Army side due to the fact that Shinmen clan was a longtime vassal to the Ukita clan. However, recent research by modern Japanese historians challenged the theory, as they asserted that Musashi and his father, Shinmen Munisai, actually sided with The Eastern Army. This stemmed from historical records that Munisai no longer served the Ukita clan during that time, and the clan records of Kuroda clan, ally of Tokugawa Ieyasu during the war, had recorded the name of Shinmen Munisai among their vassals who participated in the war. Historians quoted The Transmission of Military Art to Master Bushu Genshin, the record from Tachibana Mineki; vassal of Kuroda clan, and the "Matsui Clan record", rejecting that the theory that Musashi fought on the side of Western Army, both in Sekigahara and in Osaka siege 14 years later. Historian Masahide Fukuda has determined that the name of Munisai appeared in Kuroda clan record under the category of Kogofudai, or Kuroda clan vassals who had entered service before 1586. Owing to this fact, Fukuda concluded it was natural that Munisai and Musashi were on the Tokugawa side during the war.
Nevertheless, while Japanese historians generally agree that Musashi favoured the Eastern Army, it remains a matter of debate whether he saw action at Sekigahara or Ishigakihara. Japanese history novelist Kengo Tominaga proposed a theory that Musashi during the Sekigahara Campaign did not fight in the main battle of Sekigahara, rather he fought under Kuroda Yoshitaka against Ishida Mitsunari loyalists from the western provinces in the battle of Ishigakihara, Ã Âita Prefecture.
In December 1608, It was reported that Musashi met with Mizuno Katsunari, a Tokugawa general. Musashi taught Katsunari the secret techniques of his sword style.
In 1611, Musashi learned zazen at Myà Âshin-ji, Kyà «shà «. Musashi introduced Nagaoka Sado to an official of daimyo (lord) named Hosokawa Tadaoki.
Musashi duelled Sasaki Kojiro, another skilled swordsman, in one of his most famous battles. While there are differing opinions on how it happened, the prevailing notion is that Musashi challenged Kojiro, requesting Hosokawa Tadaoki to organise the time and place. Kojiro agreed to the challenge, scheduled one year later, on 13 April, at Ganryà «jima Island. When the date arrived, the island was filled with spectators anxious to witness the duel.
Musashi, it is said, deliberately arrived late. Kojirà  had lost his patience while waiting, and he taunted Musashi for his late arrival, though the latter remained composed. Kojirà  was known for fighting with a nodachi, a sword with a long blade. During his journey to the island by boat, Musashi had carved an oar into a bokken, or wooden practice sword. The duel ended when Musashi quickly and fatally struck Kojirà Â, crushing his skull with a vertical stroke.
In 1614, during the Siege of Osaka, it was believed that Musashi participated in the Tokugawa army under the command of Musashi's personal friend, Mizuno Katsushige or also known as Katsunari. Musashi was reportedly carrying the banner of Katsunari, and also acted as bodyguard of Mizuno Katsutoshi, son of Katsunari. It was said in a later era, during the Shimabara Rebellion, that Musashi once told a commander of the Tokugawa army that he had served under Mizuno Katsunari's command during the Osaka siege and knew the military system very well. Miyamoto Mikinosuke, the adopted son of Musashi, also served under Katsunari during this battle. According to the Sekisui zatsuwa, Mikinosuke was also Musashi's paternal relative through his father, Nakagawa Shimanosuke, who was also a vassal of Katsunari. The attendance of Musashi in this conflict under the Mizuno clan was also attested by contemporary Oba clan record documents. A document titled Munekyu-sama Godeko (a collection of Katsunari's words and actions after his retirement) also mentions Mikinosuke.
In 1633, Musashi began staying with Hosokawa Tadatoshi, daimyà  of Kumamoto Castle, who had moved to the Kumamoto fief and Kokura, to train and paint. While he engaged in very few duels during this period, one occurred in 1634 at the arrangement of Lord Ogasawara, in which Musashi defeated a lance specialist named Takada Matabei. Musashi officially became the retainer of the Hosokawa lords of Kumamoto in 1640. The Niten Ki records "[he] received from Lord Tadatoshi: 17 retainers, a stipend of 300 koku, the rank of à Âkumigashira 大çµÂé Â, and Chiba Castle in Kumamoto as his residence."
In 1638, Musashi allegedly participated in the suppression of the Shimabara Rebellion. In the journal Munekyu (Katsunari)-sama, a collection of statements made by Katsunari Mizuno after his retirement in 1639, a story is recalled about Mizuno's army during the Shimabara Rebellion: a man named Miyamoto Musashi entered the camp of general Ogasawara Nagatsugu, and Musashi said, "Last time (at Siege of Osaka), (Mizuno Katsunari) Hyuga-no-Kamidono's clan had this, and I knew the military system very well." Musashi continued, "He is a great general that no one can match."
In the second month of 1641, Musashi wrote a work called the Hyoho Sanju Go ("Thirty-five Instructions on Strategy") for Hosokawa Tadatoshi. This work overlapped and formed the basis for the later The Book of Five Rings. This was the year that his adopted son, Hirao Yoemon, became Master of Arms for the Owari fief. In 1642, Musashi suffered attacks of neuralgia, foreshadowing his future ill-health.
In 1643, he retired to a cave, Reigandà Â, living as a hermit to write The Book of Five Rings. He finished it in the second month of 1645. On the twelfth of the fifth month, sensing his impending death, he bequeathed his worldly possessions, after giving his manuscript to the younger brother of Terao Magonojo, his closest disciple. Musashi died in Reigandà  cave around 13 June 1645 ("Shà Âhà  2, 19th day of the 5th month"). Allegedly, his death resulted from lung cancer. According to Hyoho senshi denki (Anecdotes About the Deceased Master):
The following timeline of Musashi biography in chronological order (of which is based on the most accurate and most widely accepted information).
It was said that Musashi practised the way of the warrior and warfare strategy, which entailed the mastery of many art forms beyond that of the sword, such as tea ceremony (sadà Â), labouring, writing, and painting, all of which Musashi pursued throughout his life.
This predominant cultural view of Musashi is somewhat contradicted by old texts such as Dobo goen (1720), which relay his intimacy with the courtesan Kumoi in his middle age. The Bushu Denraiki details Musashi fathering a daughter by a courtesan. The daughter is said to have died young which caused him great grief. It is uncertain if this courtesan and Kumoi were the same person. A rumour also connected Musashi with the oiran .
Musashi created and refined a two-sword kenjutsu technique called niten'ichi (äºÂ天ä¸Â, "two heavens as one") or nità Âichi (äºÂÃ¥ÂÂä¸Â, "two swords as one") or Niten Ichi-ryà « In this technique, the swordsman uses both a large sword, and a "companion sword" at the same timeâÂÂa katana with a wakizashi.
The two-handed movements of temple drummers may have inspired him, although it could be that the technique was forged through Musashi's combat experience. Jitte techniques were taught to him by his fatherâÂÂthe jitte was often used in battle paired with a sword; the jitte would parry and neutralise the weapon of the enemy while the sword struck or the practitioner grappled with the enemy. Today Musashi's style of swordsmanship is known as Hyà Âhà  Niten Ichi-ryà «.
Musashi was also an expert in throwing weapons. He frequently threw his short sword and instructed others at throwing shuriken. Kenji Tokitsu believes that shuriken methods for the wakizashi were the Niten Ichi Ryu's secret techniques.
Even from an early age, Musashi separated his religion from his involvement in swordsmanship. Excerpts such as the one below, from The Book of Five Rings, demonstrate a philosophy that is thought to have stayed with him throughout his life:
However, the belief that Musashi disliked the Shinto religion is inaccurate, as he criticises the similarly worded Shintà Â-ryà « style of swordsmanship, which is not the religion. In Musashi's Dokkà Âdà Â, his stance on religion is further elucidated: "Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help."
In his later years, Musashi said in his The Book of Five Rings: "When I apply the principle of strategy to the ways of different arts and crafts, I no longer have need for a teacher in any domain." He proved this by creating recognised masterpieces of calligraphy and classic ink painting. His paintings are characterised by sumi-e, skilled use of ink washes and an economy of brush stroke. He especially mastered the "broken ink" school of landscapes, applying it to other subjects, such as his Kobokumeikakuzu (Shrike Perched on a Withered Branch; part of a triptych whose other two members were Hotei Walking and Sparrow on Bamboo), his Hotei Watching a Cockfight, and his Rozanzu (Wild Geese Among Reeds, é¯山å³). The Book of Five Rings advocates involvement in calligraphy and other arts as a means of training in the art of war.
On 20 May 2000, at the initiative of Sensei Tadashi Chihara the Miyamoto Musashi Budokan was inaugurated.
The inauguration of the Miyamoto Musashi Budokan perpetuated the twinning established on 4 March 1999, between the inhabitants of à Âhara-Chà  (Japanese province of Mimasaka) and the inhabitants of Gleizé. It was formalised in the presence of Sensei Tadashi Chihara, guarantor and tenth in the lineage of Miyamoto Musashi carrying a mandate from the mayor of à Âhara-Chà Â, and in the presence of the mayor of Gleizé ÃÂlisabeth Lamure.
Musashi has been depicted in various modern media.