Essay On Musashi

Q) How did technological advancements or limitations of this person’s age shape his or her ideas? During the age in which Musashi was practicing his unique fighting style the way of the samurai martial art was very developed. Many trained with bow, spear, or staff but it was the sword that was their soul. Even though gunpowder was in in limited use Musashi focuses more on the soul of the samurai, the sword. His technique of using two swords, a long sword in the right and a short in the left, was his true calling card and style. Musashi used the katana (long sword) and the wakizashi (short sword) in the other hand together as a set which he wrote about in his treatise. One of the key factors in Musashi thought process and why he focused on the spiritual and philosophical aspect of swordsmanship was his upbringing. At the age of seven for some unknown reason Musashi was sent to live with his uncle who was a Buddhist priest. This upbringing helped Musashi form his religious devotion and his desire to strengthen his swordsmanship more through a spiritual way rather than a hack and slash way. Musashi Buddhist training along with his uncle teaching him how to read and write allowed Musashi to see swordplay more as a form of art …show more content…
At the age of 13 Musashi would engage in his first dual with a full grow man and samurai Arima Kihei, who was a student of the famous Shinto-Ryu school. This school taught samurai primarily battlefield techniques and how to find weak points in the enemy’s armor which was a common practice during the feudal war that ravaged Japan. Musashi was able to throw his opponent to the ground and beat him to death with a stick. Thus, started the life of the greatest samurai to live in Japan. This would be Musashi’s first of many duels that would help him form his style of combat and let him live the style of life that he