Heart, Faith and Steel » toshiro http://www.nydojo.com Authentic Samurai and Ninja Martial Arts Fri, 01 Jul 2011 03:08:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Musashi's Book of Five Rings http://www.nydojo.com/the-books-of-five-rings http://www.nydojo.com/the-books-of-five-rings#comments Mon, 25 May 2009 13:15:32 +0000 Joe http://www.nydojo.com/?p=583 The Book of Five Rings (Gorin No Sho) is a text on Japanese sword skills (kenjutsu) and, to some degree, the martial arts in general. Believed to be written by Miyamoto Musashi circa 1645, it is a classic book on warrior strategy (heiho).

There are at least a dozen different translations of this work… many focusing on a broader audience than just martial artists. In the 1980s and early 1990s it was an often quoted, must read, by business executives for adaptation to the workplace.

Since first reading a copy in the early 1980s, I have read several English editions, and portions of both Italian and Japanese versions. If you enjoy swordsmanship, swordplay or if you are a martial artist, I recommend this edition:

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We also have a free online version available at:
The book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi

Here’s a great clip from the excellent movie Miyamoto Musashi (1967) starring Toshirô Mifune as the lead character:

If you think you might like to own the DVD:
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]]> http://www.nydojo.com/the-books-of-five-rings/feed 0 The Seven Samurai http://www.nydojo.com/the-seven-samurai http://www.nydojo.com/the-seven-samurai#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:00:03 +0000 Joe http://www.nydojo.com/?p=167 A small village is attacked each year by bandits that steal their harvest. The villagers decide to hire protection in the form of a few soldiers, offering them only food, lodging and the challenge of battle as recompense. After hiring one warrior, who proceeds to gather the rest, they all return to the village to plan strategy and engage the enemy.

A simple premise… An magnificent movie. Shichinin no Samurai, called The Seven Samurai in the United States, is a movie that is by turns exciting, absorbing, moving and funny. Herein we feel the full spectrum of the human strengths and weakness. Our heroes are courageous and rough; they offer us insight into the human potential and the harsh realities that lie within us.

What does this have to do with the swordsmanship? Why do we care? Watch the movie. Keep an eye out for a scene wherein we first meet Kyuzo. It takes place in an open field with two Samurai facing each other to duel. The sword fight itself is reminicient of Yagyu Shinkage Ryu’s first kata. Kyuzo is what I think of when I contemplate the Bushido.

Okay… Go watch the movie.

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