Miyamoto Musashi sword work

[Chris Johnston]

Can somebody be so kind as to point me to book or web references on the sword style used by Miyamoto Musashi? I have read the Book of Five Rings. :D


Thanks!!

[Joseph Svinth]

Contact Kim Taylor at kataylor@uoguelph and visit his website, http://www.uoguelph.ca/~iaido .

For reading, try:

Miyamoto, Musashi. The Book of Five Rings; see http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8187/Gorinnosho.htm and http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Courtyard/1553/fhead.html

Translated from the Japanese by Thomas Cleary (Boston: Shambhala, 1993) (RECOMMENDED, if also read with Cleary's book on the Japanese art of war)

Translated from the Japanese by Victor Harris (Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1974); (RECOMMENDED, despite some factual errors in the introduction -- see http://www.uoguelph.ca/~iaido/bookreviews.koryuken.htm for details. Unauthorized online versions appear at http://www.samurai.com/5rings, http://www.hut.fi/~renko/gorinnosho.html, http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/7512/introfive.html, etc.; authorized audio tapes copies are also available.)

Translated from the Japanese by Steve Kaufman (Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle, 1994) (NOTE: NOT RECOMMENDED; a very loose translation)

Translated from the Japanese by Nihon Services Corporation (New York: Bantam Books, 1983) (RECOMMENDED; for some extracts, see http://www.musespace.com/notes/5rings/welcome.html )

[Blues]

Translated from the Japanese by Victor Harris (Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1974); (RECOMMENDED, despite some factual errors in the introduction

Errors?
Do you have information about these errors? I am very curious about them...

Menno van Slooten

[Joseph Svinth]

Follow the posted link to Professor Friday's discussion. There are also discussions on archived issues of Iaido-L. The latter URL is http://listserv.uoguelph.ca/archives/iaido-l.html .

[Blues]

Damn,
I should learn to read before asking questions :)

Thanks

Menno van Slooten

[John A Butz]

Cleary's Japanese Art of War is really good. It does tend to get a little deep at times, and is certainly not a casual read, but I strongly recomend it. The work give a lot of insight into the history and mindset of the Japanese warrior.

A Great Read!

[Blues]

I put up a site with some other samurai-related books a couple of months ago:

http://gene.wins.uva.nl/~mslooten/

It contains the following books:

Go Rin No Sho (Miyamoto Musashi)
The Art of War (Sun Tzu)
Budoshishinshu (Daidoji Yuzan)
Hagakure (Yamamoto Tsunetomo)
The Unfettered Mind (Takuan Soho)

I'm hardly an expert so the introductions probably contain errors. If anyone finds any, please let me know...

Menno van Slooten

[Dan Harden]

Joseph
The link you posted for the Cleary translation:

*******************
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Joseph Svinth
[B]Contact Kim Taylor at kataylor@uoguelph and visit his website, http://www.uoguelph.ca/~iaido .

For reading, try:

Miyamoto, Musashi. The Book of Five Rings; see http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8187/Gorinnosho.htm and http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Courtyard/1553/fhead.html

Translated from the Japanese by Thomas Cleary (Boston: Shambhala, 1993) (RECOMMENDED, if also read with Cleary's book on the Japanese art of war)

**************************

Comes up with a translation that has this disclaimer at the bottom:

"About this "translation"
A so-called "definite translation" of Gorinnosho that is published commercially by a certain shihan hanshi inspired me to do a definitely-not-definite translation of my own, following his methodology. Which consists of mixing some existing English translations together and rephrasing the result somewhat.

This is a work in progress. Parts not "translated" yet are mostly straight from the Victor Harris version, with some spelling correction. The interesting part is that once I finish, having this document here will no longer constitute plagiarism (technically at least). It's also a good reason to really read the book thoroughly."

end quote
*************************


I have not cross-referenced it to my Cleary book (it is around here somewhere) but I fear there was some license taken with this translation, and he says the one he is using is the Harris one at that site.

Dan


[Edited by Dan Harden on 09-11-2000 at 06:52 AM]

[Joseph Svinth]

Sorry for the confusion, but that wasn't intended as a link for the Cleary translation, that was intended as a link to some background on Musashi -- the site is recommended by both Kim Taylor and the Skosses. See, for example, http://koryu.com/guide/niten.html

So probably the exact link you want to see is instead http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8187/Niten.htm

http://www.bunbun.ne.jp/~sword also has useful information.

[Walker]

There is one more source for Takuan:
Immovable Wisdom: The Art of Zen Strategy: The Teachings of Takuan Soho/compiled and translated by Nobuko Hirose 1992 ISBN 1-85230-316-6
The edition I have is by Element, Rockport, MA

Contents:
Forward: The Invention of Takuan-zuke
Zen Life, Zen Death: The History of Takuan
Relationships [inc. Yagyu Munenori, Iemitsu, Hosokawa Tadatoshi, and Musashi DW]
The Wondrous Record of Immovable Wisdom
The Sword, Taia: The Mysteries of Strategy
A Taste of Takuan: Anecdotes of the Master
The Serene Sound of Gems
Tokai Evening Tales
The Gate to Serenity: The Essence of Buddhism
Takuan’s Perennial Teaching
Notes
Bibliography

“In this book we have an account of Takuan’s life, and translations of his most important writings, as well as anecdotes that encapsulate the essence of his teaching, which is as relevant today as it was in his own turbulent era.” Dust Jacket.

I am still chewing on the whole thing slowly so don’t feel up to commenting on the whole thing, but it does have additional material not covered in “The Unfettered Mind.”

“Dwell on the sage’s words. Do not swallow at one gulp.” Takuan

[Joseph Svinth]

NIR-1 NITEN ICHI RYU: THE SWORD OF MUSASHI MIYAMOTO
8x11" 100 pgs. Kim Taylor.

This book contains all the kata from the three levels of the Niten Ichi-ryu, long vs long sword, short vs long sword and "long and short" vs long sword. There are quick descriptions, detailed descriptions and over 200 illustrations. The book is cerlox bound for easy opening and use. Also included is a detailed history of Musashi, genealogy tables, and an interview with Sei Do Kai instructor Matsuo Haruna.

Ordering info: http://sdksupplies.netfirms.com/cat_manual.htm

Regarding the Niten Ichi-ryu forms, Colin Hyakutake states somewhere there are 4 sets, two sets of 5 nito seiho. As Kim Taylor learned it, there is only the one set of Nito, which is the original. Then there are two other sets of 5 that were added by a later headmaster.

The nearest Canadian practitioner (not teacher, but practitioner!) to Victoria is probably Dietmar Kennepohl of the U. of Athabasca in Edmonton.