Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi
Encyclopedia
Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi is one of the most famous and romanticized of the samurai
in Japan
's feudal era.
Very little is known about the actual life of Yagyū Mitsuyoshi as the official records of his life are very sparse. Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi (born "Shichirō") grew up in his family's ancestral lands, Yagyū no Sato, now in Nara
. He was the son of Yagyū Tajima no Kami Munenori
, master swordsman of the Tokugawa
Shogun
s, especially Ieyasu and Tokugawa Iemitsu
, who prized Munenori as one of his top counselors. Munenori fought for the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu
, at the Battle of Sekigahara
, expanding the Shogun's territory. For his efforts, Munenori was made the Shogun's sword instructor and a minor daimyo
or provincial ruler. Munenori would go on to train three successive Shoguns: Ieyasu, Hidetada, and Iemitsu.
and became a sword instructor for the third Tokugawa Shōgun, Tokugawa Iemitsu
, occasionally filling his father's role. Records of Yagyū Jūbei, however, do not appear again until 1631, when Jūbei, by now regarded as the best swordsman from the Yagyū clan, is summarily and inexplicably dismissed by the Shōgun either due to Jūbei's boldness and brashness or his decision to embark on a Warrior's Pilgrimage . His whereabouts are then unknown over the next twelve years—even the Yagyū clan's secret chronicles, which contained lengthy passages on numerous members, has little solid information on Jūbei, particularly during these years—until Yagyū Jūbei reappears at the age of 36 at a demonstration of swordsmanship in front of the Shōgun. Following this exhibition, Jūbei was reinstated and serves for a short time as a government-inspector , taking control over his father's lands until Yagyū Tajima no Kami Munenori
's death in 1646. Jūbei also authored a treatise known as Tsukimi no Sho or The Text of Looking at the Moon, outlining his school of swordsmanship as well as teachings influenced by the monk Takuan Sōhō
who was a friend of his father's. In this work he briefly provides hints on his whereabouts during his absence from Edo Castle
from 1631 to 1643 - traveling the countryside in perfecting his skills.
Due to Yagyū Jūbei's disappearance and the fact of no existing records of his whereabouts, his life has bred speculation and interest and was romanticized in popular fiction. After residing in Edo
for several years after his father's death, Jūbei left his government duties and returned to his home village where he died in early 1650 under uncertain circumstances. Some accounts say he died of a heart attack; others say he died while falcon hunting; some during fishing, while still others presume he was assassinated by his half-brother's attendants.
Jūbei was laid to rest in a small village called Ohkawahara Mura, nearby his birthplace, which was also the resting grounds for his half-brother, Yagyū Tomonori. In keeping with tradition, Yagyū Jūbei was buried alongside his grandfather, Yagyū Muneyoshi
, and was survived by two daughters and his brother Munefuyu, his successor. Jūbei was given the Buddhist posthumous name
of Sohgo.
Legend has it that Yagyū Jūbei had the use of only one eye; most legends state that he lost it in a sword sparring session where his father, Yagyū Munenori, struck him accidentally. However, portraits from Jubei's time portray him as having both eyes. The truth is unknown and several authors of late have chosen to portray Jūbei as having both eyes, though the classical "eyepatch" look remains standard. Others have chosen to have Jūbei lose an eye as an adult in order to incorporate the eyepatch legend.
In popular culture, Jūbei's eye patch is usually just a sword guard with leather wrapped through it. An alternate dramatization to this is found in the manga Samurai Legend
, in which a swordsman is seen walking with a sword guard on his right eye, matching the popular culture image, while another character of similar stature follows behind. A group of samurai recognize the eye-patched man as Yagyū (Jūbei) Mitsuyoshi, although this identity is not volunteered. This Jūbei is literally disarmed five pages in, only for the two-eyed Yagyū Jūbei following behind to reveal himself a second later. The fiction appears to imply that Yagyū Jūbei is known through local reputation to have an eye-patch; hence his body double wore one to convince others that he is the real Jūbei (even though the real Jūbei has the use of both eyes). There is no further explanation in the story or by the author why the body-double has this eye patch or where this reputation came from. Near the middle of this manga, the real Jūbei loses his right eye in a swordfight and for the final chapters, he wears an eye-patch. Another exception lies in Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl, in which the eyepatch passed onto Jūbei-chan is heart-shaped and pink (even though a heart-shaped pink eyepatch was passed on, Yagyū Jūbei has his own plain black eyepatch). Yet another variation can be found in the anime Shura no Toki. In this version Jubei was initially known as having only one eye, but actually covered the other to better challenge himself. However, upon taking the eyepatch off to duel the fictional Mutsu Takoto, Jubei actually did lose his eye.
Jubei has lost his eye in different ways in various media. In Samurai Reincarnation
, his eye is lost in a training session with his father, Tajima. In Shogun's Samurai
, it is lost when Ogasawara Gensinsai cuts through the door striking Jubei in the eye. However, in The Yagyū Conspiracy, this is changed and his eye is now lost to an arrow shot by Noble Ayamaro Karasumasu and Ogasawara Gensinsai ends up only cutting Jubei's arm.
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's feudal era.
Very little is known about the actual life of Yagyū Mitsuyoshi as the official records of his life are very sparse. Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi (born "Shichirō") grew up in his family's ancestral lands, Yagyū no Sato, now in Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
. He was the son of Yagyū Tajima no Kami Munenori
Yagyu Munenori
was a Japanese swordsman, founder of the Edo branch of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū, which he learned from his father Yagyū "Sekishusai" Muneyoshi. This was one of two official sword styles patronized by the Tokugawa Shogunate...
, master swordsman of the Tokugawa
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
Shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
s, especially Ieyasu and Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...
, who prized Munenori as one of his top counselors. Munenori fought for the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
, at the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
, expanding the Shogun's territory. For his efforts, Munenori was made the Shogun's sword instructor and a minor daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
or provincial ruler. Munenori would go on to train three successive Shoguns: Ieyasu, Hidetada, and Iemitsu.
Historical Jūbei
In 1616, Mitsuyoshi became an attendant in the court of the second Tokugawa Shōgun, Tokugawa HidetadaTokugawa Hidetada
was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.-Early life :...
and became a sword instructor for the third Tokugawa Shōgun, Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...
, occasionally filling his father's role. Records of Yagyū Jūbei, however, do not appear again until 1631, when Jūbei, by now regarded as the best swordsman from the Yagyū clan, is summarily and inexplicably dismissed by the Shōgun either due to Jūbei's boldness and brashness or his decision to embark on a Warrior's Pilgrimage . His whereabouts are then unknown over the next twelve years—even the Yagyū clan's secret chronicles, which contained lengthy passages on numerous members, has little solid information on Jūbei, particularly during these years—until Yagyū Jūbei reappears at the age of 36 at a demonstration of swordsmanship in front of the Shōgun. Following this exhibition, Jūbei was reinstated and serves for a short time as a government-inspector , taking control over his father's lands until Yagyū Tajima no Kami Munenori
Yagyu Munenori
was a Japanese swordsman, founder of the Edo branch of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū, which he learned from his father Yagyū "Sekishusai" Muneyoshi. This was one of two official sword styles patronized by the Tokugawa Shogunate...
's death in 1646. Jūbei also authored a treatise known as Tsukimi no Sho or The Text of Looking at the Moon, outlining his school of swordsmanship as well as teachings influenced by the monk Takuan Sōhō
Takuan Soho
was a major figure in the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism.Takuan Sōhō was born into a family of farmers in the town of Izushi, located in what was at that time called Tajima province . At the age of 8 in 1581 young Takuan began his religious studies and 2 years later he entered a Buddhist monastery...
who was a friend of his father's. In this work he briefly provides hints on his whereabouts during his absence from Edo Castle
Edo Castle
, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
from 1631 to 1643 - traveling the countryside in perfecting his skills.
Due to Yagyū Jūbei's disappearance and the fact of no existing records of his whereabouts, his life has bred speculation and interest and was romanticized in popular fiction. After residing in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
for several years after his father's death, Jūbei left his government duties and returned to his home village where he died in early 1650 under uncertain circumstances. Some accounts say he died of a heart attack; others say he died while falcon hunting; some during fishing, while still others presume he was assassinated by his half-brother's attendants.
Jūbei was laid to rest in a small village called Ohkawahara Mura, nearby his birthplace, which was also the resting grounds for his half-brother, Yagyū Tomonori. In keeping with tradition, Yagyū Jūbei was buried alongside his grandfather, Yagyū Muneyoshi
Yagyu Muneyoshi
Yagyū Sekishūsai Taira-no-Munetoshi was a samurai in Japan’s Sengoku period famous for mastering the Shinkage-ryū school of combat, and introducing it to the Tokugawa clan.-Early life :...
, and was survived by two daughters and his brother Munefuyu, his successor. Jūbei was given the Buddhist posthumous name
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
of Sohgo.
Eyepatch legend
Legend has it that Yagyū Jūbei had the use of only one eye; most legends state that he lost it in a sword sparring session where his father, Yagyū Munenori, struck him accidentally. However, portraits from Jubei's time portray him as having both eyes. The truth is unknown and several authors of late have chosen to portray Jūbei as having both eyes, though the classical "eyepatch" look remains standard. Others have chosen to have Jūbei lose an eye as an adult in order to incorporate the eyepatch legend.
In popular culture, Jūbei's eye patch is usually just a sword guard with leather wrapped through it. An alternate dramatization to this is found in the manga Samurai Legend
Samurai Legend
is a one shot Japanese manga is written by Kan Furuyama and illustrated by Jiro Taniguchi. The manga is licensed for an English-language release in North America by Central Park Media, licensed for a French-language release in France, Italian-language release in Italy and Portuguese-language...
, in which a swordsman is seen walking with a sword guard on his right eye, matching the popular culture image, while another character of similar stature follows behind. A group of samurai recognize the eye-patched man as Yagyū (Jūbei) Mitsuyoshi, although this identity is not volunteered. This Jūbei is literally disarmed five pages in, only for the two-eyed Yagyū Jūbei following behind to reveal himself a second later. The fiction appears to imply that Yagyū Jūbei is known through local reputation to have an eye-patch; hence his body double wore one to convince others that he is the real Jūbei (even though the real Jūbei has the use of both eyes). There is no further explanation in the story or by the author why the body-double has this eye patch or where this reputation came from. Near the middle of this manga, the real Jūbei loses his right eye in a swordfight and for the final chapters, he wears an eye-patch. Another exception lies in Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl, in which the eyepatch passed onto Jūbei-chan is heart-shaped and pink (even though a heart-shaped pink eyepatch was passed on, Yagyū Jūbei has his own plain black eyepatch). Yet another variation can be found in the anime Shura no Toki. In this version Jubei was initially known as having only one eye, but actually covered the other to better challenge himself. However, upon taking the eyepatch off to duel the fictional Mutsu Takoto, Jubei actually did lose his eye.
Jubei has lost his eye in different ways in various media. In Samurai Reincarnation
Samurai Reincarnation
Samurai Reincarnation is a 1981 film directed by Kinji Fukasaku and starring Sonny Chiba. The film was based on the novel Makai Tensho....
, his eye is lost in a training session with his father, Tajima. In Shogun's Samurai
Shogun's Samurai
also "Intrigue of the Yagyu clan" and "Yagyu Clan Conspiracy," is a 1978 Japanese historical martial arts period film, directed by Kinji Fukasaku. The film is one of a series of period films by Fukasaku starring Sonny Chiba as Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi....
, it is lost when Ogasawara Gensinsai cuts through the door striking Jubei in the eye. However, in The Yagyū Conspiracy, this is changed and his eye is now lost to an arrow shot by Noble Ayamaro Karasumasu and Ogasawara Gensinsai ends up only cutting Jubei's arm.
See also
- Japanese historical people in popular cultureJapanese historical people in popular cultureMany significant Japanese historical people appear in works of popular culture such as anime, manga, and video games. This article presents information on references to historical people in such works.-Himiko:...