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The famed swordsman Miyamoto Musashi was born Shinmen Takezo in [[Harima province]] and may have fought at [[Battle of Sekigahara|Sekigahara]] under the [[Ukita Clan|Ukita]] as a common soldier. He makes no mention this (perhaps unsurprisingly) in the brief biography in his book, rather confining himself to his achievements in single combat. He claimed to have defeated his first opponent (a certain [[Arima Kihei]]) at the age of 13, following this up with a victory over "powerful martial artist called Akiyama of [[Tajima province]]." After [[1600]] Musashi drifted to Kyoto and became involved in a well-known battle with the Yoshioka School of swordsmanship, emerging victorious. He wrote that he engaged in sixty duels without suffering defeat once, and was noted in this regard for his skill at handling two swords at once. He was also remembered for employing a simple bamboo sword, which he used to deadly effect.

The famed swordsman Miyamoto Musashi was born Shinmen Takezo in [[Harima province]] and may have fought at [[Battle of Sekigahara|Sekigahara]] under the [[Ukita Clan|Ukita]] as a common soldier. He makes no mention this (perhaps unsurprisingly) in the brief biography in his book, rather confining himself to his achievements in single combat. He claimed to have defeated his first opponent (a certain [[Arima Kihei]]) at the age of 13, following this up with a victory over "powerful martial artist called Akiyama of [[Tajima province]]." After [[1600]] Musashi drifted to Kyoto and became involved in a well-known battle with the Yoshioka School of swordsmanship, emerging victorious. He wrote that he engaged in sixty duels without suffering defeat once, and was noted in this regard for his skill at handling two swords at once. He was also remembered for employing a simple bamboo sword, which he used to deadly effect.

Much of Musashi's life between 1600 and [[1640]] is the stuff of legend and some have postulated that he served at [[Osaka Castle]] ([[1614]]-[[1615]]) on the defending side, taking quite a few heads in the process. In a similar vein, he is sometimes said to have helped quell the [[Shimabara Rebellion]] of [[1638]] - a theory which, as with his glories at Osaka, is impossible to prove. On the other hand, many of the important events depicted in [[Yoshikawa Eiji]]'s famous novel Musashi have a basis in reality, to include his battle with the Yoshioka School, his defeat of the noted spearman [[Inei]] (chief priest of the Hôzô-in), and his duel in [[1612]] with [[Sasaki Kojiro]], another famed swordsman. Less well-known is his skill as a painter, his works including a number of self-portraits and naturescapes.

Much of Musashi's life between 1600 and [[1640]] is the stuff of legend and some have postulated that he served at [[Osaka Castle]] ([[1614]]-[[1615]]) on the defending side, taking quite a few heads in the process. Better well documented is Musashi's part in the [[Shimabara Rebellion]] of [[1638]]. Serving on the side of the Tokugawa Shogunate as a staff officer of the Ogasawara, Musashi was injured and put out of action by a rock thrown by a peasant. Some of the important events depicted in [[Yoshikawa Eiji]]'s famous novel Musashi have a basis in reality, including his battle with the Yoshioka School, his defeat of the noted spearman [[Inei]] (chief priest of the Hôzô-in), and his duel in [[1612]] with [[Sasaki Kojiro]], another famed swordsman. Less well-known is his skill as a painter, his works including a number of self-portraits and naturescapes.

Musashi the man must have cut a forbidding appearance: he was said to have rarely bathed or changed his clothes as well as suffering from a somewhat disfiguring skin condition. Following his duel with Sasaki, he seems to have focused his energies on perfecting his style of swordsmanship, spending much time in travel and reflection - thus epitomizing the much-beloved image of the brooding wanderer samurai.

Musashi the man must have cut a forbidding appearance: he was said to have rarely bathed or changed his clothes as well as suffering from a somewhat disfiguring skin condition. Following his duel with Sasaki, he seems to have focused his energies on perfecting his style of swordsmanship, spending much time in travel and reflection - thus epitomizing the much-beloved image of the brooding wanderer samurai.