Samurai vs. Samurai : Miyamoto Musashi & The Boat Oar Fight
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- Опубликовано: 30 янв 2025
- On the beach of a remote Japanese island, in the year 1612, two of Japan's greatest swordsmen, Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro met in what would go down as the greatest Samurai duel in history. But despite the Samurai traditions of honor and ceremony, this brutal fight will be won with highly unorthodox- and highly controversial- tactics.
By the end of the day, one of these men would be dead, and the story of their brutal fight, would go on to become the stuff of Japanese legend.
Don't miss this story of cunning, courage and skill in one of the most high-stakes one-on-one duels of all time, brought to you only here on History At The OK Corral : Home Of History's Greatest Shootouts & Showdowns!
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It's important to note that Musashi felt a great sense of regret after this incident. He never fought to the death again and only dueled with wooden swords afterwards.
Honestly that is a good point. Perhaps not enough credit was given to this point in this episode. However, this is only our initial foray into Musashi, in episodes soon to come we will delve more into this. Thanks for watching!
As if he wouldn’t be just as deadly with a wooden sword, if he can kill with a wooden oar
Thanks
I love how the greatest dual in Japanese history consisted of a guy shambling on to a beach, side-stepping his opponent’s only attack, and then proceeding to beat the man’s brains in, and shambling his way back off the beach 😅
The only thing missing would be Musashi holding a white Russian coctail drink in one hand, a lit marijuana joint dangling from his lips, while wearing a bathrobe and fuzzy slippers. With a shirt written in kanji "the dude abides".
My understanding is that Mushashi planned the arrival and departure around the tides knowing that the clan his opponent represented would attack him should he be victorious. He arrived just before the incoming/outgoing tide. Once the duel was won, he departed on the changing tide preventing the others from following him.
@@TeeRollssa true master indeed one who appeared disheveled but had a supreme plan
@@cardo718 I mean, I can't agree more!
That’s what makes it so great. Dude is the true Sun Tzu.
"You fought without honour!"
Musashi points at Sasaki Kojiro's body: "He did"
“Honor died on the beach!”
Musashi got into his opponent's head and the fight was over before it started!
"The Book of the Five Rings" strategies of dealing with all competition, everyone! All Japanese businessmen read it! And they're known if they don't!
@@j.dunlop8295 I read it over 20 years ago but really forgot most of it
@@j.dunlop8295you can do it twice in s row but never three times.
If you know your enemy and yourself you need not fear the outcome of 100 battles.
Once again, such a great script. _“Genius is often not recognized its own time. Such is the case now.”_ Loved this and every other part.
My dad bought me The Book of 5 Rings when i was 12.. he inscribed it, one of my greatest treasures from 2 great men.
As my dad always used to say, “son, never bring a razor sharp steel sword to a modified dull wooden boat oar fight on the beach at sunset.” I’m so thankful for that very specific advice. 🥹
Thanks pops.
-MM
I immediately guessed when you described how the boat approached and he disembarked, he was intentionally trying to put Kojiro on tilt.
Lol same, musashi was the fuckin man
The Wild West of the East!
This was an enjoyable addition to the many stories you've shared with us.
Very interesting to hear your usual twangy Country background music to a Samurai tale. Good one, thanks......
One of the greatest stories in history.
Let's calm down there weeaboo
Thanks!
Thank you so much!
Very generous
more samurai stories please
Myamoto wasn't late. A master arrives precise when he means to. He was already inside his opponent's head and he wasn't even on the island yet. His opponent was angered and in that moment, he already lost. Myamoto's wisdom still teaches valuable life lessons today, for warriors and everyone else. Thanks for making this video.
A Kensei is never late Frodosan. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.
As a lifetime martial artist, really enjoyed this episode. The Book of Five Rings a "must read" for all who practice any of the martial arts. The concept of "mai" ( correct distancing) in obvious use in this duel. Unlike the movies, most duels between true masters are over within 3 moves. Keep these "duel videos" coming please.
Absolutely, the book of the Five Rings, is much more than a foundation of martial arts! Businessmen of Japan, all read it! (Competition is competition!)😅
@@j.dunlop8295Go Rin no Sho.
You read it out a book mate, that’s just another persons opinion,& it’s like saying sword duels are over in 3 moves….they arent
The comment said within 3 moves. This 1st,2nd or 3rd. Based on the maai, sword length, skill, styles of sword fighting, speed of cuts and reaction time, the within 3 moves is a valid point
@@naomiarmstrong3105You're confusing THEATRICAL (aka Stage Fighting - think WWE but with swords) with REAL fighting. The two are NOT THE SAME. The former is deliberately showy and drawn out for entertainment purposes, and rife with impractical overdramatized techniques, whereas the latter is smaller, more practical and more decisive in effect - always seeking to end things ASAP.
Great narration and wonderfully written.
Awesome. This story was in the first book novel I read as a kid. It was the last book in a series by Eiji Yoshikawa
About the 3rd book I read in 5th grade. Did a book report on it and they gave me a B because they didn't know who it was and he wasn't american😂
@@WackoFromWacosounds about right. Muricaaa
If It ain't white, it ain't right!! 😂
That’s not nearly as bad as me. I learned a couple years ago that the Irish weren’t the predominant ethnicity that comprised America. I assumed everyone in America, like me, was Irish in one way or another.
You do such a truly GREAT job telling his-stories. Thank you! This episode extends your repertoire to Japan. I throughly enjoyed it - as well as the Maya/Cortez-stories...
Musashi himself wrote a book called “The Five Rings” which I highly recommend. In many ways, it is to one-on-one combat what “The Art of War” is to large group combat. He relates this story in the early chapters.
A must for every martial artist.
Man, Wyatt Earp and the Clantons on Tuesday, samurai duels on Wednesday, and who knows what on Wednesday (probably the Aztecs), the OK Corral is a lot busier than any stable I've seen.
Beautiful. I have read the book of 5 rings dozens of times, and seen Kill Bill Volume 1 hundred of times.
That Musashi was a crafty one, literally!
I enjoy the story very much, even though I have heard it several times, and even read an account. stories of the samurai can be both one of honor and other times wicked gore.
Keep these coming!!
please do the yoshoika duels
Great video, subbed
Me too!!
Fantastic. Thank you 👍🏻
Another story has Musashi fighting a Kusarigama adept (sickle with a weighted chain) and as his opponent swung the weighted chain, Musashi stepped in and cut him down.
Musashi is my personal hero. Love this! Book of 5 Rings is really an amazing read. Highly recommend it!
And thanks to the internet you can download a pdf of it for free!
Sasaki Kojiro is somewhat Vain .
His vanity forbid him from not challenging Miyamoto Musashi .
Musashi prefer an ascetic swordsman life , Kojiro is hoping to be the retainer for daimyo and retire rich .
The burden of winning is on Kojiro. He has everything to gain and everything to lose.
Musashi fight with his brain as much as his hand.
If you look up Musashi vs Yoshioka clan . You will find he has employed the same strategy in never let the opponent has a balance bearing and ready for a fight.
Never fought the same way in three different fights.
Late on the second fight and extremely early on the third fight and ambushed his opponent and then fight in a narrow rice field retreating therefore neutralizing yoshioka clans members which out number Musashi by 30-50 to 1
Spent some time this past weekend in Reigandō Cave. Spectacular and humbling experience. If you're ever near Kumamoto, recommend taking the short journey to see both the cave and Unganzenji Temple.
The interesting thing about Musashi is that many of his duels were with a bokken instead of a Katana or Daishō.
It reinforced for me the belief that a bokken can be a lethal weapon in the right hands.
The weapon I nearly started with (on day 2, day 1 was Kendo stick, still pre-military), yet a weapon I still keep. I would rather have a bokken in my room than most guns.
Nice , we're watching Shogun this week.
great story to cover and a awesome Japanese historical figure, if anyone is interested here are some other awesome Japanese historical leaders that were alive around the same time with great stories
Honda Tadakatsu
Sanada Yukimura
Takeda Shingen
Date Masamune
Uesugi Kenshin
That is insane. "There are levels to this." Guy who was extremely good, battle-tested... falls to disrespectful punk who seems uninterested. No wonder that trope is so popular in Japanese entertainment. And... no wonder the Japanese loved westerns so much.
Disrespectful punk? He was already the most legendary duelist in Japan, which iirc was at least part of why he was challenged.
More samurai!
If you haven’t already, try giving Eiji Yoshikawa’s book titled Musashi a read.
Well told story.
Excellent indeed!
I have read the popular Musashi novel and had the vhs tapes of the series with Mifune-san. Most Japanese sword fighting movies are metal clanging fantasies as accurate as the American Western heroes never running out of ammunition. All very entertaining fantasies. I am still a samurai movie nerd who made sword furniture (saya-scabbards, kake-historically accurate sword stands and other artifacts. I was offered the honor by one of the rare Japanese certified sword masters to study sword play. I declined because the blades scared me silly. There is only one film depiction of the Ganryu Jima fight based upon Musashi's directive to only strike when the time is right. This one of a kind B&W film I watched in a very small arthouse cinema in college 55 years ago amidst the week long yearly Samurai Film Festival. Grand memories. I did not remember the title of the movie and have been unable to research the title. The film is of importance due to the fight staging. Both fighters stood motionless for an unbearably long intense period. True to his teachings Musashi lightning quick swung the oar and hit the head killing his opponent. Incredible scene still burned into my memory. There are many entertaining film sword fights, but only one is supreme. Perhaps Nihonjin males reared on samurai movies might remember this most unique film. I pass this quest on to those who appreciate this discipline. If it is identified, please inform me through a RUclips comment.
Who is the greatest swordsman ? Probably is Kojiro. Who is greatest war game strategist? Certainly is Musashi. The person can draw the sword so fast and swiftly cut through the flesh and bone in a precise way may not be the person who live to tell the story when his opponent is a marvelous war game strategist whose intention is to win and survive
The dude you never saw, the dude who cut your supply lines and cut off escape and starved you out. It turns out there's quite a few other dudes who can have your number, even if you are actually the best in the world at something. The flip side of this to draw bravery from is that no opponent is indefeatable, no matter how bad the battle before you looks.
History, well told....😊
Make no mistake, behind the unconcerned demeanor, Musashi was calculating and made several important tactical moves: 1) Used a boat oar instead of his sword, which he knew is much shorter than his opponents long sword and therefore at a disadvantage. 2) Using the boat oar which is much longer also introduced an element of surprise to his opponent, probably eliminating tactical advantages the long sword had. 3) Coming late to the duel was a psychological move that frustrated his opponent and made him angry, not a good mental state for a life-or-death battle.
You don't bet your life on only one advantage if you intend to live more than a few skirmishes, that's for sure. You stack all the advantages you can and remove your enemy's advantages (military professionals will already have a bunch you have to remove).
We're a long way from Kansas Todo
And Todo was never there!
If you like the story of Musashi Miamoto then I recommend checking out Vagabond which is a comic/manga series with incredible art that I’ve never seen the likes of in any other comic
Mf needs to finish it we need to see this battle illustrated
Wow!! Respect!
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto
I already know this story and have heard countless people recount it. I just wanted to hear it again.
BTW, the average katana is as long as a European short sword. Good steel was difficult if not impossible to come across in Japan.
Yes, and the average height of the men who dwelled there was shorter too, probably even more important. You really see the lack of metal in the armor more than the weapons.
in other duels Musashi would pretend to be drunk and using a stumbling rhythm to confuse or distract his opponent. his appearance was that of a vagabond to encourage his opponent to underestimate his abilities. another unconventional thing Musashi did was to train and fight with two swords. the convention in Japan was to fight with one sword. this gave Musashi the advantage because he understood the opponents tools and techniques, but they did not understand his.
Well presented. I read about this years ago when I bought the Go Rin No Sho. Musashi won the fight before it started by psychology. He had dominated the mind of Kojiro before he even stepped ashore and knew he couldn't be beaten. He had a philosophy of resolute acceptance of death, and said anyone who entered a fight worried about their own survival had already lost.
Musashi's book, the Go Rin No Sho was really about strategy on a different level and it was widely believed that Japanese businessmen used his philosophies to dominate western business after WWII, making companies like Toyota and others the world leaders they are today.
Masashi's book of 5 rings is an amazing philosophical read too
This guy was a DAWG. Good lord
One thing I never understood about this duel is why Musashi abandoned his 2 sword style for a long wooden oar "sword". I can only think he believed Kojiro would have too much advantage while approaching up the beach and that only by having a longer reach did he stand a chance to win.
12:21 I wonder if that's similar to the European stance guard of the hawk.
Thank you 💛. But I admit that when I first started listening I was disappointed that you've moved on to different stories. I want more stories from the history at OK corral. C'mon professor, please! Thank you 💛
How many ways can you tell that story and keep an audience and the channel growing?
Wow . He was so smart . Good job .
Never bring a sword to an oar fight!
Someone had to say it.
What a genius hell yeh bro show up late to keep his mental game week
In his previous fight he showed up early and ambushed the guy who showed up and hid his friends in the bushes in a failed ambush of their own.
If you look at thr lower part of the right hand side of the beach there is a subtle impresion of a face
1:02 is it a naginata then?
Well there has been an update regarding the greatest sword in japan that ever lived, he is Jin Sakai the ghost stance creature.
"For days to come, will hunt," the fight is over." 😢
Thanks, the book of 5 rings was good. ✌🏻👊🏼
He pulls up looking like a vagrant. Opens the duel talking smack. He's a savage. Makes the dub look easy, then writes about it being his toughest fight. is he a troll, too?
He almost got his head split open most accounts say it was less then an inch and the blade grazed his head so close it hit the cloth of his headband. He basicly confirmed this in conversations with others and I believe a few letters that are still around. Likely that was the closest he came to catching a death blow.
The duel was between Budo and Bushido. Musashi won with psychological tactics but he didn't prove his superiority in swordsmanship. If he had wanted to prove he was the better swordsman, he could have observed all the customary etiquette. That way, both warriors would have been fighting on equal terms, putting their skills on the line to determine the better swordsman. Yes, Kojiro wielded a katana with greater reach than Musashi but the match between Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns, as well as virtually every Tyson victory, prove that reach isn't everything. Alternatively, Musashi could have armed himself with a katana equal to the drying pole of Kojiro but his style may not have been optimised for a longer blade. One argument in Musashi's favour is that he might have known the referees would have been biased against him. Kojiro was the "establishment" representative while Musashi was an outsider. Perhaps he suspected the referees would try to disqualify him on a technicality and declare Kojiro the victor. To put this in perspective, suppose Musashi had paid a prostitute to drug Kojiro, the outcome would still have been the same (Budo victorious) but it would probably be viewed very differently.
This is the problem with certain boxers today. Some of them insult the race of their opponents to disrupt them psychologically but people don't think it's a problem. Even worse, they equate this toxic behaviour with a genuine victory of skill.
Fantastic comment. Very thought-provoking, you make some excellent points! We more or less agree.
I respectfully disagree. Phycological warfare is part of all warfare. His oppent could have chosen to remain calm but didn't have the patience to do so. That's why your mind should be as sharp as your weapon.
Composure, especially when faced with people who disrespect you, dislike or even want to end your existence is a measure of skill itself.
Mushasi did not engage in what you are describing as an honorable duel, because there was no need to. He won the duel before he arrived.
The "master swordsman" and professional warrior allowed his emotions to interfere with the business at hand.
The best warrior won, that's all there is to it.
Musashi!!!! The legend!!!!!
I think he may have used a Tachi.
I could also be very wrong
This is the Hector Vs Achilles of Japanese culture
Dude awesome curveball from normal content....I love how u switch it up.
Thank you!
Ahh, the "Three R's"... _Reading, Riting and Rithmetic._
The OK Corral
You must read the Book of Five Rings.. Musashi was ahead of his time. 👊🧐👍👍
A long, stout, wooden staff is the best defense against a curved sword. It blunts the attack, has superior reach, is hard to deflect with a sword, due to its weight and the fact that you can thrust from beyond the reach of the sword. Getting poked by a strong 2-handed thrust by a heavy staff (even a broom stick) is a brutal hit to take, and wielded by an expert, if the initial thrust is avoided, you can spin the staff and strike with what was previously the butt end and bludgeon the opponent.
A swordsman who didn't train against such a weapon would be at a great disadvantage. Reading between the lines, it sounds like Musashi didn't think he could win a fair fight.
I think the choice of weapons decided the battle before it ever started.
I think staffs were outlawed in China and Japan by the warrior castes, right along with swords. Shorter sticks became the peasants' weapons of choice, and modifying them by a chain between two shorter sticks gave them the reach they lacked, while defeating any search for forbidden weapons.
When a Samurai defeated another Samurai in a duel, did they take their fallen opponents sword and armor? If not what became of their equipment I wonder?
Musashi played the heel. Not the only time in his life.
If only Syrio Forel kept a spare beach in his pocket
LMAO
This was the last time mushasi challenged someone. Although he had many duels after this.
History at the Most Honorable Mura
How tall are those guys? 3’ to 3.5’?
Fascinating story. It’s kind of like a modern day Mike Tyson boxing match, where his opponent comes out, all flashy and fancy, and Mike Tyson strolls out with a torn up sweatshirt and cheap black shorts on and then knocks the guy out in the first round with one punch.
History at the Okinawa Corral. History too real… for Kurosawa films.
In the painting, he actually still has his saya on his waist.
Musashi was NOT A SAMURAI ! He despised the idea of serving a feudal lord. He was a wandering kensai
... a travelling swordsaint.
The master of the mid game
He placed Kojiro in a no-win situation. You either lose to a boat oar, or win against a boat oar.
Musashi sure had style yup
Ironically the ship named after him was nothing like him. A strategic blunder, over sized
I was devastated to find out syeven seagal was not involved in this duel
The Five Rings 💍
Hakuho vs the entire sumo board !
Pioneer of modern society, disregard for the code, then refers to his disrespect as gamesmanship.
Hirafuku not Harajuku
Musashi was not at Sekigahara. This was a fiction added by Yoshikawa Eiji.
And you left out the duels with the Yoshioka brothers in 1604.
The Mush abides.
Read the entire book and get back to me. Sasaki Kojiro was an asshat who rested upon the reputation of his sword the Drying Pole. Musashi was like Michael Jordan and used an oar to end him.
Not what Musashi himself said.
Musashi was a ronin at this time in his life
The crowd wanted a spectacle. Instead, they got a hog killing.
musashi was eventually a retainer, not a samurai, he was ronin. without master
5th generation war goes way back.
Sword fighting is just like chess but far fewer moves.
In most cases two great swordsmen fighting don’t last long and a single wrong move was defeat since the greatest fighters oftin eat ones until there opponent made that bad move so they can counter and capitalize.
I think the telling of this story was done well but the truth is this was a very fast fight and it was over very very fast.
It’s the men involved that make it a great fight but the fight was not as great as the men in it and there are other battles between two men that were much more great threw out history.
You only get one hit with a katana and unless your armored your done and going to bleed out or die from the death blow.
Sword fights of the past had lots of chivalry which makes for a less grand ending then death or total victory.
Confuse and upset your opponent.
I see musashi was the conor mcgregor of 1600 japan