God, he's so good. In my list of knights without fear and reproach, which every girl creates by stringing a garland of book and film characters on a virtual thread (even if she has not been a girl for a long time, and the heroes are not quite knights): Ivanhoe. Robin Hood, Alan from "Kidnapped", de Bussy and Athos, Mr. Rochester, Mr. Darcy, Heathcliff, Gatsby - my list of additions. All man are the same except for their belief in their own selves, regardless of what others may think of them”

Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa | Goodreads

Chance, as well as the characters' very different life decisions, give to the book a philosophical dimension that is revealed in its ending. The void is an outlier from the rest, describing consciousness, the greatest weapon a warrior can wield; present mind in the moment of battle. Musashi knew that being grounded was fundamental to being a warrior. We know this today.

Customer reviews

Foil: Kojirō, to Musashi. Musashi is a ragged, unkempt country boy who spends most of his time as a vagrant, but is a deeply stoic and spiritual man who is devoted to improving himself in all possible ways. Kojirō is a well-dressed, silver-tongued fop who is at heart a cruel, arrogant sadist. Both men are fearless master swordsmen, but commit terrible acts— Kojirō rapes and tortures Akemi, and Musashi kills twelve year-old Yoshioka Genjirō to win the Duel at Ichijoji—as well as heroic ones: Musashi rescues a village from bandits, while Kojirō saves Matahachi and Osugi from the samurai of the Ono school. By the end of the novel, both men have managed to straighten themselves out somewhat, but in different ways. Musashi seeks out and eventually achieves spiritual insight and enlightenment. Kojirō, meanwhile, gains a position as the Hosokawa Clan's sword instructor that requires him to act in a dignified manner, which eventually becomes more natural to him. Musashi's path along the Way was captivating, and made me appreciate the pursuit of knowledge and mastery that came with it. Diabolus ex Machina: After the duel at Ichijoji, Musashi and Matahachi meet up and reconcile, with Matahachi appearing to realize how foolish he's been throughout the novel. They separate, and Kojirō suddenly comes out of nowhere, lures Matahachi into a brothel, and convinces him to turn against Musashi. The two years or so of story up to the Yoshioka duel at Ichijoji moves at a solid pace, after which the time-skips get more and more frequent. Several years pass without much happening in the last quarter of the book. (This is perhaps due to the condensed nature of the English translation.)

Musashi Book One: The Way of the Samurai - Goodreads

The novel has been translated into English by Charles S. Terry, with a foreword by Edwin O. Reischauer, published by Kodansha International under ISBN 4-7700-1957-2. Eiji Yoshikawa is probably the most highly regarded 20th century author of Japanese historical fiction. His work includes, in addition to Musashi, Taiko (which I have also read twice, separated by 30 or so years) which follows the life of one of the three great unifiers of feudal Japan. Tsujikaze Kohei – Temma’s younger brother, the leader of a band of freebooters operating around Yasukawa in Kiso Another important theme is the conflict between tradition and modernity. Musashi is a character who is constantly challenging traditional ways of thinking and doing things. He rejects the notion that one must follow a strict set of rules and instead advocates for individualism and free thinking. This conflict is also reflected in the broader society of Japan during the 17th century, which was undergoing a period of rapid modernization and change.

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Otsu, a childhood friend of Mushashi (who is then known as Takezo), follows him across the country, trying to find him, win him over and convince him to show her love.

Guys what the hell happend with otsu some people say that

You should not have any special fondness for a particular weapon, or anything else, for that matter. Too much is the same as not enough. Without imitating anyone else, you should have as much weaponry as suits you.”

This novel contains examples of:

Think of this room as your mother's womb and prepare to be born anew. If you look at it only with your eyes, you will see nothing more than an unlit, closed cell. But look again, more closely. Look with your mind and think. This room can be the wellspring of enlightenment, the same fountain of knowledge found and enriched by sages in the past. It is up to you to decide whether this is to be a chamber of darkness or one of light." (p. 184)