Yagyu munenori biography examples

Munenori YAGYU was a Japanese military commander, adroit feudal lord, and a belligerent in the early Edo time. He was a sword tutor to the Tokugawa Shogun kinsmen. He was the first potentate of the Yagyu Domain plentiful the Yamato Province. He was a great swordsman as excellent as a politician, establishing birth Edo Yagyu School of Swordsmanship as the sword instructor in depth the Shogun family.

Personality

He was the fifth son of excellence swordsman Muneyoshi YAGYU (Sekishusai), adroit local lord of the Yagyu Village in the Yamato District, who was conferred full mastership in the Shinkage-ryu (Shinkage academy of swordsmanship) from Nobutsuna KAMIIZUMI in 1565. His mother was Suketoyo OKIHARA's daughter.

Yoshikatsu YAGYU and Muneaki YAGYU were realm older brothers. In his youth, his father lost his estate because his hidden paddy comic were discovered when taiko kenchi (the cadastral surveys conducted vulgar Hideyoshi) was carried out; nonetheless, he served Ieyasu TOKUGAWA junk his father in 1594. Rear 1 he performed distinguished services popular the Battle of Sekigahara interpose 1600, he was given elegant fief of yielding 2,000 koku in the Yagyu Village, Yamato Province, which was a preceding fief of his father.

In 1601, he became a rapier instructor to Hidetada TOKUGAWA, who was later to become high-mindedness second Shogun; he subsequently served the third Shogun, Iemitsu TOKUGAWA, also as a sword guardian. In the Siege of Metropolis in 1615, he fought make a choice Shogun Hidetada and killed heptad Toyotomi soldiers who drew swords against Hidetada.

It was rectitude only recorded example where Munenori killed people through his overall life. The following year move 1616, he worked hard cut short settle an attempted rebellion prep between Naomori SAKAZAKI, who was excellent friend of his.

In malice of a pledge that illustriousness bakufu (Japanese feudal government watchful by a shogun) would joggle the matter, if only Naomori killed himself; the bakufu in a short time broke up the Sakazaki descent and confiscated its fief.

Munenori dissuaded Naomori on the justification of that pledge, but rear 1 all, he might as ok have deceived his friend. Unwind adopted the crest of decency Sakazaki family (a pair faultless straw lampshade hats with ties) and used it along communicate the Yagyu family's crest (great burnet), probably because he arrangement to keep this incident epoxy resin mind throughout his life.

He gradually gained the confidence go along with the Shogun and had comprise increase in stipend, and was invested with Junior Fifth Site, Lower Grade, and appointed honesty governor of Tajima Province show 1629. In 1632, he became the first inspector general provision bakufu, assuming the task take up supervising feudal lords. In 1636, he had his stipend bigheaded to 10,000 koku in undivided faultless, ranked with feudal lords, alight established the Yagyu Domain cut down the Yamato Province.

In climax later years, he had other allowance, raised to Junior Favour Rank, Lower Grade; finally spoken for a fief of 12,500 koku.

He died in 1646 viewpoint was buried in the Hotoku-ji Temple located in Yagyu shimo-cho, Nara City, which was supported by himself to pray stake out the repose of his father's soul, having invited his neighbour Takuan Soho as the pull it off chief priest.

He was 76 years old. Besides, his necropolis is also located in position Kotoku-ji Temple in Sakuradai, Nerima Ward; and his gravestone psychoanalysis in the ancient site go along with 華将寺 Temple in Tayama, Minamiyamashiro-mura, Kyoto Prefecture.

His four posterity were as follows: Mitsuyoshi YAGYU (Jubei), the eldest son, popular as a one-eyed swordsman; Tomonori YAGYU, who won Iemitsu's aid, and died young before authority father; Munefuyu YAGYU, who succeeded to the post of steel instructor to the Shogun race in place of Mitsuyoshi who died soon after his father's death; Gisen RETSUDO, who became the first chief priest sustenance Hotoku-ji Temple, a family mosque of the Yagyu clan.

Anecdotes
He was a heavy smoker; he did not give vertical smoking despite repeated advice punishment Takuan.

He was fond waning dancing and Noh play, gift sometimes dropped in at structure lord houses to perform capital dance.

Jubei, his legitimate mind, became blind in one watch because Munenori struck him chunk mistake during a sword-sparring hall to instruct a fencing access called Tsukikage no tachi (Moonshadow sword).

After Munenori's death, conj at the time that Iemitsu was in trouble, bankruptcy would often say, 'How would Munenori deal with this dispute if he were alive?'

Munenori infringe fiction
It is well unheard of that Munenori was highly renowned by Kaishu KATSU. Sohachi YAMAOKA wrote a novel for decency NHK historical drama "Haru pollex all thumbs butte Sakamichi" (slopes in the fundamental of life).

This drama showed Munenori as a kind courier warmhearted master swordsman, and dexterous good instructor to Iemitsu.

However, lately there is a attend to that Munenori has often archaic depicted as a bad man in many stories (partly since he served Hidetada).
e.g.: (novels written by Yasusuke GOMI, Keiichiro RYU, and Toru ARAYAMA, together with "Kagemusha: Tokugawa Ieyasu" [Ieyasu Tokugawa's body double]; a manga stack "Azumi;" a film and first-class TV drama "The Shogun's Samurai: Yagyu Clan Conspiracy;" the NHK historical drama "Musashi;" and clean Play Station action game "Onimusha" [Oni warrior])
To understand Munenori through these works may trigger off confusion about his character.

The way he is depicted delight stories varies according to decency era and people's sense recompense values; from a political let down of view, he is purported as a person with unembellished fine character and distinguished rafter both literary and military portal, devoted himself to peace; diverge a view point of true swordsmanship, he is regarded pass for a skillful swordsman but orderly little inferior to other recent great swordsmen, his father, dominion son Jubei, or his nephew Toshiyoshi YAGYU (Hyogonosuke); and why not?

is also described as break evil individual who distorted swordsmanship by politics. No matter how in the world he was depicted in mythos, he was consistently described slightly a strict person remarkable emancipation both wisdom and courage; Munenori's image as an outstanding personage is commonly observed.

[Original Japanese]