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Shishido (swordsman)
Shishido (宍戸) is the family name of a Japanese swordsman believed to have been active in the early years of the Edo period (1603–1868). Legend has it that he was a skilled practitioner of the kusarigama (a metal chain attached to a kama and a weight, also known as the chain and sickle), and around the year 1607, he fought a duel against the swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, in which he was killed. It is debatable whether Shishido actually existed or not. Author William Scott Wilson, in his 2004 book, '' The Lone Samurai'', wrote, "In 1607, Musashi was passing through the province of Iga when he met a man known only by his family name, Shishido, who was a master of the sickle and chain." The first record of Musashi's duel with Shishido is in the ''Nitenki'' ( 二天記), written in 1776, where he was named Shishido Nanigashi (宍戸某). In Eiji Yoshikawa's 1935–39 novel, '' Musashi'', he was named Shishido Baiken (宍戸梅軒). If fictional, he may have been based on Shishido ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surname
In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several given names and surnames are possible in the full name. In modern times most surnames are hereditary, although in most countries a person has a right to name change, change their name. Depending on culture, the surname may be placed either at the start of a person's name, or at the end. The number of surnames given to an individual also varies: in most cases it is just one, but in Portuguese-speaking countries and many Spanish-speaking countries, two surnames (one inherited from the mother and another from the father) are used for legal purposes. Depending on culture, not all members of a family unit are required to have identical surnames. In some countries, surnames are modified depending on gender and family membership status of a person. C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edo Period
The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characterized by prolonged peace and stability, urbanization and economic growth, strict social order, Isolationism, isolationist foreign policies, and popular enjoyment of Japanese art, arts and Culture of Japan, culture. In 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu prevailed at the Battle of Sekigahara and established hegemony over most of Japan, and in 1603 was given the title ''shogun'' by Emperor Go-Yōzei. Ieyasu resigned two years later in favor of his son Tokugawa Hidetada, Hidetada, but maintained power, and defeated the primary rival to his authority, Toyotomi Hideyori, at the Siege of Osaka in 1615 before his death the next year. Peace generally prevailed from this point on, making samurai largely redundant. Tokugawa sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kusarigama
A is a traditional Japanese weapon that consists of a '' kama'' (the Japanese equivalent of a sickle or billhook) on a kusari-fundo – a type of metal chain (''kusari'') with a heavy iron weight (''fundo'') at the end. The ''kusarigama'' is said to have been developed during the Muromachi period. The art of handling the kusarigama is called '' kusarigamajutsu''. History The researcher Nawa Yumio believes that the ''kusarigama'' was based on the ''jingama'', a tool that resembles a sickle, which was used to cut through a horse's ropes in the case of a fire. The ''jingama'' could also be used as a weapon and according to Nawa, the tool might have been combined with a , which is a chain that contained a weighted end and a chain around the user's wrist. People would wield the weapons with both hands to protect their horses against criminals. Another theory is that the ''kusarigama'' is based on the ''tobiguchi'' ( :ja:鳶口), which is a type of axe that had a "stout haft and a s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kama (weapon)
The is a traditional Japanese farming implement similar to a sickle or billhook used for reaping crops and also employed as a weapon. It is often included in weapon training segments of martial arts. Sometimes referred to as ''kai'' or "double kai," kama made with intentionally dull blades for kata demonstration purposes are referred to as ''kata kai'' . History Before being improvised as a weapon, the kama was widely used throughout Asia to cut crops, mostly rice. It is found in many shapes and forms in Southeast Asia and is particularly common in martial arts from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. From one or both of these areas, the kama was brought to Okinawa and incorporated into the martial art of te (hand) and later karate (empty hand). It also spawned the use of the kusarigama and the Kyoketsu Shoge. Ellis Amdur criticizes in his book ''Old School: Essays on Japanese Martial Traditions'' the theory that the kama was derived from a farmer's sickle. Sickle-lik ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miyamoto Musashi
, was a Japanese swordsman, strategist, artist, and writer who became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 62 duels. Miyamoto is considered a ''Kensei (honorary title), kensei'' (sword saint) of Japan. He was the founder of the Niten Ichi-ryū (or Nito Ichi-ryū) style of swordsmanship, and in his final years authored and ''Dokkōdō'' (獨行道, ''The Path of Aloneness''). Both documents were given to Terao Magonojō, the most important of Miyamoto's students, seven days before Musashi's death. ''The Book of Five Rings'' focuses on the character of his Niten Ichi-ryū school in a concrete sense; his own practical martial art and its generic significance. ''The Path of Aloneness'', on the other hand, deals with the ideas that lie behind it, as well as his life's philosophy in a few short aphoristic sentences. It is believed that Miyamoto was a friend of Mizuno Katsushige, Mizuno Katsunari, a Tokugawa shogunate gene ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Scott Wilson
William Scott Wilson (born 1944) is an American translator, author and historian known for translating several works of Japanese literature, mostly those relating to the martial tradition of that country. Wilson has brought historical Chinese and Japanese thought, philosophy, and tactics to the West in his translations of famous East Asian literature. Wilson's most notable translations include ''Hidden Leaves'' by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, which was featured in the film '' Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai'' (1999), ''The Book of Five Rings'' by Miyamoto Musashi, ''Taiko'' by Eiji Yoshikawa, and '' The Unfettered Mind'' by Takuan Sōhō. Early life Prior to his career as a translator, Wilson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at Dartmouth College. In 1966, Wilson participated in a kayaking expedition from Shimonoseki to Tokyo and immediately began to appreciate Japanese culture. The following year, Wilson returned to Japan as a language teacher and lived i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Lone Samurai
''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the most frequently used word in the English language; studies and analyses of texts have found it to account for seven percent of all printed English-language words. It is derived from gendered articles in Old English which combined in Middle English and now has a single form used with nouns of any gender. The word can be used with both singular and plural nouns, and with a noun that starts with any letter. This is different from many other languages, which have different forms of the definite article for different genders or numbers. Pronunciation In most dialects, "the" is pronounced as (with the voiced dental fricative followed by a schwa) when followed by a consonant sound, and as (homophone of the archaic pronoun ''thee'') ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eiji Yoshikawa
was a Japanese historical novelist. Among his best-known novels are revisions of older classics. He was mainly influenced by classics such as ''The Tale of the Heike'', ''Tale of Genji'', ''Water Margin'' and ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', many of which he retold in his own style. As an example, Yoshikawa took up ''Taiko'''s original manuscript in 15 volumes to retell it in a more accessible tone and reduce it to only two volumes. His other books also serve similar purposes and, although most of his novels are not original works, he created a huge amount of work and a renewed interest in the past. He was awarded the Cultural Order of Merit in 1960 (the highest award for a man of letters in Japan), the Order of the Sacred Treasure and the Mainichi Art Award just before his death from cancer in 1962. He is cited as one of the best historical novelists in Japan. Life He was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, in what is now a part of Yokohama. Because of his father's failed business ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Musashi (novel)
, also listed as ''Musashi: An Epic Novel of the Samurai Era'', is a Japanese epic novel written by Eiji Yoshikawa, about the life and deeds of legendary Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. The book follows Shinmen Takezō starting after the Battle of Sekigahara. It follows his life after the monk Takuan forces him to reinvent himself as Miyamoto Musashi. He wanders around Japan training young pupils, getting involved in feuds with samurai and martial arts schools, and finding his way through his romantic life. It was originally released as a serial in the Japanese newspaper ''Asahi Shimbun'', between 1935 and 1939. It has been re-released in book format (first fully-compiled publication by Fumiko Yoshikawa in 1971), most of which are collections of several volumes, which compile the many newspaper strips. With an estimated 120 million copies sold, it is one of the best-selling book series in history. An English translation was done by Charles S. Terry and features a foreword ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Given Name
A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a family or clan) who have a common surname. The term ''given name'' refers to a name usually bestowed at or close to the time of birth, usually by the parents of the newborn. A ''Christian name'' is the first name which is given at baptism, in Christian custom. In informal situations, given names are often used in a familiar and friendly manner. In more formal situations, a person's surname is more commonly used. In Western culture, the idioms "" and "being on first-name terms" refer to the familiarity inherent in addressing someone by their given name. By contrast, a surname (also known as a family name, last name, or Gentile name, ''gentile'' name) is normally inherited and shared with other members of one's immediate family. Regnal names ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
