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Today we are uncovering the insane story of Miyamoto Musashi, the samurai who never lost a fight and became a living legend. And today, we're going through his entire journey as an orphaned child just living in Japan, to becoming the greatest samurai of all time. From his wild teenage years, to moving to Kyoto, to the battle that almost broke him, to eventually defeating the Yoshiaka brothers and becoming the man we know today. But here's the biggest question. Was Musashi just a psycho killer that was trying to fight everyone that he came across? Or was there something deeper? Was he a philosopher that used his sword to find the meaning of life? So sit back, relax, and welcome to History Camp.
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- [01:43]
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What's up, people? And welcome back to History Camp. My name is Mark Gagnon and thank you for joining me in my tent where every single week we explore the most interesting, fascinating, controversial stories from around the world throughout all history forever. That's right. This is my journey to try to understand everything that's ever happened. Trying to go through all the infamous and famous people in history that created the world that we live in today. As always, I'm joined by my dear friend, the Greek freak, the philosopher himself, the true student of Plato, Aristotle and. Who's the other guy? Socrates. And you follow all of your teachings? Absolutely. Including the relationships with men and boys? Except those. All right, Croesus, we don't have time to hear you yapping all day, all right? You do and you do agree with everything they've done. This is not the time to talk about Greek philosophy, all right? Because today we're going to Japan. We're looking at the life, teachings and wisdom of Miyamoto Musashi, one of the most legendary samurais to ever grace the island of Japan. Now, in order to understand this, you know, during Japan's time of feudal lords and, you know, warring clans, there was one samurai who became a legend that has still captivated people, I mean, to this very day, myself included. And that man is Miyamoto Musashi. He was a masterful swordsman who traveled from place to place and would challenge opponents and perfect his fighting technique. His incredible battles and, you know, pursuit of just mastery basically created stories that blended reality and myth. And for hundreds of years, people have been drawn to his duels and his dedication to becoming this perfect warrior. The solitary fighter became one of Japan's most famous cultural figures ever through his devotion to, you know, his basically his passion, like, to his calling in life, to his desire to perfect the sword. Yet there are still questions that remain about his true nature. Was Musashi simply a deadly fighter who, you know, tried to get famous by defeating his enemies, or was there something actually deeper? Was he truly the thoughtful, philosophical warrior who saw sword fighting as a way to find inner peace and wisdom? Well, we're gonna figure it all out today, but in order to do that, we gotta go all the way back to 1584, when Japan was torn apart by constant fighting. So you have these different powerful warlords basically, that are battling each other for control of territory. You know, this is the story throughout most of human history, and Japan is no different. In the small, peaceful village of Miyamoto, there was a child that was born that would one day become famous. And the baby was named Benosuke. And his birth brought, you know, joy and sorrow in different ways. You see, his mother, Omasa, died from problems during childbirth, leaving this tiny infant without a mother from the very beginning. So growing up without a mom changed Benosuke in profound ways. You see, his father, Miyamoto Munasai, was a skilled sword fighter who took care of him. And along with some help from his uncle, who was a monk, the boy learned to live with, you know, sort of a conflicting feeling about his life and who he was. Right. He had this sort of sadness from not having a mother and, you know, as a result of that, became very self reliant and in a lot of ways just kind of kept to himself. And this early hardship taught him to, you know, have grit and sort of fortitude and never really give up, despite how difficult things can become. Because for Benosuke, things were difficult from the get go. And these qualities of strength and determination would later help him become one of Japan's greatest samurais ever. But without this, you know, mother's love, so to speak. Benosuke was raised by his father, who was again a demanding teacher and also a famous samurai in his own right. And he was known throughout the region for his sword skills. So his father, Munasai, was determined to train his son in everything a warrior needed to know. So from a young age, Benosuke showed that he was a natural fighter and quickly picked up the combat methods that his father taught him. His father, Munasai, was especially good with the juri, which is a hooked iron weapon, and he passed the skill on to his son. So Benosuke developed his own fighting approach that mixed a, you know, a power and an aggression with this perfect, careful technique. However, learning to fight wasn't the only part of Bunosuke's upbringing. You see, his uncle Doran, who was also a Buddhist monk, constantly tried to teach him about kindness and self control and understanding who you are and knowing thyself better. But Benosuke was a stubborn child who didn't always like to listen. His relationship with his father was complicated. Right. He respected Monasai, but also wanted to rebel against him, like a lot of young men do, always wanting to learn more and gain respect. Benosuke began to challenge his father's methods and actually tried to create his own way of fighting instead of just following the old traditions. So Munazi believed in doing things the traditional way and saw his son's bold ideas as, you know, disrespectful, basically. And the two would argue and argue and more and more frequently they would get into these fights. And eventually these fights got worse because Munasai was a bit of a drinker. Eventually, the father and son became so distant that they could barely even talk to each other. They couldn't even be in the same room at certain points. And feeling like nobody understood him and desperate to prove what he could do, Benosuke made the difficult choice to leave home and start on his own journey. He even changed his name to Takezo as a way to show his independence and his sort of life mission of becoming this respected samurai through his own efforts. When Benosuke chose the name Takezo, it meant he was basically starting his life over. He was leaving behind the old life and everything his family had taught him, hoping to build something great and new for himself. And now, free from, you know, these old rules and these traditions, this young fighter was, you know, more or less ready to just take on whatever the world wanted to throw at him. And he had literally his own weapon and this sort of unshakable will to just make it. Whether that meant he was going to be the greatest or die trying, he didn't care. So Benosuke, now Takezo, began living in the wilderness almost like a. Like an animal. He had no place to go, he knew no one else. And as a result of that, he became kind of aggressive and angry. And whenever he crossed paths with other young warriors, these meetings typically turned into fights. Driven by this intense need to prove that he was better than everyone, Takezo threw himself into battle after battle, using each fight as a chance to improve his abilities and try to get better. His strength and his courage were obvious to anyone that was unfortunate enough to confront him. And every time he won a duel, he would feel more and more confident about himself. And this success fed into his ego, into his pride, and made him even more determined to become the greatest samurai ever. So by the time Takezo turned 13, his desire to become famous was already burning inside of him. Word spread that Arima Kahai, a well known samurai who was an expert in a specific traditional Shinto to ryu fighting style, was traveling across Japan looking for people to fight. He was challenging other swordsmen to duels as a way to kind of build up his own reputation and test his own skills in combat. Knowing his son wasn't ready for such a dangerous fight, Mudasai forbade Takeo from even accepting this challenge at all. But Takezo, driven by this teenage recklessness and this pride, ignored his family's orders and signed up for this duel anyway. And when people heard about this, they were kind of shocked and they couldn't believe that such a young person would dare face this experienced warrior like Arima. So when Arima Kahai found out that this 13 year old had accepted his challenge, he went to go speak with the boy's uncle, the Buddhist monk. And he told this monk that when the time came, Takezo should simply show up and say sorry in front of everyone for acting, you know, so bold and so foolishly. And the monk agreed to talk to the boy, but warned Arima that Takezo wasn't like other kids. He had this like, wild spirit, like an animal. And you know, people even said that he would practice fighting with mountain spirits like he was unlike any other fighter the people in the town knew. So on the day of the duel, crowds gathered in the town to watch what seemed like an impossible fight and a legal fight. No one knew what was going to happen. Arima appeared wearing this impressive black robe and carried his katana with him. And Takezo showed up in plain Clothes with only a wooden practice sword. And he looked small and helpless compared to this. Like seasoned samurai, right? It was literally like Dave and Goliath. It was like a giant fighting a child. But Takezo didn't come to apologize. He wanted a fight. And the battle began with Arima attacking him, trying to end things quickly since he couldn't afford to, like, lose to a kid. However, Takezo was fast and he was smart, and he was dodging these attacks and using his speed and his size to his advantage. And he fought with a surprising intensity and determination. Takizo launched his own attack, catching Kihai completely off guard. And this experienced samurai hadn't expected so much aggression fighting someone so young, and quickly found himself having a difficult time defending. Tako managed to knock the weapon from Kai's hand and delivered a blow to the head. The duel ended with Arima Kehai dying from the head injury, giving this future Musashi his first victory in a fight to the death. This victory made Takezo and his already, you know, inflated ego even larger. This duel changed his life forever. Beating this skilled and experienced swordsman boosted his confidence in a way that he never could have even anticipated, and basically started him on the road to becoming the legend we know today. However, even though Takezo was proving himself as a fighter, he was still, you know, sort of possessed by this wild, uncontrolled spirit. And unless he could learn how to control his anger and his emotions, he would never actually reach the true greatness. So after this win and this victory against this, you know, skilled samurai, word about Takezo spread throughout the region. And people knew that he was a gifted fighter, but they also learned about his bad attitude and his arrogance, which created enemies everywhere he went. Takizo was both, you know, proud, but also quick to anger and hot headed, and he refused to walk away from any challenge. He saw every fight as, you know, a chance to get better, but also an attack on his identity or his ego. And he wanted to prove to everyone that he was better than them, earning respect by intimidating people with, you know, his strength and his aggression. And the streets and open areas around Kyushi became places where Takezo would fight spontaneous duels whenever his anger flared up. Until one day, his luck ran out and he was caught. You see, his captors brought him to Taekwond Soho, a respected Zen Buddhist monk who promised he could basically control this young warrior's energy and a lot of his aggression. And this monk tied Takezo up with ropes and suspended him from a tree branch. And Takezo screamed and he cursed at the monk and he hurled insults and everything that he could think of. He was so pissed off. But Takuan was calm and unaffected by any of these attacks. And basically, Takezo, this young warrior, hung on this tree branch by these ropes, just helplessly, just completely tied up, and there was nothing he could do. And he was powerless, but he was, more importantly, embarrassed. And this quiet forest made the isolation even worse and basically forced him to face the dark parts of his personality. And for several days, he remained tied to that tree while Takwan came to visit him occasionally, not to set him free, but to challenge him with questions and lessons. He would basically walk up to him and just be like, what's up? And Takezoa was pissed off. He'd be like, what the do you want? He'd go. Literally, he would say, this real strength doesn't just come from physical power, but from mental discipline. A sword is a mighty weapon, but it can be used to help people or hurt them. A genuine samurai seeks balance and peace, not chaos and violence. And then homeboy just walked away. I mean, Takazo, I would. I would be so pissed if I was just tied up to a tree, just bound, and some dude just came up to you, started saying riddles. So that was the turning point for Takeo in his life. He was forced to basically see his own arrogance and just contemplate what was happening in his life and his reckless behavior, you know, entirely. And he started to realize how these qualities like patience and planning and self discipline were actually fundamental to his success in any way, whether it was to be the greatest fighter or just to be a, you know, happy human being. And so from that day forward, Takwan became like a mentor to Takezo, helping him navigate, you know, difficult personal times and guiding him as he worked to become a better human being. Now, for context, this is an interesting moment in Japanese history because you see, Japan is approaching basically this giant conflict between two of its most powerful families, the Toyotomi and the Tokugawa. And these two clans basically were getting more intense as they battled for control over the entire nation. And stories about the coming war traveled from town to town through traders and merchants and other travelers. And samurais everywhere were preparing their weapons, and, you know, the local sort of warlords were gathering armies. And people felt both excited but also kind of terrified about what was coming. And even though Takezo was still young at this time, he could feel this pull of the war sort of calling for him. He saw this conflict as a chance to prove himself on a bigger scale than ever before. This was a way for this young warrior to actually test his fighting abilities in serious battles and earn the fame and the sort of admiration that he desperately wanted. He had grown up hearing tales about these legendary warriors, and he was convinced that his future was on the battlefield. And that's where he would be known, where he could fight beside other samurai and make his own place in Japan's history. What's up, guys? We're gonna take a break really quick because you need to stop choking your chicken, slapping your salami, beating your meat, doing a little five knuckle shuffle, shaking hands with the unemployed, or squeezing the stress. You get what I'm saying? All right, we're talking about no fap. Yeah, I'm sure you've tried probably for like a week, maybe three days, maybe you went on a family vacation, you're like, you know what? I'm not gonna tug it. Then you got back home, you got back in your routine and you're like, damn, dude, I should probably try to stop doing this, right? And that's where Relay comes in. Because Relay isn't just an app. It is a community. Think like a group chat where everyone is rooting for you, trying to help you become your best self, trying to master all of your vices and your urges. And that includes the old, you know, spanking the monkey, right? So whether it's, you know, specifically your proclivity for seeing that sweet stuff on your screen or it's, you know, booze, weed, whatever, Relay is a place where people actually have your back. So if you are looking to continue on your journey not using willpower, but using community, download the Relay app today. The best way to do it is go to join Relay. That is J O I N R E L a Y dot app app slash camp that is join Relay app camp and use the code Gagnon for a seven day free trial. I'm telling you, this is the best way to find a like minded group of people who will help you become the best version of you. Now let's get back to the show.
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Eczema isn't always obvious, but it's real. And so is the relief from Ebgliss. After an initial dosing phase, about 4 in 10 people taking EBGLIS achieved itch relief and clear or almost clear skin. It's 16 weeks and most of those people maintain skin that's still more clear at one year with monthly dosing.
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EVGLIS Lebricizumab LBKZ, a 250mg injection is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds or 40 kilograms with moderate to severe eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin or topicals or who cannot use topical therapies. EBGLIS can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. Don't use if you're allergic to Ebglis. Allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Eye problems can occur. Tell your doctor if you have New Orleans or worsening eye problems. You should not receive a live vaccine when treated with Epglis. Before starting Epglis, tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection searching for real relief.
- [18:53]
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Ask your doctor about eglis and visit epgliss.lilly.com or call 1-800-lilyrx or 1-800-545-5979.
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I'm Christian McCaffrey, pro running back, and Abercrombie is an official fashion partner of the NFL. I'm not kidding when I say NFL by Abercrombie. Broke the Internet last year and I think this season's lineup is even cooler. And so does my wife, who keeps stealing all my hoodies. Stay fit for the season and Abercrombie's newest arrivals shop NFL by Abercrombie in the app, online and in store.
- [19:28]
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And so for this young and eager Takezo, the approaching war wasn't just something dangerous or something to be afraid of, but it was this opportunity to actually get the recognition that he wanted to. And so the Battle of Sekigahara was coming and it was coming faster than anyone actually thought. And it basically would change all of feudal Japan forever. So this is roughly in the year 1600, and the country was split between these two families. And the Toyotami clan was led by Hideyori, the son of the great leader Hideyoshi, who had united Japan before his death. Fighting against them was Tokugawa Liyasu. This was the, you know, sort of like a clever kind of power hungry lord who wanted to take over Japan and rule it for himself. And the tensions between these two groups were spreading everywhere. You know, and samurai and local rulers basically saw this as a chance to advance up the ladder. You know, this is a dangerous time where, you know, alliances are changing and you have these two groups, you have, you know, basically the, you know, dynastic faction, then you have the rebel faction and they're trying to do a coup to take over. And every lord in every different province and prefect sees them sees this as an opportunity to basically, you know, take over some more power for themselves if you can back the right horse. So for, you know, Takezo, this is no different. He's motivated by this burning need to prove himself, and he chose to fight in the Western army that supported the Toyotomi side. He joins the Shimen clan, which is commanded by Ukita Hidai, one of the strongest, most faithful leaders serving under Hadayori. So the Shimen fighters were well known for being, you know, brave and skilled. And Takezo saw this as, like, you know, the perfect chance to basically fight next to these experienced warriors, which would actually build up his skill and reputation, but also give him real experience within an actual battle. So Takezo's choice to join the Shimen wasn't random. He actually really respected Ukita, who represented everything a leader should be. He was loyal and honorable and brave. And these were the same qualities that Takezo wanted to develop inside of himself. And the fact that the clan shared the Shimen name with his own father's family name felt like he actually belonged there and was fighting for something connected to his childhood and his heritage. So Sekigahara seemed like the perfect stage in the perfect battle to demonstrate his actual abilities for everyone. He believed that his personal destiny was, you know, connected to Japan's future and that this would be the moment that he would claim it. So the sun was just beginning to come up when these two armies faced each other in the flat plains of Sekigahara. The morning fog is still kind of on the battlefield, and it's sort of eerie. It's, like, sort of humid in the air, and there's this just, like, nervous quiet that was only broken by the sound of metal armor crashing together and horses stampeding and commanders yelling orders to their men. And standing among all the other samurai. Takezo could feel his heart beating in his chest. He could feel the blood rushing into his head. And, you know, this natural fear that anyone would have would, you know, try to basically control him. But he pushed it down through this determination. His body is both excited and he has energy, but all of his senses are sharper, and he's really starting to feel like he's in the headspace for a fight. And then suddenly, bang. The loud boom of cannons shatter the silence. You have these giant metal balls flying through the air, exploding, crushing into enemy soldiers, people exploding and their flesh going everywhere. The ground is shaking beneath everyone's feet, and you have gunpowder smell in the air. In the fog, you can barely see anything, and people are literally YELLING BATTLE CRIES AND screaming as these samurai crashing into each other in this chaotic mess. And the sound of metal mixed with the screams and the blood and the gunpowder is truly putting Takeo directly into one of the most fierce battles he had ever seen, or Japan had ever seen in its existence. He moved quickly and smoothly and was basically trying to, you know, avoid enemy attacks while striking enemies without them seeing. And he kind of saw the fight like a dance, and he was using all the skills that he had learned through the years of training to navigate the madness. Now, although the official historical battle records don't give specific details about what Takezo did on that day, there are surviving stories that tell of a young samurai who fought with incredible intensity. People said that his sword was ruthless, and he cut down enemies as easily as wind blows dry leaves from a tree. Some even whispered that he had the supernatural strength of Tengu, which is a legendary mountain creature known for its supernatural abilities. One story, quietly shared by men who lived through the battle, described how Takezo faced a group of enemy samurai all by himself, while protecting his own soldiers who were retreating. He moved as fast as lightning. His sword was slicing through armor and bodies like he was a surgeon. Like the story claimed that he killed seven opponents before getting wounded in the arm. Even though he was hurt, Takezo continued to fight, driven by his loyalty to his clan and his own determination to, you know, stay alive and become the legend he always wanted to be. This fighting in this particular battle goes on for hours. I mean, it's just like an immense, atrocious display of just death and violence. But the outcome, in some ways, had already been decided. You see, Iyasu's sneaky deals and clever planning ahead had actually weakened the Western army, and it kind of made them outnumbered and outmaneuvered. And the Western army was almost certain to lose. You see, the beautiful plains of Sekigahara were now covered in dead bodies. This was a, you know, just a ton of carnage. And the broken and discouraged Western army was giving up to the Tokugawa forces, and they were hurt, and they were exhausted. And Takezo found himself caught in the middle of basically, soldiers running away in every direction in panic. And the defeat is, you know, painful, right? It's like a hit to, like the pride of not only you, but also all your other soldiers. And despite how bravely and courageously you fought, it's now basically impossible to win. And not knowing what would happen next felt even worse than losing the battle itself. The Tokugawa had captured his leader, Ukita Hidai, and nobody knew what would happen to him or the Shimen clan. And Takezo was now completely alone, a samurai without a leader or a purpose, basically now wandering through a country that has, you know, now serves a different leader. And losing this battle was harsh. The Shimen clan was disbanded, and they lost all their land and all their status, and they basically lived in exile. Okita had died, became a Buddhist monk later, and watched all of his military achievements just disappear. Wounded by the battle and the destruction of the clan, Takezo now faced this question. Who does he be loyal to now? Right? Like, he survived this battle, he didn't get imprisoned, but now he's just kind of living in exile and he has no real place to go. Should he stay faithful to the Toyotomi, whose cause is now basically crushed, or should he accept the Tokugawa, who are now Japan's new leaders? His emotions were kind of torn between staying loyal to the past, but also needing to survive in this changing world. Hidai, the leader he had respected, was completely different from Tokugawa Ieyasu. This sort of cold hearted, you know, rebel winner. Losing at Sekigahara and seeing the Shimen clan basically fall apart taught Takezu that loyalty could be fragile in a world where people cared more about power and backstabbing than, like, actual honor or principles. And he realized that he needed to create his own path and figure out what he actually believed in for himself and decided his own future. In a Japan torn apart by this war, the difficult choice was, you know, bothering him for years. And it influenced a lot of his thinking and his search for a fighting style that went beyond these old traditions and, you know, blind obedience. For Takezo, Sekigahara was more than just losing a battle. It was a lesson in how the real world actually works. Like, you know, just picking a side based off of, you know, family name or loyalty or glory or dreams of the future. All of these things disappeared like, you know, just like dust in the wind, like when he was faced with the reality of defeat. Like, no matter what your dreams are, if you're in a war and your side gets crushed like it's for nothing. So now, walking without direction on, you know, these old dirt roads in Japan, Takizo carried both his, you know, wounds from the battle and also the weight of not knowing what to do. And he kept on remembering what Takuan told him. Remember the monk that tied him up to that tree? He told him real strength comes not from physical power, but from this mental discipline. And he knew that he had to discover a new reason for living, a direction that would Give his life meaning in a world that seems to, you know, be meaningless. So for the period of time after this battle, wounded from the war, he just found himself in a small hut at the edge of the village and was basically alone. Despite, you know, some infrequent care from some people generous enough to try to, you know, heal his wounds. He was by himself with nothing to do, wasn't able to practice his, you know, sword skills or actually, you know, battle anyone. He was basically just keeping company with himself. And while he actually got better physically, his mind was tortured with the same questions that he remembered from the monk that tied him up to the tree. He was still going through the same deliberation of how to control his emotions and how to improve himself. And now he's confronted with again, this fork in the road. Where do I go? Where do I fit into Japan? What exactly are my dreams and my future? So Musashi, with his new name, was standing at this fork in the road, unsure exactly where it would lead. Motivated by his need to overcome this hardship and discover a new reason for living, he basically takes this time to work and improve himself. So during the days and nights while he recovered, he spent his time strengthening both his body, but as well as his mind. He would practice breathing exercises and meditation that he had actually learned from his uncle to make his spirit stronger and to control his overwhelming anger. Musashi also studied military strategy and philosophy to understand why they lost this battle at Sekigahara, and to try to learn from those mistakes. He read everything that he could find about history from war tactics and wisdom from the great thinkers like Confucius and Lao Tzu, and basically searching for knowledge and ideas that could help him shape his future. However, the sword continued to call him. Musashi now understood that martial arts were a crucial part of who he was, and he needed to find a new way to express himself through fighting. So he continued training without stopping and trying out new techniques and creating his own style, one that was more flexible and natural and could work in many different situations. He basically learned to use his entire body as a weapon, combining the speed and this power and this precision into every movement. And he discovered how important timing was, along with watching carefully and predicting what his opponents would do next. He realized that taking long walks through Japan's mountains and forests was a vital part of this training. In the wilderness, Musashi found the inner calm and inspiration he needed to trust his instincts and, you know, approve his abilities as a samurai. And after this period of wandering and self improvement, he was again changed as A person. The physical and emotional scars from this battle became symbols of his toughness and his determination. He emerged as an actual mature warrior, someone who was both disciplined and aware of his abilities. Now, strengthened by this suffering and this deep experience of meditative thinking, his sword was ready to be used for a new goal. The pursuit of absolute perfection. Trying to create the perfect technique to become the perfect fighter that would eventually make him famous in Japan forever. Now, Kyoto, the old capital city of Japan, was, you know, obviously a beautiful city with temples and gardens, but it's also a massive busy center for cultural and martial arts. Many sword fighting schools, each with their own traditions and methods, competed against each other for respect. And this was the perfect environment for rivalry and the pursuit of becoming a great and perfect swordsman. Among all these competitions was one being talked about in the streets and in the training calls Miyamato Musashi. You know, the 21 year old traveling samurai had just arrived in the capital, excited to fight the best swordsman. Not only to improve his own skill, but again to build his reputation. His main goal was the Yoshiaka School, one of Kyoto's most respected and powerful schools run by Master Yoshiaka Seijuro. Seijuro was a swordsman famous for his perfect technique and you know, his reputation for never having been beaten. And he came from a long family line of teachers who were well known for his staring meditation practice, which made his focus and his awareness incredibly sharp. You see, Musashi didn't want to get into the school. He wanted to destroy the school's leader. You see, Seijirou was the ideal opponent for Musashi because he didn't want to just, you know, defeat him in battle to, you know, show how powerful and how great of a fighter he was. He also wanted to destroy and overcome the tradition and the historical importance that, you know, this school represented. He thought if he could beat this guy that was, you know, undefeated, but also the symbol of the old style of fighting, that he could ultimately a name for himself. So being proud and bold, Musashi wrote a letter to Sajuro, challenging him to a public duel so they could test their skills against each other. Basically the ultimate like old school versus new school battle. Sajuro accepted the challenge and they chose to meet in a field near Renai Temple outside of Kyoto. On the agreed day, Sajuro arrived at the fighting location dressed perfectly and accompanied by his students. He radiated this authority and this confidence that came from years and years of training and knowing how skilled he truly was. However, Musashi was very late for the duel, forcing Sajuro to actually wait for him, and feeling impatient and angry, Musashi finally showed up. Carrying his wooden sword and wearing plain sort of kind of inappropriate clothes that weren't suitable for such an important battle. Musashi quickly looked around at the area and studied how his opponent was acting. He realized that Sojiro's anger would actually be his best advantage, since he had arrived late on purpose just to frustrate his opponent. When the fight finally started, the furious Seijiro threw down his wooden practice sword and pulled out a real katana. He wanted to kill the disrespectful wandering samurai. Seijuro attacked with insane power, but Musashi, moving with grace, dodged the strike. He had expected Sojuro's reaction and planned to use his opponent's anger against him. With one accurate and powerful hit, Musashi struck Seijiro's left shoulder. The impact from this wooden sword was devastating. It caused this sharp, numbing pain into the samurai's arm. He's shocked and he's embarrassed. He collapses onto the ground, unable to continue fighting. The amazed crowd watched as this great master, Yoshiaka, who was defeated by this traveling young samurai who was using just a simple sword. If Musashi had used a real blade, Sojiro would have certainly been killed. Crushed by his defeat and unable to use his arm properly, Sojuro left the Yoshiaka school and went to live in a Buddhist monastery, searching for a new meaning in his life through solitude and spiritual practice. The time of the great Yoshiaka Sejuro had come to an end, and news of Musashi's victory spread all throughout Kyoto and established his reputation as this amazing duelist and swordsman. However, the anger of the Yoshiaka brothers who wanted revenge would soon lead this wandering samurai into new and even more dangerous battles that would test his abilities forever. You see, when Musashi defeated Sejiro, the leader of the Yoshiaka school, the news spread throughout Kyoto and the clan was deeply embarrassed. You see, these samurai schools and these fighting schools are dynastic, and the family that represents them is all staking their reputation in the school. So when the master fell, the man who had, you know, represented everything that the school stood for, the Yoshiaka family of samurais was furious, and they needed to get revenge. You see, Seijiro's brother, Yoshiaka Denshichiro, was a swordsman who was virtually just as talented as his brother and was famous for, you know, both being strong and fast. And he took over leadership of the school and was determined to restore their lost reputation and defend his family. Denshichiro was an intimidating person with, you know, this fierce personality that would scare people. And his weapon of choice was called the nodechai, which was this long and heavy sword that could swing with, like, insane speed and really overpower his opponents. And the word of Denshichiro's challenge reached Musashi. This, you know, traveling samurai understood that this fight would be more dangerous than his battle with his brother, because not only was Denshichir Shiro, you know, a skilled warrior, this was revenge itself in human form. This guy was going to avenge his brother no matter what, and this was going to actually be a greater battle than the one that preceded it. They planned to meet in a location near the capital. This was an open area surrounded by some trees. And the crowd that gathered to watch this event was even bigger than the one before, since Musashi's reputation had grown quickly, and everyone wanted to see what would happen when these two talented and determined samurais actually fought each other. Musashi had previously used the strategy of arriving late to make, you know, his opponents angry and kind of mess with their head. But he decided to try something different. He knew that Denshichiro would be hungry for revenge and excited to fight. So this time, Musashi showed up early. He hid among the pine trees, keeping an eye on the field, and waited for Denshichiro to appear. When Denshichiro arrived, he looked like he was ready to explode. His, you know, sword was reflecting the light, and his face was just full of rage and hatred. And he shouted at Musashi, are you hiding? Are you hiding? Like a coward? Come out and face me. So Musashi steps out from the shadows, looking even more calm and relaxed than he had in his previous fight. And he kind of, like, smiles, and he just looks at him, he just says, I was just enjoying the beauty of this forest, waiting for the perfect moment to start our fight. Denshichiro freaks out, and the fury basically kicks off the battle as he charges forward with a series of powerful strikes. And Musashi is dodging skillfully, right? He's moving quickly, and just like how he always fights, he's unpredictable. And the fight just becomes this dance of swords and the two of them and their willpower, determination just going at each other. And for every attack that Denshichiro made, Musashi responded with a precise and fierce counterattack, throwing off the Yoshiaka master and exposing the flaws in his style. Using his instincts and understanding of the mental side of combat, Musashi took advantage of Denshichiro's anger, which became more and more uncontrolled. And as his frustration increased over time, in a swift and unexpected move, Musashi knocked Denshichiro's wooden sword out of his hand. Then he grabbed his opponent's own weapon and delivered a strike to the head, ending the fight. Instantly, the crowd went completely silent, shocked by how fast and how brutal this battle had been. The proud Yoshiaka master Denshichiro collapsed in defeat. And his dreams of revenge were gone. Denshichiro's loss marked the final end of the Yoshiaka clan. And their school, which had one time been feared and respected all across Japan, was now completely ruined by this young traveling samurai who had proven himself to be more skilled, smarter and more emotionally controlled than any of their masters. But the Oshiaka Clan was not done. The anger of this clan, sparked by losing both their leaders, Seijuro and Denshichiro, grew into an even broader and more overwhelming desire for rage. And so they came together, all the extended family, promising to eliminate the samurai who had dared to challenge their traditions. When word spread that Musashi had agreed to fight the entire clan, the news raced through Kyoto. I mean, everyone wanted to see what would happen. That the entire clan extended family's cousins from one family was going to battle a single samurai. It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. The location they picked for the battle was beside a pine tree at Ichijoji Temple. This was a holy and calm place that it seemed like a strange spot to choose for such a vicious and desperate fight. But Musashi understood that he was about to face the biggest challenge yet, maybe that any samurai had ever seen. The Yoshiaka Clan wouldn't be satisfied with a normal one on one duel. They were planning an all out attack using every weapon and fighter and anyone that they had. And he had heard stories about what the clan was planning. And he knew that an incredible number of enemies would be waiting for him. However, his determination was stronger. After learning important lessons in his earlier fights, he quickly created his own fighting method based on being faster than them, trusting his instincts and basically adjusting to whatever the situation had. And this made him really hard to predict and obviously a very deadly opponent. So the day arrives. On the day of the battle, Musashi went to the meeting place feeling calm and peaceful. He had gotten ready for the fight not just by training his body, but mostly through preparing his mind, through meditation to clear his thoughts and connect with the core of his fighting skills. And when he reached the spot, the morning sun lit up the crowd of approaching Samurai all carrying swords and spears and arrows, basically ready to attack this one lone warrior. And according to the story, the scene is unbelievable. This massive group of fierce fighters united in this desire for revenge, and they moved on Musashi. But Musashi wasn't intimidated by their numbers or their anger. He had one goal, to prove that he was the best and establish himself as the greatest swordsman that Japan had ever seen. So the battle starts just with a whirlwind of swords and metal and everyone just basically swinging on each other. And using his fast and unpredictable movements, he avoids the Yoshiaka clan attacks and takes advantage of these opportunities that the chaotic landscape had actually given him. So he moved quickly, and his sword was, you know, gleaming in the light as he's just slicing through the air and he's hitting these, like, strong, quick strikes and uses the confusion of these fighters for his own benefit. So with each enemy that Musashi defeated, he became more confident and he never wavered. He had learned from the battle at Sekigahara and had changed himself and was now a totally different samurai. His sword was moving in just, like, perfect harmony and just, like, rhythmically. And he was just able to slice through all of his opponents. And the fight, according to the legend, was violent and savage. You know, Musashi kept going without stopping once, and his resolve never weakened. At any point, he struck down the new leader of the clan, young Matashichiro, who had been chosen as the new leader. As his brothers had been either exiled or died, Musashi delivered a killing blow, ending the battle completely. And this was the ultimate defeat of the Yoshiaka Clan. And it was devastating. Their school, which was, you know, this symbol of tradition, was destroyed by one samurai, not only killing the first leader, but the second leader, and then the entire clan exhausted after defeating so many enemies. Musashi was asked how he managed to beat so many opponents, and he answered. Life is littered with obstacles and challenges. One cannot face them all at once. Just like in life, I focused on facing one enemy at a time to achieve victory. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the life and story of Miyamoto Musashi, truly one of the most fascinating legendary figures in Japanese history. If you don't know much about him, he did write a fascinating book known as Five Rings. This is like, one of the most legendary, you know, sort of like meditative warrior battle books ever. And it's not actually that long. It's worth a read to get an idea of, you know, the internal philosophy of one of Japan's most legendary fighters. Now, I'm sure You're wondering, is the story real? Doesn't matter if it's real. Doesn't matter because it's real in the hearts of those who believe, like me. That's all that matters at the end of the day. Right? So this was, you know, a brief little interlude into the history of Musashi and his life and how he became the greatest fighter ever. But if you want more of the philosophical background of how he actually approaches battles and training and meditation, the book is absolutely fascinating. Not that long again, it's like you can think of it as like, you know, Sun Tzu, Art of War, that kind of vibe. It's great and definitely worth a read. I liked it more than Art of War, but anyway. Christos, you ever heard of this guy? Haven't heard of this guy. But the we have had an episode on the main channel with a Japanese expert who explained the code of the samurai. So if people are interested in this, I direct them to that episode. That is a great point. That is a fabulous point. We will drop that in the description. And this, ladies and gentlemen has been another episode of History Camp. Thank you guys so much for joining me this week. We do these episodes every single week. You can check them out on this channel. Hit to subscribe. It helps us out a lot. Drop a comment. Was there anything that I missed? Anything that I went over too quickly? Anything that was just wrong? Please drop a comment. I read all of them on YouTube and Spotify and I'm also on the road. You can check me out. Markagnon Live. Come see me do stand up comedy. I'm going to be all over the US in 2026 and I can't wait to see you guys there. There's also merch. Anyway, thank you guys so much for joining us for another episode of History Camp and I will see you in the future to talk about the past. So long. See you then. Emergency broadcast we have a brand new channel and that is Mark gagged on comedy. If you don't know. I've been a stand up comedian for almost 10 years now and it is my true passion. I love doing it and every time I go on the road after I finish my show, I like to hear from the audience. We pass out note cards and people submit topics and me and sometimes my buddy or sometimes just me alone, we will pick the topics out and it is essential segment that we call you asked for this and they are crazy. The topics go across the board, current events to crazy stories and we dive into all of them and if you are interested in checking out the episodes. It would really help me out and help out the channel. You can check it out in the description. It is Mark gag on comedy on YouTube. And I'm so excited to be posting more. Stand up. I really hope you guys enjoy.
- [46:32]
G
Yo, this is important, man. My favorite Lululemon shorts, the ones you got me back in the day, I think they're pace breakers. The ones with all the pockets. Well, I just got back from vacation and I think I left them in my hotel room. And dude, I need to replace these shorts. I wear them like every day with that Lulu hoodie you got me. Could you send me the link to where you got them? Thanks, bro. Talk soon.
- [46:53]
A
Looking for your newest go to's shop.
- [46:55]
B
Lululemon's best sellers now@lululemon.com.