Friday, April 13, 2012

400 years ago Miyamoto Musashi vs Sasaki Kojiro

On April 13, 1612 Musashi had his most famous duel.

From Wikipedia

On April 13, 1612, Musashi (about age 30) fought his duel with Sasaki Kojirō, who was known as "The Demon of the Western Provinces" and who wielded a nodachi. Musashi came late and unkempt to the appointed place — the island of Funajima, in the Kanmon Straits separating Honshū and Kyūshū. The duel was short. Musashi killed his opponent with a bokken that legend says he had carved from an oar used on the boat that carried him to the island. Musashi's late arrival is controversial. Sasaki's outraged supporters thought it was dishonorable and disrespectful, while Musashi's supporters thought it was a fair way to unnerve his opponent. Another theory is that Musashi timed the hour of his arrival to match the turning of the tide. The tide carried him to the island. After his victory, Musashi immediately jumped back in his boat and his flight from Sasaki's vengeful allies was helped by the turning of the tide. Another theory states he waited for the sun to get in the right position. After he dodged a blow, Sasaki was blinded by the sun.

Musashi briefly established a fencing school that same year.

2 comments:

  1. In the biography "Lone Samurai", William Scott Wilson recounts a story that Sasaki was so angry he threw away his saya. Musashi said, "You have just lost," because only someone intending to die would do that.

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  2. It played a part in the video here also.

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