Musashi Miyamoto Katana
There was a heihosha (martial artist) named Miyamoto Musashi. He engaged in duels from the age of 13 and was in about 60 matches. In the sixth month, in Akashi, Harima province, he met Muso Gonnosuke, who was a six foot tall strapping warrior. Gonnosuke was armed with an odachi (a long sword), a two layer overcoat with sleeves, and a haori with a large hi no maru (rising sun). On his lapels were written: "The best martial artist in the land" (heiho tenka ichi), and "Nihon Kaizan Muso Gonnosuke."
...Gonnosuke was surrounded by about six deshi followers who accompanied him on a journey to Kyushu. He boasted to Musashi that no one was his equal. In his travels, he had apparently encountered Musashi's father, Shinmen Munisai, a master of the jutte (truncheon).
"I have seen your father's techniques, but I haven't seen yours," he said, goading Musashi.
(Shinmen) Miyamoto Genshin Musashi was irritated. He was in the middle of carving a willow branch and replied, "If you saw my father's techniques, I am no different."
Gonnosuke pressed the issue, badgering Musashi to show his martial arts off for the benefit of Gonnosuke's students.
"My heiho is not for display," Musashi snapped. "No matter how you attack me, I'll stop it. That's all there is to my heiho. Do what you will, with any technique."
Gonnosuke pulled out a four-shaku (a shaku is roughly equivalent to an English foot) wooden sword from a brocade bag. (To draw a comparison, the usual practice sword is but a little longer than two shaku.) He attacked Musashi without any formalities. Musashi stood up from his crouch. With what seemed to be very little effort, he forced Gonnosuke back across the tatami mat room with his willow branch and, pressing him against a wall, struck him lightly between the eyebrows.
The Hanwei reproduction of the Mushasi Dai-Sho Samurai sword is faithful to the original down to the famous double-ring iron tsubas. The grips are finished with a superb leather wrap. The oversize Daito (SOH-1016-GT) has a 30" blade and a 15" grip , double-pegged to the long tang, overall length is 45". While the Wakizashi (SOH-1017-GT) has a 19" blade and is 26" overall. It weighs 2 pounds - 15 ounces. Mounted in black, the scabbard has delicate copper inlays. Truly a masterpiece of the swordmakers art, the Mushashi Dai-sho is a must for every Martial artist and collector.
