Thoughts on Musashi

As one initially interested in the swordsman, and from them the
samurai, I have to say I treat Musashi as something of a 'bubble'
character. He could belong to any era, and in his person and conduct
could hardly be considered an exemplar of samurai virtue.

His legacy as a samurai is zero, and as a swordsman rests almost
entirely on The Book of Five Rings - he had no remarkable 'heritage'
in swordsmanship, and his Niten Ichi Ryu techniques were absorbed
into other, more prominent ryu, without making any significant impact
upon them. He was an oddball, one might say 'a natural born killer.'

Historically, there are (in my book) far more interesting characters,
who made an equally, if not greater, impact on the art of
swordsmanship, and also took their place on the stage of history, a
few of them major players in the events of their day.

Bokuden, for example, out-stripped Mushashi in martial
accomplishment, and most of his individual victories were on the
battlefield, which I reckon are harder fought and harder earned (and
Mushashi used every trick in the book to unsettle his opponents.)

Nobutsuna learned from Bokuden and fought Takeda Shingen, from whom
he received his name Kamizumi, and was the 'real deal' upon which
Kurosawa modelled the scene in which Kanbei, leader of the 7 Samurai,
rescued a child from a bandit, and who was praised as living
the 'essence of Zen' in surrendering to attain victory.

Yagyu Munenori (hope I'm getting all these names right) studied under
Nobutsuna and was an instructor to and possibly an 'agent of
influence' (real shinobi stuff here) of Tokugawa Ieyasu. At the Siege
of Osaka when Ieyasu and his son were ambushed, Munenori attacked
single-handed and took out seven men in full armour before Ieyasu's
escort had even recovered. This stands as one of the most outstanding
acts of swordsmanship authentically witnessed and recorded for
posterity.

The Tosa Swordsmen of what is now the Muso Shinden and Eishinkan Ryu
were some of the most active during the Meiji Restoration, Ryoma
Sakamoto among them. Another notable, Master Swordsman Tesshu,
founded the Muto Ryu on Bokuden's lineage, plus also the Itto Ryu.
His Edo Dojo was always packed with hardcore swordsmen, little
knowing that Tesshu's intention was to tire them out in training so
that they wouldn't go out and make trouble. He also acted as
intermediary between the Emperor and the Shogunate, with quite
remarkable effect. He was also a Zen aesthete and a notable
calligrapher and artist.

These are just a few of the men who proved and perfected the art of
swordsmanship, and who took their stand in the affairs of the day and
made their mark on history. Some, in some small way, might have
actually altered its course.

Mushashi's contribution should be measured against their
achievements, and in so doing I view him as a big man, standing among
giants.

Thomas