Musashi's Kokura-Kitakyushu How about a little deep time travel?

Kumamoto City, where Musashi Miyamoto wrote the Book of Five Rings in his final years, is well known as a place associated with Musashi Miyamoto, but Kokura, Kitakyushu City, also has a deep and inseparable connection with Musashi.

Musashi Miyamoto had two major associations with Kokura Castle in his lifetime.

One is around 1612 at the time of the duel with Ganryu and Sasaki Kojiro. This was during the time of the Hosokawa clan.
The other was 20 years later, around 1632, when Iori Miyamoto, Musashi's adopted son, became a retainer and moved from Akashi to Kokura under the Ogasawara clan.

The famous "Duel on Ganryu Island," made famous in novels and movies, is not actually known, neither its actual content nor the year of the duel, but recent research has revealed a later episode. Musashi was chased out of the Kokura clan immediately after the duel. Why was Musashi, who won the duel, chased out of the clan? The detailed story is written in another article.

In short, Kokura Castle was probably a castle that left Musashi with bad memories.

Twenty years later, however, his heir Iori Miyamoto became the chief retainer of the Ogasawara family, and soon after, the Ogasawara family was transferred from Akashi to Kokura by shogunate order. And his father, Musashi, would also come to Kokura Castle again. It was fate. Musashi was about 50 years old at this time.

Since he moved to Kumamoto eight years later, it is possible that Musashi lived in Kokura for the longest time in his life. Perhaps he was in one of Iori's residences. This is the current location of Shinei Junior High School.

During the Kokura period, the "Shimabara Rebellion" took place, in which Musashi also participated. Young Iori Miyamoto was active as a general and after the war, he was greatly increased in rank and rose to the position of the 1st retainer. Iori, who had no experience in warfare, must have had the advice and support of Musashi behind his success.

For Musashi, this was the first battle in which he was able to command an army through Iori, a samurai general, and I think it was very stimulating. I think that is why he did not settle for the comfortable position of being the father of the head chief retainer, but continued to live his own life in a place separate from Iori, and carried out his final great task of nurturing his disciples and writing the Book of Five Rings.

Kokura is the land of two turning points in Musashi's life.

It is true that Musashi died in Kumamoto. So it is understandable that many people now consider Musashi's mound in Kumamoto City to be his official grave.

However, until the Edo period, it was common knowledge that "Musashi tombs" were located on Mount Tamuke in Kokura, Buzen. On the contrary, the Musashi mound in Kumamoto was not well known to the general public and was in a dilapidated state until the end of the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Lamenting this, local volunteers in Kumamoto established the "Miyamoto Musashi Remains Recognition Society" in the latter half of the Meiji era (1868-1912), and the footsteps of Miyamoto Musashi, who had been almost forgotten, began to attract attention in Kumamoto.

On the other hand, the Musashi tomb on Mt. Temuke in Kokura -- many people now call it the "Kokura inscription" as if the text were the only thing of value, but in this article we dare to call it the "Musashi tomb" -- was a nationally known entity.

The "Miyamoto Tomb" is depicted as a famous place in Toyomae Kokura in the famous series of Ukiyoe "One Hundred Famous Views of the Country" written by Hiroshige Utagawa (2nd generation) at the end of the Edo period. It was a famous landmark visited by many tourists, at least until the end of the Edo period.

But why is it that even the locals in Kitakyushu have lost little or no awareness of this?

Here is the author's, Tomita's, theory...

1. After losing the Battle of Choshu at the end of the Edo period, the warriors of Kokura set fire to Kokura Castle and fled the city. The townspeople who remained in Kokura had little interest in Musashi Miyamoto.
2. In the Meiji era (1868-1912), Kokura and Kitakyushu developed as an industrial area, and the number of new residents increased, creating a stronger image of Mojiko and Yawata Steel Works than Musashi Tomb.
3. The army confiscated this mountain from the Miyamoto family and built a battery on it during the Meiji era in order to target ships traveling through the Kanmon Straits. Musashi's tomb was taken down to Enmei-ji Temple by the sea, and the Musashi tomb was not located on Mt. Tamuka until it was moved back after World War II.

This makes it easy for the locals to forget about the Musashi tomb on Mount Tamuke.

At the same time, the people of Kumamoto's "Miyamoto Musashi Relics Recognition Society" worked hard, and as the Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras passed, it became common knowledge that Musashi's grave in Kumamoto was in fact in Kumamoto.

However, no matter how low the local perception may be, the value of Musashi's tomb on Mount Temukeyama will never change. This is because it is the tomb of Musashi Miyamoto, built by Iori Miyamoto, Musashi's legitimate son and the top retainer of the Kokura clan.

There is no doubt that Musashi died in Kumamoto. It is also probably true that he was buried near Musashi Mound. However, isn't the current monument in Musashi mound park a monument built by volunteers at the end of the Meiji era? Or is this a tombstone from the time when it was built by the Kumamoto clan, since the letters "Shoho..." are faintly visible on the board? (Please let me know if you know.)

On the other hand, the Musashi tombstone at Temukeyama in Kokura was undoubtedly built by Iori Miyamoto in 1654, nine years after Musashi's death, and the tomb has been there for nearly 400 years.

Some people may argue that if it was built nine years after his death, it would be a monument rather than a grave, but this nine years is necessary considering Iori Miyamoto's position at the time and the relationship between the Kokura and Kumamoto domains. At that time, the relationship between the Kumamoto clan and the Kokura clan was delicate, and Iori Miyamoto was the one who worked hard to mediate. (*Further details in another article)

The life of Miyamoto Musashi is inscribed in Chinese characters on a huge stone of nearly 5 meters. Since the monument was erected when Tadamasa Ogasawara, a feudal lord who valued Musashi, was still alive and well, Iori, the chief retainer of the clan, must have been responsible for the elaboration of the inscription. It must have been a major project. The entire Musashi story is based on this inscription, which is well worth seeing.

According to the "Miyamoto Family History Book," Mount Tamuke was given by Tadazane Ogasawara as Musashi's grave site, and the graves of Iori Miyamoto and other generations of the Miyamoto family were built in the same location as the Musashi tombs during the Edo period.

Today, the Miyamoto family's grave is located at the foot of Mt. Tamuke, and only those related to it and those with permission can enter, but it can be seen through the fence. Natural stone tombstones with the same concept as Musashi's are lined up in a conversation, and if you imagine that they were in the same place as Musashi's grave, Mt. Tamuke is truly the cemetery of the Miyamoto family, whose founder was Musashi.

Descendants of the Miyamoto family still reside in Kitakyushu City and guard the graves of their generations.

By the way, unlike other famous samurai, Musashi was neither a feudal lord nor had any major military achievements. The reason why Musashi Miyamoto continues to attract people in later generations must be because his "works of art" and his philosophy, including the "Book of Five Rings," have a universality that shakes the hearts of modern people as well.

Musashi's works include calligraphy, paintings, crafts, and many other things. He is truly a genius in all genres. Among them, four of Musashi's "Suiboku-ga" (ink and wash paintings ) are designated as important cultural properties of Japan and are highly acclaimed.

Its characteristic feature is the no stagnate brushwork, which is reminiscent of the movement of a sword. The dynamic lines and margins of the painting, which seem to have been painted in an extremely short period of time, come across as powerful.

View Important Cultural Properties in Musashi
(Go to another site)

In addition, Musashi's masterpiece, "The Book of Five Rings, " is a book of universal philosophy of victory.

You might think of it as a secret book for master swordsmen, but it's written in detail, like a book written for beginners who are holding a sword for the first time. Covering things like how to hold a sword, how to stand, how to look at the enemy, and facial expressions. And he also explains by comparing it to the work of a carpenter. He is a wonderful writer who always imagines things that are easy for readers to understand.

However, the content of the book approaches "the essential theory of victory" more and more with the depth that only a master can provide. Then, in the final volume, "The Book of the Void," the book ends with a philosophical expression that at once conveys the "essence of bushido" and poses an eternal question to the reader. It is a very interesting book even for a modern reader.

The Book of Five Rings" is not read by many people in Japan; on the contrary, it may be read more in other countries, as you can find out from Amazon.com in various languages.

Moreover, with many reviews and more than 4 ★ ratings on Amazon in every country, it shows that it is read by ordinary people living today, not as an old book for researchers. Maybe it is because the translated version is an easy-to-read language for people in that country, unlike the Japanese version of the ancient language.

Still, isn't it really amazing that the "Book of Five Rings," written 400 years ago, is being read around the world, and not just as a historical document? I recommend the above Iwanami Bunko edition to you,the Japanese, thin and very easy to read in fact. Click here.

How about visiting Musashi's Kokura, where he made two turning points in his life?

◎Kokura Castle

During the Ogasawara clan period, Musashi would surely have admired the view from the keep of Kokura Castle with his son Iori, the first Ogasawara family retainer.

Incidentally, the big taiko drums that remain at Kokura Castle were brought from Akashi. There is also a record in Akashi that it was Miyamoto Musashi who recommended an official to the Ogasawara family to play the big taiko. It is fun to imagine that Musashi had recommended the master taiko player who will be connected to the Kokura Gion taiko.

◎Kokura Castle Garden and Ogasawara Hall

The samurai mansion has been restored, and the house of Nagaoka Sado, who served as a retainer of the Hosokawa family at Kokura Castle, can be seen in memory of him. In Eiji Yoshikawa's novel, it was Sado Nagaoka who summoned Musashi, and the familiar scene in the movie: Sado Nagaoka's house is here, where Musashi is troubled by his disappearance the day before the duel.

◎Ruins of Iori Miyamoto's former residence

Iori Miyamoto's residence was located in the area that is now Shinaga Junior High School. Her mother, Rioin, must have lived there. I have never heard of the remains of Musashi Miyamoto's residence in Kitakyushu, so Musashi probably had a room somewhere in the spacious Iori mansion.

◎Mt. Tamuke Summit, Musashi Tomb

After all, this is the greatest sacred place related to Musashi Miyamoto in Kokura, Kitakyushu. It must have been an extremely difficult task just to prepare this huge stone, prepare the board, engrave the letters, and erect it at the top of this mountain. The author imagines that a grand memorial service was probably held here on the day this gravestone was erected. The date of erection inscribed on the monument, if one looks up the date, one will find that it was a Buddhist holiday.

◎Cemetery of generations of the Miyamoto family at the foot of Mt. Tamuke

Although closed to the public, anyone can take a peek through the netting. Tombstones made with the same concept as Musashi's are lined up close together.

◎Koujusan Fukujuji Temple

This is the family temple of the Ogasawara family, located not far from Mt. Temukai, and was built by Tadamasa. Musashi Miyamoto never visited this temple because he died after his death, but Iori, who served Tadamasa, donated a lantern to the temple. A temple of the Obaku school of Chinese Zen Buddhism, the main hall, with its simplicity and unique continental flavor, is a perfect match for the natural landscape.

◎Shojoji Temple, Takada Matabee's Tomb

The grave of Takada Matabei, a long-time rival and friend of Miyamoto Musashi and a spear master since his Akashi days, is located at Shououji Temple. It is said that Matabei and Musashi had an imperial match at Kokura Castle at the request of Ogasawara Tadazane.

◎Ganryujima

Officially, it is Funashima (Funashima, formerly Funajima), and in terms of administrative district, it is in Shimonoseki City. On the inscription on the Musashi tomb, Iori writes:

There is an island in the sea between Nagato and Buzen. It is called Funashima. The two warriors met at the same time. Iwaryu came with a three-foot white blade in his hand, and used all his skill without regard for his life. Musashi kills him with a single blow of his wooden blade. Even the lightning was too late. The name "Funashima" was changed to "Ganryujima" in the common language.

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B0%8F%E5%80%89%E7%A2%91%E6%96%87

The reason why the name "Funashima" is explained as "Ganryujima" is probably because "Funashima" did not pass well at the time when this tombstone was erected. For Musashi, it must have been a shock to return here after 20 years to find that the local people called the island by the name of Ganryu, not by the name of Musashi after his victory.

It is now maintained as a park and is a pleasant place where anyone can imagine Musashi and Kojiro being here and admiring this scenery. This is an island where you should take your Kanmon Timetravel Guide " A journey around Miyamoto Musashi : What is the Duel at Ganryujima Island" and spend half a day relaxing while looking at the Kanmon Straits.

Written by Tomita Tsuyoshi
Kanmon Timetravel Project Leader