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aiki-zen
21st January 2003, 05:20
Does anyone know where Takeda Shingen, Miyamoto Musashi, Yagyu Jubei, Sasaki Kojiro or Uesugi Kenshin was buried in Japan?

Don Cunningham
21st January 2003, 13:36
Miyamoto Musashi's grave is on the north side of Kumomoto, a major city on Kyushu island. According to the legend, repeated on signs in the park, he was buried sitting upright in full armor and with swords in both hands.

The cave where he lived while writing the Book of Five Rings is about 20 minutes south of Kumomoto.

http://www.e-budokai.com/gallery/images2/kumo2.jpg

aiki-zen
22nd January 2003, 10:22
Thanks... Know anything about Uesugi Kenshin or Takeda?

fifthchamber
24th January 2003, 15:22
Hi all..
The Yagyu have their families graves in the village of the clan, by the same name. It is near Kyoto I believe, Yagyu village is discussed in Dave Lowry's book 'Persimmon wind' which is worth a read. Yagyu Jubei may have been honoured there with the rest of his clan....
As for the Takeda I should think that they would be somewhere in Kai province, the home of the Takeda clan during the Sengoku period..Try looking here:
www.samurai-archives.com/1560.html
for an idea of where that puts their area of influence. The Uesugi occupied Echigo in the main and I would assume they are commemorated there also...
(Also...It's rules here to put your real name down on your posts. The best way to do this is in the 'Signature' section of your personal profile.)
Regards..

fifthchamber
24th January 2003, 16:07
Hi again.
Takeda Shingen was hit by a snipers bullet at Noda castle in 1573, although his grave would not be there a commemorative may have been placed on the site....His brother Nobushige was buried on the battlefield of Kawanakajima in 1561, and his son Katsuyori died byhis own hand at Temmokuzan in 1582....
The Uesugi fief was at Yonezawa (Dewa province) after 1600 and the town may hold the family gravesite still...
As for the Yagyu, the family gravesite lies near the Hotoku-in in Yagyu mura near Nara, south of Kyoto. Yagyu Muneyoshi is commemorated by a statue near the Itto-seki which legend has it was cleaved in half by his sword..Although Lighting is more likely...There is a shrine there that celebrates the Swordsman..
Hope that helps some..

John Lovato
24th January 2003, 16:24
Takada Shingen was placed in jar and dropped into lake Biwa. This event was portrayed in the movie Kagemusha.

stevemcgee99
24th January 2003, 19:43
Keep in mind that film is art.

aiki-zen
26th January 2003, 11:30
John,

I can appreciate your interest in Japanese films as well, but I don't think that Takeda was actually dropped in Lake Biwa. I think that movies are just art as Steve said. Personally, it was a great movie though. My major college encompasses Japanese History and I have been reading about the history of Samurai for a long time. Know one that I have spoken to seem to know where Takeda lies; though he is a widely known and famous Samurai of Japan.

The movie Kagemusha does in fact portray how Takeda died. It was said that he rested after being shot by a rifleman.

If you happen to find documentation showing proof of where he was buried, I would really like to know. I would like to visit his grave next time I am in Japan. I am an Aikido student, which has its root in Daito Ryu. Daito Ryu was an art passed through the Seiwa clan to the Takeda family.

Don,

In regards to your reply “Miyamoto Musashi's grave is on the north side of Kumomoto. Thanks, I appreciate your reply. Does anyone have any history as to what actually happened top Sasaki Kojiro. Was he actually employed by Hosokawa and buried as a member of his clan?

Ben,

I am familiar with Yagyu village in Nara. I was there last September, but I didn’t see the grave of Yagyu Jubei, though I asked. There was a split rock (Itto-seki) that was said to have been split when Jubei dueled with a Yamabushi (Mountain Tengu). I only found the graves of Yagyu Munenori and his father.

aiki-zen
26th January 2003, 11:44
Purity of thought is of the utmost importance, far more so than the repetition of mundane words that have no true depth"

Ben,

Very true saying. I believe the saying was actually written in Yagyu Munenori's book; "The Sword and the Mind." When I am able to locate it, I will let you know.

Tanemura Sensei is awsome though. I have seen his videos using the Yari and Naginata. Very nice!!

John Lovato
26th January 2003, 19:58
Guys,
I thought I read it somewhere, as yet I have not been able to find where. I might very well be wrong, If I can't find where I read it I will say as much. At no point did I try to say that movies are full of fact or have anything to do with reality. I just added the movie reference as an aside.

John Lovato
27th January 2003, 05:18
I stand corrected. Thanks Andrew.

aiki-zen
27th January 2003, 05:42
Please post pictures of the burial site. I would like to see them. I am going back to Japan in March...

aiki-zen
30th January 2003, 08:03
THANKS SO MUCH!!

UESUGI KENSHIN WAS ON OF MY FAVORITE SAMURAI.

WHERE IS KOYASAN, EXACTLY?

aiki-zen
9th February 2003, 21:26
Just out of curiosity, did Yagyu and Miyamoto ever have a chance to duel? I recall aspects of history where Yagyu challenged Miyamoto, but he never actually dueled with the Yagyu family...

I have seen several Japanese made samurai movies where Yagyu Jubei and Musashi did duel with wooded swords, but because of the age difference, it was too uncertain to actually who would have prevailed. Jubei was in his late 20's early thirties and MM was almost 60.

Anyone know anything about this? Also, did Sasaki Kojiro die unknown, or what? Does any one know of his resting place?

Peace,

Christian J. Estes

hyaku
10th February 2003, 00:00
There is a memorial stone for Sasaki on the island where he died. But you would have to hire a boat to get there. Although Kokura has various historical exibits with relation the this, Ganryu-jima is not a tourist attraction. Looking from high up on the coast you would have perhaps seen it many years ago. But it is now hidden by factories and buildings on other islands.

There is one other main memorial stone here:

http://www.bunbun.ne.jp/~sword/Motofam.html

It stands just on the left of the top photograph. Sadly lots of this stuff gets moved. All of the Miyamoto family graves were moved to a quiet place at the foot of the mountain when it was used as a lookout during wartime.

I did a demonstration in front of the commemoration area for Saigo Takamori and later found out that that he had died on the ground that is the hotel reception next door!

Although Sasaki is portrayed as a major figure on the present NHK drama, local people will tell you that he was much younger than Musashi and for this reason died in relative obscurity before he was old enough to make a name for himself.



Hyakutake Colin

aiki-zen
10th February 2003, 00:43
Anything about Jubei or a liost of the duels that Musashi faught? Anyone have pics on Ganryu-Jima