A
Samurai warrior of the 16th and 17th century Japan, Miyamoto Musashi is
a real life hero turned into a legendary figure for his excellence in the
art of swordsmanship. Born in the Mimasaka province of Japan in 1584, he
learned the art of fighting from his father. He fought his first duel at
the age of 13, after which he fought more than 60 duels until the age of
29, remaining undefeated. For 30 years after his last fight, Musashi traveled
around Japan perfecting his art and teaching his military principles.
From his early
days as a warrior, Musashi believed in Strategy and Balance as the bases
in everything he did in his life. Those are indeed two fundamental elements
of the Samurai’s traditional value system. He never was an important
general, but rather a solitary warrior who had a deep understanding of how
to deal with people, and became a leader with his philosophy on “the
Way” of life. “If you know the Way broadly” Musashi said,
“you will see it in everything.” To Musashi, Strategy meant:
“Keeping inwardly calm and clear even in the midst of violent chaos,"
and Balance meant: “Not forgetting the possibility of disorder in
times of order.”
Musashi portrayed his teachings through his lifestyle. He was an avid learner,
a strong believer in education, and worked hard to master many arts and
skills. As he explored the world around him, he discovered Martial Arts
to be the ultimate science. He trusted the advantage of military science,
and developed a unique, two-handed sword fighting style, which became known
as the “Ni Ten Ichi Ryu” school. Musashi trademark was using
a combination of physical skill and psychology in fighting. He subdued his
most famous opponent, a long sword expert named Sasaki Kojiro, in 1612,
with a wooden pole and psychological outmaneuvering. He moved unpredictably
“late” and that made Sasaki Kojiro loose self control. Next
