Editing Miyamoto Musashi (section)

===Travels (1599–1613)===
In 1599, Musashi left his village at age 15 or 16,{{efn|One source states 15,<ref>{{cite book| title= Tosakushi| trans-title= The Registry of the Sakushu Region| year= | language= ja | publisher= | edition= |translator= | first= | last= | isbn= }}</ref> but another states he was 16 years old in 1599<ref name= route-THH47>{{cite book| title= Along the Samurai's Route| first= Jorge| last= Orpianesi |year= 2022| isbn= 9789878720210| publisher= Editorial Autores de Argentina | page= 47}}, quoting {{cite book| title= Tanji Hokin Hikki| trans-title= | place= Japan | publisher= | year= 1727| edition= |translator= | first= | last= | isbn= }}</ref> which aligns with the age reported in Musashi's first duel.<ref name="tokitsu">{{Cite book| title= Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings |first=Kenji |last= Tokitsu |publisher= Shambhala Publications|year=2006|isbn=9780834824881|page= |chapter= }}</ref>}} His family possessions such as furniture, weapons, genealogy, and other records were left with his sister and her husband, Hirao Yoemon. He spent his time [[Musha shugyō|traveling and engaging in duels]].

In 1600, Musashi is said to have participated in the [[Battle of Sekigahara]]. For a long time, the prevailing opinion has been that Musashi participated in the Sekigahara battle on the Western Army side due to the fact that Shinmen clan was longtime vassal to the [[Ukita clan]]. However, recent research by  modern Japanese historians such as Masahide Fukuda and Watanabe Daimon about Musashi has opined that Musashi and his father, Shinmen Munisai, actually sided with The Eastern army during the war, based on the historical records that Munisai no longer served the Ukita clan, and the clan records of [[Kuroda clan]], ally of Tokugawa Ieyasu during the war, had recorded the name of Shinmen Munisai among their vassals who participated in the war.<ref name= "musashiTokugawasekigahara">{{cite web |first= Watanabe |last= Daimon |title=牢人・宮本武蔵の関ヶ原合戦事情…東軍西軍のどちらに属し、主君は存在したのか |trans-title= Prisoner Miyamoto Musashi's Battle of Sekigahara...Which side did he belong to, East or West, and did he have a master? |url=https://sengoku-his.com/238 |website=sengoku-his.com |access-date=26 May 2024 |language=Ja |year=2023 |quote=Yumekashi Harada, ''The True Story of Miyamoto Musashi'' (Ashi Shobo, 1984); Masahide Fukuda ''Miyamoto Musashi's Summer Siege'' (''Rekishi Kenkyu'' No. 400, 1994); Masahide Fukuda, ''Proof of Musashi's Sekigahara Eastern Army'' (Miyamoto Musashi Research Paper Collection, Rekiken, 2003); Eiji Yoshikawa, ''Miyamoto Musashi, 6 volumes'' (Dainippon Yubenkai Kodansha, 1936-39)}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title= Miyamoto Musashi| journal= [[Osaka Economic Review]]| number= 282–284 |date=2005 |publisher= [[Osaka University of Economics]] |page=55 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=fzYSAQAAMAAJ |access-date=25 May 2024 |language=Ja}}</ref> Daimon, who quoted the "Matsui Clan Document", opines that the notion that Musashi fought on the losing side of Western Army, both in Sekigahara and in Osaka siege 14 years later, were only based on legendary romanticism about Musashi being a ronin. While the primary history records indicated that Musashi always fought on the side of Tokugawa, who emerged victorious in both conflicts.<ref>{{cite web |first= Watanabe |last= Daimon |title=宮本武蔵に関する史料は、なぜ極端に少ないのか。その理由を考える |trans-title= Why are there so few historical documents about Miyamoto Musashi? Consider the reasons |url = https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/d328fe8083b6003c2dd086986e298724f1b0b6c5 |website=yahoo.co.jp/expert |publisher=渡邊大門 無断転載を禁じます。 LY Corporation |access-date=2 June 2024 |language= ja}}</ref> The main issue debated, was if Musashi fought in the Sekigahara battle with the Eastern Army main forces, under Tokugawa, or did he fight in Ishigakibaru of western province theater under the Eastern Army commander Kuroda Yoshitaka.<ref name= Faithful29>{{cite book |first= Kengo | last= Tominaga |title= 忠実宮本武蔵 |trans-title= Faithful Miyamoto Musashi| date=1972 |publisher= Baiquan Study |page=29 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=R3gwAAAAMAAJ |access-date=10 June 2024 |language=Ja}}</ref> Daimon suggests that Musashi fought in Ishigakibaru instead of Sekigahara, by historical record of ''The Transmission of Military Art to Master Bushu Genshin''<ref name="musashiTokugawasekigahara" /> Meanwhile, Fukuda has determined that the name of Munisai appeared in Kuroda clan record under the category of ''Kogofudai'', or Kuroda clan [[vassal]]s who had entered service before 1586. Based on this fact, Fukuda concluded it was natural that Munisai and Musashi were on the Tokugawa side during the war, just as the Kuroda clan which they served.<ref name="musashiTokugawasekigahara" />

Furthermore, Japanese history novelist Kengo Tominaga proposed a theory that Musashi during the [[Sekigahara Campaign]] did not fight in the main battle of Sekigahara, but instead he fought under [[Kuroda Yoshitaka]] against [[Ishida Mitsunari]] loyalists from the western provinces in the battle of Ishigakibaru, [[Ōita Prefecture]].<ref name= Faithful29 />

In December 1608, It was reported that Musashi met with Mizuno Katsunari, a Tokugawa general. Musashi taught Katsunari the secret techniques of his sword style.<ref>『宮本武蔵奥伝（与水野日向守）』（小田原市立図書館蔵）、『兵道鏡』（高知城歴史博物館 山内文庫所蔵）</ref>

[[File:Miyamoto-Musashi-Fights-Sasaki-Kojiro-at-Ganryujima-Ukiyo-e.png|thumb|right|upright=1.2|Sasaki Kojiro, right, engages Miyamoto Musashi on the shores of Ganryū Island.]]

In 1611, Musashi learned [[zazen]] at [[Myōshin-ji]] [[Kyūshū]] after the Sekigahara battle. Musashi introduced [[Nagaoka Sado]] to an official of daimyo (lord) named [[Hosokawa Tadaoki]].

====Duel with Sasaki Kojiro====
Musashi dueled [[Sasaki Kojiro]], another skilled swordsman, in one of his most famous battles. While there are differing opinions on how it happened, the prevailing notion is that Musashi challenged Kojiro, requesting Hosokawa Tadaoki to organize the time and place.<ref name= "arch duel" /> Kojiro agreed to the challenge, scheduled one year later, on 13 April, at Ganryūjima Island. When the date arrived, the island was filled with spectators anxious to witness the duel. 

Musashi, it is said, deliberately arrived late. Kojirō had lost his patience while waiting, and he taunted Musashi for his late arrival, though the latter remained composed.<ref name="lowry">{{cite book |last=Lowry |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Lowry (martial arts) |date=1986 |title=Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword |publisher= Ohara Publications |pages=21–27 |isbn=978-0-89750-104-0}}</ref><ref name="Kodansha International"/> Kojirō was known for fighting with a ''[[nodachi]]'', a sword with a long blade.<ref name="lowry"/><ref name="Kodansha International">{{cite book| last= Wilson| first= William Scott |title=The Lone Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi |year= 2004 |publisher= Kodansha International|location=Tokyo|isbn=978-4770029423 |page= 19 |edition=|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0p0C7Y8lkH8C&q=musashi+came+late+and+unkempt&pg=PA18}}</ref> During his journey to the island by boat, Musashi had carved an [[oar]] into a ''[[bokken]]'', or wooden practice sword. The duel ended when Musashi quickly and fatally struck Kojirō, crushing his skull with a vertical stroke.<ref name="lowry" />