Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵1584 –1645) besides being a master of swordsmanship was an expert at th
Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵1584 –1645) besides being a master of swordsmanship was an expert at throwing weapons (shurikenjutsu 手裏剣術). The shuriken technique of the school of Musashi was to throw the kodachi (short sword) at an opponent. He became one of the most famous teachers of shurikenjutsu during the first half of the Edo period (1600-1868).Musashi taught the art of shurikenjutsu to Lord Ogasawara Tadasane & his vassal’s for seven years. Musashi was far better known for his shurikenjutsu than his swordsmanship while he was in Akashi (the domain of Ogasawara).Musashi’s 3rd adoptive son, Takemura Yoemon inherited Musashi’s school of shurikenjutsu & taught it in Akashi through the 1640’s. The daimyō Ogasawara Tadasane (1596 -1667) learned the art of throwing the short sword from Musashi & employed Musashi’s son. During the battle of Ōsaka in 1615 Ogasawara was injured by a spear. He drew his short sword and threw it at his opponent, piercing his eye.Musashi wrote: “A samurai hides the possibility of throwing a shuriken until the last minute. The opponent must have no notion that a shuriken may be thrown. Shuriken are weapons that are effective in seizing the initiative of attack, creating an opportunity to achieve victory.”The most celebrated sword school in Japan during the Edo period was the Yagyū ryū. Yet Miyamoto Musashi defeated Yagyū Munenori 3 times in combat.Having been defeated by Musashi 3 times, Yagyū Munenori spent many years afterwards perfecting shuriken deflection methods. Munenori’s eldest son wrote, “Concerning shuriken, make every effort to see what your opponent holds in his other [non-sword] hand.” -- source link
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