Deep Dive
Shownotes Transcript
The following is an encore presentation of Everything Everywhere Daily. In the early 17th century, Japan was witness to a samurai who was arguably its greatest warrior ever. He wasn't just one of the greatest swordsmen in history. He was also a philosopher, a writer, an artist, and in contravention to the samurai code at the time, he was also a vagabond. Today, he's considered a saint of Japanese martial arts, and he's been portrayed in Japanese movies and books.
Learn more about Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsman, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. This episode is sponsored by Quince. If you've been listening to the show for even a little while, you've heard me talk about Quince. The reason why I have such good things to say about them is because Quince has hit the trifecta by offering products that are low cost, high quality, and easy to purchase and return online.
They can do this because they work directly with top artisans and cut out the middleman. This is how Quince gives you luxury pieces without the crazy markups. I had someone over at my place the other day and they asked me, where's that Quince blanket you talk about? And I said, it's right there. And they checked it out and said, wow, that's really a nice blanket. And I was like, yeah, it is. If you're looking for men's or women's clothing, home goods, or travel accessories, you owe it to yourself to check out Quince.
Go to quince.com slash daily for 365-day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's q-u-i-n-c-e dot com slash daily to get free shipping and 365-day returns. quince.com slash daily
This episode is sponsored by Chubbies. Now that summer is here, your shorts shouldn't hold you back, and Chubbies gets that. Their line swim collection is built for comfort, with chafe-free liners, four-way stretch, and bold prints that are actually fun to wear.
If you're someone who enjoys summers, and I know living in Wisconsin I do, Chubby's makes some of the most comfortable, flexible shorts out there. Their original stretch shorts come in a range of inseam lengths depending on how much leg you want to show. I went with the 7-inch and the fabric is made for movement without sacrificing style. If you're heading to the pool or beach, their classic lined swim trunks are a favorite. They're lightweight, quick-drying, and come in tons of fun designs. Palm trees, flamingos, or even solid colors.
Chubbies also has a solid lineup of performance polos, soft, breathable, and ready for anything from lounging at home to heading out for the day. For a limited time, Chubbies is giving my listeners 20% off your order with code DAILY at chubbieshorts.com. That's code DAILY at chubbieshorts.com. Show your support and tell them that I sent you. Don't blend in with the crowd. Stand out with Chubbies.
There are certain things portrayed in movies that have no basis in fact. For example, quick draw gunfights on Main Street in the Old West never happened. If you remember back to my episode on the Wild West, the entire trope of gunfighters standing in the middle of the street and shooting each other is all based on a single incident that was more of an ambush than an actual duel. That being said, there were times and places in history where dueling was quite popular. One such time and place was Japan in the early 17th century.
This was the golden age of the samurai culture. Before I get too much further into this story, I should briefly explain some of the important elements of the samurai culture and the Bushido Code. Bushido is the code that samurai lived by. Its most important element was loyalty and fealty to a lord. You would fight for your lord, obey his commands, and do absolutely nothing to dishonor him.
The honor and reputation of a samurai were their most important personal assets. Their honor had to be upheld at all costs, even at the expense of their own life. If they did something to dishonor themselves or their lord, they could only redeem themselves through ritual suicide known as seppuku. They were also to show martial prowess and courage in battle. However, it wasn't all about fighting in honor. Samurai were to show compassion, honesty, politeness, and self-discipline.
They also placed a high value on education, art, and poetry. Many samurai were also experts in calligraphy, literature, and the tea ceremony. This was the world in which Miyamoto Musashi was born. And as we can see, he was in some ways the quintessential samurai, yet he was also very different from most samurai. Musashi was born sometime in the year 1584, although the exact date isn't known.
He was born and raised in the Harima province of Japan, and his father, Shinmen Munasai, was a samurai and master of the sword. Musashi was exposed to the martial arts at a very young age. He was trained in kenjutsu, the Japanese sword martial art, as well as other fighting techniques. His most prominent physical feature developed when he was younger. He had severe eczema. However, other stories about him claim that he was just dirty and never bathed, supposedly because he never wanted to be taken by surprise.
The event that began his career and put him on the path that made him famous began when he was just 13 years old. A swordsman by the name of Arima Kihei came to Musashi's village and posted a notice in the village of Hirafuku Mura that he was taking challengers to duel. These duels were often to the death, and while they were not common, they were also not unheard of. The 13-year-old Musashi wrote his name on the challenge form and it was accepted.
It isn't known if the samurai knew his challenger was a 13-year-old boy or not. Musashi's uncle was shocked by this and went to Kihei to try to get him to call off the duel due to his nephew's age. However, Kihei said it would be an insult to his honor and that the only way out was for Musashi to apologize in person when the duel was about to take place. At the appointed time, Musashi and Kihei arrived, and Musashi's uncle began to apologize. However, Musashi didn't apologize.
With nothing more than a staff, he lunged at Kihei, knocking him to the ground. The surprised Kihei tried to get up, but Musashi punched him between the eyes, knocking him out, and proceeded to beat the swordsman to death. It was his first victory in a duel, but certainly not his last. He left home at the age of 15 or 16 and gave all of his possessions to his sister.
He set out on what was known as a musha shugyo. In Europe, he would have been known as a knight-errant. In Japanese, it's known as traveling for improvement. He basically became a vagabond who traveled around training in swordsmanship. He would visit various schools to learn and train, occasionally serving as a mercenary and engaging in duels. He became what is known as a ronin.
A ronin was a samurai without a master. Most ronin had masters at one point, but circumstances resulted in them becoming masterless. Like Musashi, they would often just be vagabonds selling their services to the highest bidder. For Musashi, however, being a ronin was a choice. He never had a lord that he pledged his loyalty to. At the age of 16, he had his second duel and he won again.
Over the next decade and a half, he dedicated himself to the study of sword fighting. It was his all-consuming passion. By all accounts, he was constantly thinking about it, looking for the smallest thing that could give him an advantage in combat. During this time, he also fought in several battles, most famously the Battle of Sekigahara.
The Battle of Sekigahara, fought on October 21, 1600, was a decisive conflict that marked the culmination of Japan's long period of civil strife known as the Warring States Period. It was also the largest battle in the history of feudal Japan. The battle was fought between the forces of Tokugawa Yasu against a coalition of various daimos, or Japanese lords. Tokugawa Yasu won the battle and established the Tokugawa Shogunate, which lasted for 250 years.
However, Musashi was on the side fighting against Tokugawa Iyashu, and they eventually lost. It isn't clear what his role was in the battle, but he was probably just a mercenary. It's believed that he fought in at least six major battles. However, his reputation wasn't built by being a mercenary. It was built by dueling. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Musashi went to Kyoto and began a series of duels with the Yoshioka School, which was considered the greatest of the eight schools of martial arts in Kyoto.
In his first duel, he challenged the leader of the Yoshioka school, Yoki-osha Shigeru. The duel took place on March 8th, 1604. According to their agreement, they fought until the first blow. Musashi showed up late, frustrating his opponent. Musashi struck Shigeru's left shoulder, and the hit knocked him out and permanently crippled his arm. While not killing him, he did have to step down as the head of the school.
The leadership of the school then passed to his brother, Yoshioka Densichiro, who immediately challenged Musashi to another duel. Musashi won again, arriving late and this time killing his opponent. The school's leadership then passed to a 12-year-old, Yoshioka Matasishiro. Matasishiro issued another challenge, however, this time it was a trap. He had archers waiting to ambush Musashi.
Musashi, however, suspecting a trap, arrived early this time, and he ambushed the ambushers, killing Matashishiro and escaped. Perhaps his greatest duel, however, was one of his last. On April 13, 1612, on the remote island of Ganarujima, he faced Sasaki Kijiro. It's one of the most famous and emblematic encounters in the annals of Japanese martial arts history. Sasaki Kijiro was a master swordsman who may have been the most formidable opponent that Musashi ever faced.
He was known for his turning swallow cut, which used a long sword called a nodachi, which he named the drying pole. Musashi, on the other hand, chose a very unconventional approach for the fight. He arrived late, as normal, deliberately provoking Kujiro, and wielded a wooden sword that he carved from an ore on the way there, symbolizing his unconventional tactics and mindset. Despite orders given to the public that they should not attend, hundreds of spectators showed up to witness the duel.
The duel was very swift, with Musashi striking a fatal blow to Kujiro's head, showcasing his master of strategy, timing, and the element of surprise, all using a wooden sword. His duel with Kujiro was one of his last, but it was certainly not the end of his story. Musashi's later years were dedicated to refining his martial arts techniques, teaching, and engaging in other pursuits such as painting, sculpting, and calligraphy.
He developed a style known as the Niten Ichiru, or Two Heavens as One, which focused on the simultaneous use of two swords. He continued to travel, visiting other martial arts schools, always trying to improve his craft. In 1634, he took part in his last known duel. He fought Takada Matabe, a fighter adept at the spear.
Towards the end of his life, he compiled his years of knowledge into what had become one of the greatest treaties on martial arts ever, Golrin Nosho, also known as the Book of Five Rings. The book is divided into five parts, each named after one of the elements that the Japanese thought made up the world. Part one is the Book of Earth. It discusses Musashi's own style, the Naiten Ishiro, or the Two Heavens as One technique, and the importance of understanding the way of the warrior.
Book 2 is the Book of Water. Here Musashi dives into the specifics of the technique, including the rhythm and timing of combat, the importance of flexibility in tactics, and the need to adapt to the opponent's style and the situation at hand. Part 3 is the Book of Fire. This part focuses on the heat of battle, detailing the methods of engaging the enemy, the types of attacks and defenses, and how best to position oneself for victory.
Part four is the Book of Wind. Here, Musashi compares his style to the traditional schools of Japanese sword fighting, emphasizing the differences and why he believes his method is superior. Finally, part five is the Book of Void. The final section is a philosophical treatise on the nature of consciousness, the importance of intuition and spontaneity in martial arts, and the understanding of the fundamental emptiness of thought, allowing for a state of absolute freedom and fluidity in combat and life.
He wrote the Book of Five Rings and several other books from a cave where he lived his last years as a hermit. He died at the age of 62 from what was probably cancer. Miyamoto Musashi is believed to have won 60 duels in his life, most of them being to the death. Miyamoto Musashi's story is a testament to the way of the warrior. His mastery of the sword, combined with his strategic and philosophical insights, has made him a figure of enduring fascination.
He's a figure that still draws fascination today as he's been portrayed in many movies and other works. Musashi embodied the ideals of discipline, courage, and striving for perfection, making his story and teachings relevant even today. The executive producer of Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel. The associate producers are Austin Oakton and Cameron Kiefer. I want to thank everyone who supports the show over on Patreon. Your support helps make this podcast possible.
I'd also like to thank all the members of the Everything Everywhere community who are active on the Facebook group and the Discord server. If you'd like to join in the discussion, there are links to both in the show notes. And as always, if you leave a review or send me a boostagram, you too can have it read on the show.