1615-1627

"When I reached thirty I looked back on my past. The previous victories were not due to my having mastered strategy. Perhaps it was natural ability, or the order of heaven, or that other schools' strategy was inferior. After that I studied morning and evening searching for the principle, and came to realise the Way of strategy when I was fifty."

Τhat period beggins the war of Shogun Ieyasu against Osaka. He laid siege to Osaka castle where the supporters of the Ashikaga family were gathered in insurrection. Some believe that Musashi, joined the Tokugawa Ieyasu forces in both winter and summer campaigns, of the two wars. But, it is strange if Musashi chose to join an army that period of his life.

Musashi, returns after those three years in home, in Kyoto with Iori, his adopted son, an 13 years old orphan who has found him in Dewa province. The swordsman was shocked when heard the young boy grinding -during the night -a knife in order to cut his killed father for buring him later in the cemetary. So, Musashi helped him to bury his father and then took him Iori with him.

Musashi opens here his first Fencing school.

It is said that he enters in the service of Ogasawara Tadanao, daimyo of Akashi, (Harima province).

He starts Shodo (calligraphy), Cha-no-yu (the way of tea) and painting.

When Musashi visits the Himeji province, four retainers of daimyo Hemiji challenge him. Musashi defeat the first one, Miyake Gunbei. Gubei runs out and his other followers admit their inferiority to Musashi.

1632

On November 10, 1632, Musashi begings writing the Hyoho Sanjugo Kajo (35 articles on Strategy). It's a rough plan of his future Book of Five Rings.

1634

With Iori, he settles down in Kokura that year.

The Hosokawa house had been entrusted with the command of the hot seat of Higo province. Ogasawara Tadazane is the new lord Kumamoto castle and of Binzen province. Iori finds employment under Tadazane.

The lords of the southern provinces support a rebellion of foreign powers and the Japanese Christians against the Tokugawa family. The Ogasawara family asks Musashi's co-operation. Musashi wants to be out of this matter. However he accepts the invitation at Shimabara where the Christians were massacred on April 12th, but he stays only as a guest.

After that, Shogun Iemitsu desides to close the ports of Japan to foreigns. A decision that has been kept over two hundred years...

1640

Soon, Musashi founds the school of sword guard makers who signed 'Niten', and stays a few years with Tadatoshi, spening his time in teaching, painting and calligraphy Ιn 1641, February after Tadatoshi's request, Musashi gives him the '35 Articles on the Art of Swordmanship' . A deep friendship between the two men starts. Musashi stays in Tadatoshi's side untill his death, as close friend and adviser.

1643

Musashi dies in Kumamoto, on May 19th, 1645, in 10 o'clock am.

He buried with his armour and six weapons in the village Tenagajuge (province Amata), in Honmyoji cemetery, as he wish.

His bones is brought back to Miyamoto (Ohara) to be interned in near his parents' tomb.

Hosokawa Morishige, daimyo of Kumamoto carved a memorial stone near the maiden hair tree in Ohara marking the place where Musashi was born. Behind the stone a short biography describes Musashi's childschool.

Today in Miyamoto village the visitor could see the great House of Hirao, the house of Ogin (elder sister of Musashi) where she moved when she got married, the Aramaki (aka Sanomo) shrine, where it is said that Musashi observing drum movements inspired the creation of the two swords technique, also the contemporaney Musashi Dojo and Gorinbo Museam in memoriam of Musashi.

On March 19th 1654, Iori completed the Musashi Yama, a monument for his father memory on mount Tamuke.

CONCLUTION

In Japan, Musashi is also named 'Kinsei' (Sword Saint).

Musashi's appearance and personality since now remain legendary. It is said he was always unkempt and sudden and restrained on his emotions. Truth is that he possible had a skin complaint which was the reason that he could not have the traditional samurai topknot. Also, Musashi many times was forced to sleep in caves affraid of being killed by his enemies, spending long time away from people.

We have keep in mind that Musashi used to choοse to fight in the duels using wooden swords while his opponents get used to fight against him with real weapons.

Despite the fact that he was the greater fencer, Musashi was one of the greatest painters and calligraphers of his time in Japan. It is said that his masterpieces of ink painting, probably more highly valued by the Japanese than the ink paintings of any other. His works include cormorants, herons, grass, dragons, Hotei (the Shinto god), Roganzu (birds with flowers) , Koubaihatozu (bird in a dead tree), Daruma (Bodhidharma, patriarch of Zen), a.ο. Ιn a private collection there is a small wood sculpture of the Buddhist diety Fudo Myoo. A sculpture of Kwannon has lost (?) recently. He has also written, except his 3 writtens: '19 Articles of Self-Discipline', '35 Articles on the Art of Swordmanship' and 'The Book Of Five Rings', some poems and songs, but none of these survive. It is also said that he was commissioned by the Shogun Iemitsu to paint the sunrise over Edo castle.

Is is said, that his works of art, are very spiritual and first give off a feeling of warmth, which express deeply his soul and spirit.