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In this technique, the swordsman uses both a large sword, and a "companion sword" at the same time, i.e. a katana with a wakizashi. [39] The two-handed movements of temple drummers may have inspired him, although it could be that the technique was forged through Musashi's combat experience.
Sasaki Kojirō (佐々木 小次郎, also known as Ganryū Kojirō; c. 1585 – April 13, 1612) was a Japanese swordsman who may have lived during the Azuchi–Momoyama and early Edo periods and is known primarily for the story of his duel with Miyamoto Musashi in 1612, where Sasaki was killed.
Gorō Nyūdō Masamune (五郎入道正宗, Priest Gorō Masamune, c. 1264 –1343) [2] was a medieval Japanese blacksmith widely acclaimed as Japan's greatest swordsmith. He created swords and daggers, known in Japanese as tachi and tantō , in the Sōshū school .
Lores in the late Muromachi period (early 16th century–1573) stated that Muramasa I was a student of Masamune (c. 1300), the greatest swordsmith in Japan's history, and the Hon'ami family (family dynasty of swordpolishers and sword connoisseurs) commented that his floruit was the Jōji era (1362–1368). [9]
Kawakami Gensai (河上 彦斎, 25 December 1834 – 13 January 1872) was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period. A highly skilled swordsman, he was one of the four most notable assassins of the Bakumatsu period. Gensai's high-speed sword discipline allowed him to assassinate targets in broad daylight.
Hattori Hanzō (服部 半蔵, c. 1542 [1] – January 2, 1597) or Second Hanzō, nicknamed Oni no Hanzō (鬼の半蔵, Demon Hanzō), [2] was a famous samurai of the Sengoku era, who served the Tokugawa clan as a general, credited with saving the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu and then helping him to become the ruler of united Japan.
Kanzan Sato commented, in terms of pure quality from the viewpoint of modern sword connoisseurs, although they are undoubtedly five of the greatest swords, it is doubtful whether they are the five greatest swords. [5] He guessed the criteria of this selection include the values of legends associated to these famous swords. [5]
[citation needed] Moreover, Toyotomi Hideyoshi noted that the best samurai were "Honda Tadakatsu in the east and Tachibana Muneshige in the west". [100] [101] Even Takeda Shingen praised Honda, saying that "he is a luxury of Tokugawa Ieyasu". It was widely acknowledged that he was a reputed samurai, war hero and a loyal retainer of Tokugawa ...