Café Trivia

question:

In File .8: Chie mentions the story of Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro. Who were they in real life?

answer:

This refers to two of Japan's greatest martial artists, and a very legendary match they had. Miyamoto Musashi was Japan's greatest swordsman, and basically perfected the nitten-ryu form, or the two-sword technique. Kojiro was a young, brash master swordsman retained by a powerful daimyo who challenged Musashi. The story goes something like this: Musashi slept in past the appointed time. In fact, Musashi took his sweet time getting to the site (which was on an island a short distance away). During his trip out, Musashi fashioned a bokken (wooden sword) from one of the boat oars, casually arrived at the scene, and enticed Kojiro to make the first strike. Musashi easily evaded the attempt, and with a single blow, casually killed Kojiro (some accounts have Kojiro's blade cutting part of Musashi's hakama, or skirt.

Many years later, Musashi stopped accepting challenges, and instead concentrated on more philosophical studies. He later authoured one of the most famous books ever written, 'Book of Five Rings' (Go Rin No Sho), shortly before his death in 1645.