Legendary Swordmaster Musashi

[Umeko]

Anyone familiar with legends concerning the greatest swordsmen in ancient Japan Miyagi Musashi? (Hope I got the name right)

He was undefeated until he ran into a ninja who defeated him with a paper fan. Then he went into a cave for meditation and wrote a book: the Book of the 5 Rings.

Any more to share?

[Gentatsu]

Miyamoto Musashi was the founder of the Niten Ichi Ryu. He used both his wakizashi and katana in conjunction. He took down Yagyu Munemori the grandmaster of the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu. Yagyu taught kenjutsu to the Tokugawa family.

If you want to watch an anime about him watch "Mutsu Enmei Gaiden: Shiro no Toki". It even has the Shinsengumi toward the end of the series!

[Otemba]

Sounds very interestin' I'm goin' to look that up.

[Pendance]

^o^ Miyamotou is one of my favorite Lone samurai! ^_^ he was truly an amazing man,

Just wanted to say i was reading his book last night, in it he tells about his Niten Ichi School i wanted to chare a section of it with you guys

From the masters mouth
Go Rin No Sho : The book of Five Rings by Miyamotou Musashi

"There is no way to describe what a warrior should do, other then that he should adhere to the war of the warrior :Bushido. I find that all men are negligent of this. There are few men who can quickly reply to the question "What is the way of the warrior?" this is because they do not know in their hearts. From this we can see they do not follow the way of thw warrior. By the way of the warrior is meant death. The way of the warrior is death. This means choosing death whenever there is choice between life or death. It means nothing more then this. It means to see things through, being resolved...If you keep your spirit correct day and night, accustomed to the idea of death and resolved on death, and consider yourself as a dead body, thus becoming one with the way of the warrior, you can pass through life with no possibility of failure and perform your office properly ( take note Musashi sama also states in his book because of the demans towards the companion sword or wakizatchi it is believed in death if you have fails to undraw a weapon and use the full extent of your will, you death means nothing even if it protected someone dear, it is dishonorable to not to use all of you weapons when facing death.).......The four oaths: Never be late with the respect of the way of the warrior. Be useful to the lord. Be respectful to your parents. Get beyond love and greif: exist for the good of man."

Musashis Strategy:

1. do not think dishonestly
2. the way is in training.
3. become aquianted with every art.
4. know the ways of all professions.
5. Distiguish in gain and loss in worldy matters.
6. develope intuitive judgement and understanding for everything.
7. percieve those things which cannot be seen.
8. Pay attention even to trifles.
9. Do nothing which is of no use.
10. Respect and understand natures ways.

Way the samurai should stand.:

The stance should be with the head erect, neither hanging down nor looking up nor twisted, do not blink, close your eyes a tad to prevent excessive blinking, learn to look left right up and down with out moving your eyes (this takes time to master) lower both shoulders and put stregth into your legs from the knees to the tips of your toes. brace you abdomen so that you do not bend at the hips,(inother words place you hand to your belt like Sanosuke does in volume one of Peacmaker right before tetsu saves the young mute girl.) wegde your companion sword against your abdomen so that you blet is not slack (called wedging in) in all forms of strategy it is nessecary to everyday lifeto make your everyday stance your combat stance you must research this well ^_^

alrighty if that was intresting to you please check out the book!