WRITER

Miyamoto Musashi

1584 - 1645

Photo of Miyamoto Musashi

Icon of person Miyamoto Musashi

Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵), born Shinmen Takezō (新免 武蔵, c. 1584 – 13 June 1645), also known as Miyamoto Bennosuke and by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman, strategist, artist, and writer who became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 62 duels (next is 33 by Itō Ittōsai). Musashi is considered a kensei (sword saint) of Japan. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Miyamoto Musashi has received more than 7,958,063 page views. His biography is available in 71 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 66 in 2019). Miyamoto Musashi is the 83rd most popular writer (up from 84th in 2019), the 5th most popular biography from Japan (up from 6th in 2019) and the most popular Japanese Writer.

Miyamoto Musashi is most famous for being a samurai and his book The Book of Five Rings.

Memorability Metrics

  • 8.0M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 78.24

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 71

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 8.65

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 3.86

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Notable Works

Miyamoto Musashi meihin shūsei
1977
Gorin no sho
1963
The complete book of five rings
Sports & Recreation
This authoritative and enlightening version of Miyamoto Musashi's classic on confrontation and strategy is translated and annotated by a modern martial arts master. Kenji Tokistu has spent most of his life researching the legendary samurai swordsman and his works. Here he uses his extensive knowledge to present this seminal text along with several ear­lier works by Musashi, putting them into historical and philo­sophical context and making them accessible and relevant to today's readers and martial arts students. While there are several versions of The Book of Five Rings edited by martial artists, Tokistu's is by far the most exten­sively researched, the clearest, and the most packed with valu­able insights from a martial arts perspective. Tokitsu really understands Musashi's writings—and Musashi as a martial artist—and is able to give a rare insight into the man and his historical contribution.
2010
Musashi's Book of Five Rings
History
Often used to explain Japanese business competition, Musashi's Book of Five Rings is more properly a definitive treatise on mortal combat from one of Japan's most formidable warriors - the martial arts luminary Miyamoto Musashi. Famed martial artist Stephen Kaufman has translated this classic without the usual commercial bias, driving straight to the heart of Musashi's incisive martial arts stratagems. The result is an enthralling combination of powerful technical wisdom and the philosophical elucidation offered to martial artists by Buddhism, Shintoism, Confucianism, and Taoism. From the metaphor of the Four Elements and fundamentals of physical practice and strategy to an offering of Zen wisdom on the "way" of nature, Musashi's Book of Five Rings is as profound and important a book on martial arts as you will find.
2004
El Libro de Los Cinco Anillos (Coleccion Ladooriental)
2005
Traité des cinq roues
1991

Among WRITERS

Among writers, Miyamoto Musashi ranks 83 out of 7,302. Before him are Arthur Rimbaud, Maxim Gorky, Rainer Maria Rilke, Hesiod, Henrik Ibsen, and François Rabelais. After him are Isaac Asimov, Daniel Defoe, Knut Hamsun, Pablo Neruda, Giorgio Vasari, and José Saramago.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1584, Miyamoto Musashi ranks 1. After him are Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain, William Baffin, Francisco de Quevedo, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, Catherine of Sweden, Countess Palatine of Kleeburg, Yuan Chonghuan, Matthias Gallas, Mehmed III Giray, Cornelis de Vos, Gaspar de Crayer, and Hu Zhengyan. Among people deceased in 1645, Miyamoto Musashi ranks 1. After him are Hugo Grotius, Michael of Russia, Li Zicheng, William Laud, Francisco de Quevedo, Nur Jahan, Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares, Marie de Gournay, Feng Menglong, Anthony van Diemen, and Eudoxia Streshneva.

Others Born in 1584

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Others Deceased in 1645

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In Japan

Among people born in Japan, Miyamoto Musashi ranks 5 out of 6,245. Before him are Hirohito (1901), Hayao Miyazaki (1941), Hokusai (1760), and Akihito (1933). After him are Akira Kurosawa (1910), Emperor Meiji (1852), Oda Nobunaga (1534), Matsuo Bashō (1644), Haruki Murakami (1949), Yukio Mishima (1925), and Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542).

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Among WRITERS In Japan

Among writers born in Japan, Miyamoto Musashi ranks 1. After him are Matsuo Bashō (1644), Haruki Murakami (1949), Yukio Mishima (1925), Yasunari Kawabata (1899), Osamu Dazai (1909), Murasaki Shikibu (973), Kenzaburō Ōe (1935), Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892), Natsume Sōseki (1867), Kazuo Ishiguro (1954), and Kōbō Abe (1924).

Japanese born Writers

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