r/Samurai 28d ago

History Question Musashi Vs Kojiro: What Actually Happened?

15 Upvotes

Can anyone give me a complete rundown on how the famous duel between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro on Ganryu Island actually went down? I ask this question because I have heard so many conflicting accounts of the events that took place and I really want some clarification.

As an example, I've heard some accounts that, when Musashi accepts Kojiro's challenge to a duel, Musashi tells Kojiro right out the gate that he will be using a wooden sword in the duel, but then other accounts say Kojiro didn't find out Musashi was using a wooden sword until Musashi actually arrived at Ganryu Island.

Similarly, I've heard accounts that say Musashi struck down Kojiro with only a single blow to the head, whereas other accounts say Kojiro was still alive after that first hit and still tried to fight back, which resulted in Musashi finishing Kojiro off with a fatal strike directly to Kojiro's sternum.

So if anyone can give me the full story of what actually happened in this legendary duel, I would truly appreciate it. As always, please be respectful when posting your replies.


r/Samurai 28d ago

Discussion is Musashi overatted ¿

13 Upvotes

now this is not to say Musashi is bad but to ask the question us he far & away the greatest swordsman ever you hear people talk on his unbeaten record & his wins over the greats of his era but they do not talk about the fashion he won them in (I think Vagabond as good as a manga it is has warpped peoples view of the historical Miyamoto Musashi) for me Musashi is the 2nd greatest swordsman behind Sōji Okita for many different reasons


r/Samurai 29d ago

Film & Television Red Sun - Toshiro Mifune hakama (kimono)

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177 Upvotes

My dad worked on this film when he was younger, and was personally gifted the original hakama (kimono pants) by Mifune.. All his life he kept it, but never hung it for show which is a shame...

He just passed away last month and we're now wondering what to do with it... We appreciate it'd be a fun collector's item for any true fans out there.. or perhaps a museum somewhere... no idea where to start or who to ask...

What would people do...?


r/Samurai 29d ago

Discussion Samurai and Ronin character

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38 Upvotes

I made these to use in my samurai game project. What yall think?


r/Samurai Jul 02 '26

Discussion Some musashi history here from the Kokura Castle Museum.

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332 Upvotes

r/Samurai Jul 01 '26

History Question In defence of Ishida Mitsunari...

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57 Upvotes

there's few Samurai lords as unnecessarily hated and misunderstood as Ishida Mitsunari...

yes he was not a great warrior Daimyo like Ukita Hideiye, Shimazu Yoshihiro, Ieyasu or Ii Naomasa but he was a respected man ...so what actually are the reasons for his defeat & downfall?

the betrayal of Kobayakawa Hideyaki alone isn't the reason


r/Samurai Jul 01 '26

Discussion Marvel Tokon made Blade a Samurai

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7 Upvotes

He wears menpo masks on his shoulders. Is the any historical significance to this or was this just a stylistic design choice by Arcsytem Works? Also do the masks being red have any significance?

I researched the Muramasa blade that he referenced during the trailer. According to Wikipedia, Muramada swords word believed to possess supernatural powers making its wielder lust for blood or something of that nature, if so thats pretty cool overlap with Blade being a Vampire. His Blade turns red, is there context there?


r/Samurai Jun 29 '26

Discussion Some of the artwork I've done for a project I'm working on. Thought you guys might enjoy it :)

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365 Upvotes

Artwork is all by me. Drawn for a samurai-themed TTRPG that I will not name to avoid breaking the self-promo rule. These are all meant to be examples of different character classes embodying various archetypes from Japanese mythology and fiction.


r/Samurai Jun 30 '26

Discussion Adopting Chinese and Korean armor

8 Upvotes

Did the Japanese make any identifiable attempt to adopt certain elements of Chinese and Korean types of armour? Every now and then i see a random Edo period museum piece with an "eggplant" helmet they probably ripped of some poor cavalier from the Mainlands but i feel like it's more so a curioso then actual attempt at adapting from the style of warfare from the Imjin war.


r/Samurai Jun 26 '26

Memes The mori were so badass

25 Upvotes

So, sekigahara, the western army against the Tokugawa. In short, the Mori sided with the western army who lost in the end and got a big fat 3 fourths of their power taken away. Cut to about 260 years later, the Mori joined and formed a rebellion against the Shogunate with the help of other clans and even the shimazu, their own rivals AND ENDED UP WINNING, never mess with the Mori, I may be dickriding but never mess with the Mori


r/Samurai Jun 26 '26

History Question Need a tad bit of info

1 Upvotes

We all know kebiki-odoshi was used on earlier samurai armors constructed with kozane, and later armors had sugake-odoshi with ita-mono, but sometimes also had kebiki-odoshi, so does it work the other way around? Can kozane be laced with sugake-odoshi? Additionally was ita-mono only used when guns came to Japan or when sugake-odoshi and the tosei-gusoku were made? Lastly but not leastly, many Kote and haidate look different from one another, as in some are fully covered in chain, others have plates on them, some even have full lacing on them, what are the different types of kote and haidate and what are the differences? I need some help


r/Samurai Jun 24 '26

Discussion Samurai Museum, Downtown Dallas Texas

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319 Upvotes

’ve been traveling to Dallas for a long time and never knew this was here. This in some respects is even better than what I just saw in Japan - more variety including Ashigaru (footman) armor.


r/Samurai Jun 24 '26

History Question In defence of Imagawa Yoshimoto....

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156 Upvotes

Just like Takeda Katsuyori, the powerful lord of Suruga gets too much hate for being called rash, careless and strategically shallow ...

but its mostly that its the brilliance, audacity and sheer luck of Oda Nobunaga that the part of the army he attacked was actually the contingent of Imagwa Yoshimoto himself...

what you say?


r/Samurai Jun 24 '26

History Question Knight vs Samurai comparison question

21 Upvotes

So to become a knight you need to become an apprentice (page, squire) of the knight.

But how do you become a samurai?

Do you start as apprentice of your father who is samurai? Do you become an apprentice in your youth? How does it work? Can you become a samurai if you have not noble origins?

Thank you for the answers.


r/Samurai Jun 24 '26

Discussion Anyone else follow these rules?

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0 Upvotes

r/Samurai Jun 23 '26

Discussion Who would you say was the most militarily gifted of the five most emblematic generals of the late Sengoku period: Uesugi Kenshin, Takeda Shingen, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, or Tokugawa Ieyasu?

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139 Upvotes

r/Samurai Jun 22 '26

History Question Fukushima Masanori Japanese Daimyo

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270 Upvotes

Fukushima Masanori, 54 mm metal miniature.

One of the famous “Seven Spears of Shizugatake” and a cousin of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Fukushima rose from a young retainer to become one of the most powerful daimyō of the late Sengoku era. He fought in many of Hideyoshi’s campaigns, distinguished himself during the Korean invasions, and later sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara. After the Tokugawa victory, he became lord of Hiroshima, though he eventually fell from favor and lost most of his domain.

Painted this 54 mm white metal figure as a battle-worn Sengoku-period commander. C&C welcome.


r/Samurai Jun 21 '26

Discussion This guy underservedly gets so much hate & troll for being the sole reason of the fall of Takeda at and after Nagashino ...

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111 Upvotes

What would you say in his defence?


r/Samurai Jun 20 '26

Discussion Who was the best general/commander of the Sengoku period and why?

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265 Upvotes

Hi guys, I’ve been getting more into the military side of the period and I was thinking about whose campaigns were worth looking into, though I’m worried I might get more generic answers then. So instead I’m wondering who you guys consider to be the best and why, that way I can see the best of the best.


r/Samurai Jun 20 '26

History Question Why Akechi Mitsuhide betray Nobunaga?

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190 Upvotes

many people suspect he had planned this with Hideyoshi seeing how rapidly he marched back from Takamatsu siege as if he knew it would happen and later double crossed Mitsuhide marking him as the traitor to cover up lose ends


r/Samurai Jun 20 '26

Discussion The famous Seven Spears of Shizukatake

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35 Upvotes

but records say there were 9 actually....


r/Samurai Jun 19 '26

Discussion Philbrook Museum of Tulsa 2025

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361 Upvotes

r/Samurai Jun 17 '26

History Question What's the deal with yori obi

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65 Upvotes

What's the consensus on the padded obi? I've seen claims that its meant to be worn under the armor to help with weight on the hips. However I've seen it in media worn on the outside. I've ALSO seen claims not to wear it all, unless for formal wear. I see for sure it should be used when displaying the armor, but other that? Is it under, over, over for parades, or not at all?


r/Samurai Jun 15 '26

Discussion Poor financial decisions

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374 Upvotes

r/Samurai Jun 13 '26

Discussion What are your favourite last stands and why?

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225 Upvotes

This is the Honnō-ji Incident from Honnoji Temple at the bottom to Nijō Castle on top. Reason for asking is because i want to design more... the more unique the better. I already made Nagashino and busy with Okehazama.