A Book of Five Rings

(Go Rin No Sho)

Written by Miyamoto Musashi
Translate by !i"tor #arris
All translator notes in"lue
Japan during Musashi's lifetime
Miyamoto Musashi was born in 1584, in a Japan struggling to recover from more than four centuries of
internal strife. he traditional rule of the emperors had been overthrown in the twelfth century, and
although each successive emperor remained the figurehead of Japan, his powers were very much reduced.
!ince that time, Japan had seen almost continuous civil war between the provincial lords, warrior mon"s
and brigands, all fighting each other for land and power. #n the fifteenth and si$teenth centuries the lords,
called daimyo, built huge stone castles to protect themselves and their lords and castle towns outside the
walls began to grow up. hese wars naturally restricted the growth of trade and impoverished the whole
country.
#n 15%&, however, one man, 'da (obunga, came to the fore in Japan. )e became the !hogun, or military
dictator, and for nine years succeeded in gaining control of almost the whole of the country. *hen
(obunga was assassinated in 158+, a commoner too" over the government. oyotomi )ideyoshi continued
the wor" of unifying Japan which (obunaga had begun, ruthlessly putting down any traces of insurrection.
)e revived the old gulf between the warriors of Japan , the samurai , and the commoners by introducing
restrictions on the wearing of swords. -)ideyoshi's sword,hunt-, as it was "nown, meant that only samurai
were allowed to wear two swords, the short one which everyone could wear and the long one which
distinguished the samurai from the rest of the population.
.lthough )ideyoshi did much to settle Japan and increase trade with the outside world, by the time of his
death in 15/8 internal disturbances still had not been completely eliminated. he real isolation and
unification of Japan began with the inauguration of the great o"ugawa rule. #n 101& o"ugawa #eyasu, a
former associate of both )ideyoshi and (obunaga, formally became !hogun of Japan, after defeating
)ideyoshi's son )ideyori at the battle of !e"i ga )ara.
#eyasu established his government at 2do, present,day o"yo, where he had a huge castle. )is was a
stable, peaceful government beginning a period of Japanese history which was to last until the #mperial
3estoration of 1808, for although #eyasu himself died in 1010 members of his family succeeded each other
and the title !hogun became virtually an hereditary one for the o"ugawas.
#eyasu was determined to ensure his and his family's dictatorship. o this end, he paid lip,service to the
emperor in 4yoto, who remained the titular head of Japan, while curtailing his duties and involvement in
the government. he real threat to #eyasu's position could only come from the lords, and he effectively
decreased their opportunities for revolt by devising schemes whereby all lords had to live in 2do for
alternate years and by placing great restrictions on travelling. )e allotted land in e$change for oaths of
allegiance, and gave the provincial castles around 2do to members of his own family. )e also employed a
networ" of secret police and assassins.
he o"ugawa period mar"s a great change in the social history of Japan. he bureaucracy of the
o"ugawas was all,pervading. (ot only were education, law, government and class controlled, be even the
costume and behavior of each class. he traditional class consciousness of Japan hardened into a rigid
class structure. here were basically four classes of person5 samurai, farmers, artisans and merchants. he
samurai were the highest , in esteem if not in wealth , and included the lords, senior government officials,
warriors, and minor officials and foot soldiers. (e$t in the hierarchy came the farmers, not because they
were well thought of but because they provided the essential rice crops. heir lot was a rather unhappy
one, as they were forced to give most of their crops to the lords and were not allowed to leave their farms.
hen came the artisans and craftsmen, and last of all the merchants, who, though loo"ed down upon,
eventually rose to prominence because of the vast wealth they accumulated. 6ew people were outside this
rigid hierarchy.
Musashi belonged to the samurai class. *e find the origins of the samurai class in the 4ondei 7-!talwart
8outh-9 system established in %/+ .:, whereby the Japanese army , which had until then constituted
mainly of spear,wielding foot soldiers , was revived by stiffening the ran"s with permanent training officers
recruited from among the young sons of the high families. hese officers were mounted, wore armour, and
used the bow and sword. #n %8+ the emperor 4ammu started building 4yoto, and in 4yoto he built a
training hall which e$ists to this day called the ;uto"uden, meaning -)all of the virtues of war-. *ithin a
few years of this revival the fierce .inu, the aboriginal inhabitants of Japan who had until then confounded
the army's attempts to move them from their wild lodgings, were driven far off to the northern island,
)o""aido.
*hen the great provincial armies were gradually disbanded under )ideyoshi and #eyasu, many out,of,
wor" samurai roamed the country redundant in an era of peace. Musashi was one such samurai, a -ronin-
or -wave man-. here were still samurai retainers to the o"ugawas and provincial lords, but their
numbers were few. he hordes of redundant samurai found themselves living in a society which was
completely based on the old chivalry, but at the same time they were apart from a society in which there
was no place for men at arms. hey became an inverted class, "eeping the old chivalry alive by devotion to
military arts with the fervour only the Japanese possess. his was the time of the flowering of 4endo.
4endo, the *ay of the sword, had always been synonymous with nobility in Japan. !ince the founding of
the samurai class in the eighth century, the military arts had become the highest form of study, inspired by
the teachings of <en and the feeling of !hinto. !chools of 4endo born in the early Muromachi period ,
appro$imately 1&/1 to 1011 , were continued through the upheavals of the formation of the peaceful
o"ugawa !hogunate, and survive to this day. he education of the sons of the o"ugawa !hoguns was by
means of schooling in the =hinese classics and fencing e$ercises. *here a *esterner might say -he pen is
mightier than the sword-, the Japanese would say -;unbu #chi-, or ->en and sword in accord-. oday,
prominent businessmen and political figures in Japan still practise the old traditions of the 4endo schools,
preserving the forms of several hundred years ago.
o sum up, Musashi was a ronin at the time when the samurai were formally considered to be the elite, but
actually had no means of livelihood unless they owned lands and castles. Many ronin put up their swords
and became artisans, but others, li"e Musashi, persued the ideal of the warrior searching for
enlightenment through the perilous paths of 4endo. :uels of revenge and tests of s"ill were commonplace,
and fencing schools multiplied. wo schools e$pecially, the #tto school and the 8agyu school, were
sponsored by the o"ugawas. he #tto school provided an unbro"en line of 4endo teachers, and the 8agyu
school eventually became the secret police of the o"ugawa bureaucracy.
4endo
raditionally, the fencing halls of Japan, called :o?o, were associated with shrines and temples, but during
Musashi's lifetime numerous schools sprang up in the new castle towns. 2ach daimyo or lord sponsored a
4endo school, where his retainers could be trained and his sons educated. he hope of every ronin was that
he could defeat the students and master of a :o?o in combat, thus increasing his fame and bringing his
name to the ears of one who might employ him.
he samurai wore two swords thrust through the belt with the cutting edge uppermost. he longer sword
was carried out of doors only, the shorter sword was worn at all times. 6or training, wooden swords and
bamboo swords were often used. :uelling and other tests of arms were common, with both real and
practice swords. hese too" place in fencing halls and before shrines, in the streets and within castle walls.
:uels were often fought to the death or until one of the contestants was disabled, but a few generations
after Musashi's time the -shinai-, a pliable bamboo sword, and later padded fencing armour, came to be
widely used, so the chances of in?ury were greatly reduced. he samurai studied with all "inds of weapons5
halberds, stic"s, swords, chain and sic"le, and others. Many schools using such weapons survive in
traditional form in Japan today.
o train in 4endo one must sub?ugate the self, bear the pain of gruelling practise, and cultivate a level
mind in the face of peril. ;ut the *ay of the sword means not only fencing training but also living by the
code of honour of the samurai elite. *arfare was the spirit of the samurai's everyday life, and he could face
death as if it were a domestic routine. he meaning of life and death by the sword was mirrored in the
everyday conduct of the feudal Japanese, and he who realised the resolute acceptance of death at any
moment in his everyday life was a master of the sword. #t is in order to attain such an understanding that
later men have followed the ancient tradition of the sword,fencing styles, and even today give up their lives
for 4endo practise.
4endo and <en
he *ay of the sword is the moral teaching of the samurai, fostered by the =onfucianist philosophy which
shaped the o"ugawa system, together with the native !hinto religion of Japan. he warrior courts of
Japan from the 4ama"ura period to the Muromachi period encouraged the austre <en study among the
samurai, and <en went hand in hand with the arts of war. #n <en the are no elaborations, it aims directly at
the true nature of things. here are no ceremonies, no teachings5 the pri@e of <en is essentially personal.
2nlightenment in <en does not mean a change in behavior, but realisation of the nature of ordinary life.
he end point is the beginning, and the great virtue is simplicity. he secret teaching of the #tto 3yu school
of 4endo, 4iriotoshi, is the first techniAue of some hundred or so. he teaching is -.i Bchi-, meaning to
cut the opponent ?ust as he cuts you. his is the ultimate training... it is lac" of anger. #t means to treat your
enemy as an honoured guest. #t also means to abandon your life or throw away fear.
he first techniAue is the last, the beginner and the master behave in the same way. 4nowledge is a full
circle. he first of Musashi's chapter headings is Cround, for the basis of 4endo and <en, and the last boo"
is Doid, for that understanding which can only be e$pressed as nothingness. he teachings of 4endo are
li"e the fierce verbal forays to which the <en student is sub?ected. .ssailed with doubts and misery, his
mind and spirit in a whirl, the student is gradually guided to realisation and understanding by his teacher.
he 4endo student practises furiously, thousands of cuts morning and night, learning fierce techniAues of
horrible war, until eventually sword becomes -no sword-, intention becomes -no intention-, a spontaneous
"nowledge of every situation. he first elementary teaching becomes the highest "nowledge, and the master
still continues to practise this simple training, his everyday prayer.
=oncerning the life of Miyamoto Musashi
!hinmen Musashi (o 4ami 6u?iwara (o Censhin, or as he is commonly "nown Miyamoto Musashi, was
born in the village called Miyamoto in the province Mimasa"a in 1584. -Musashi- is the name of an area
south,west of o"yo, and the appellation -(o 4ami- means noble person of the area, while -6u?iwara- is
the name of a noble family foremost in Japan over a thousand years ago.
Musashi's ancestors were a branch of the powerful )arima clan in 4yushu, the souther island of Japan.
)irada !ho"an, his grandfather, was a retainer of !hinmen #ga (o 4ami !udeshige, the lord of a"eyama
castle. )irada !ho"an was highly thought of by his lord and eventually married his lord's daughter.
*hen Musashi was seven, his father, Munisai, either died or abandoned the child. .s his mother had died,
;en (o !u"e, as Musashi was "nown during his childhood, was left in the care of an uncle on his mother's
side, a priest. !o we find Musashi an orphan during )ideyoshi's campaigns of unification, son of a samurai
in a violent unhappy land. )e was a boisterous youth, strong,willed and physically large for his age.
*hether he was urged to persue 4endo by his uncle, or whether his aggressive nature led him to it, we do
not "now, but it is recorded that he slew a man in single combat when he was ?ust thirteen. he opponent
was .rima 4igei, a samurai of the !hinto 3yu school of military arts, s"illed with sword and spear. he boy
threw the man to the ground, and beat him about the head with a stic" when he tried to rise. 4ihei died
vomiting blood
Musashi's ne$t contest was when he was si$teen, when he defeated adashima ."iyama. .bout this time, he
left home to embar" on the -*arrior >ilgimage- which saw him victor in scores of contests and which too"
him to war si$ times, until he finally settled down at the age of fifty, having reached the end of his search
for reason. here must have been many ronin travelling the country on similar e$peditions, some alone li"e
Musashi and some en?oying sponsorship, though not on the scale of the pilgrimage of the famous
swordman su"ahara ;o"uden who had travelled with a retinue of over one hundred men in the previous
century.
his part of Musashi's life was spent living apart from society while he devoted himself with a ferocious
single,mindedness to the search for enlightenment by the *ay of the sword. =oncerned only with perfecting
his s"ill, he lived as men need not live, wandering over Japan soa"ed by the cold winds of winter, not
dressing his hair, nor ta"ing a wife, nor following any profession save his study. #t is said he never entered
a bathtub lest he was caught unawares without a weapon, and that his appearance was uncouth and
wretched.
#n the battle which resulted in #eyasu succeeding )ideyoshi as !hogun of Japan, !e"i ga )ara, Musashi
?oined the ran"s of the .shi"aga army to fight against #eyasu. )e survived the terrible three days during
which seventy thousand people died, and also survived the hunting down and massacre of the vanAuished
army.
)e went up to 4yoto, the capital, when he was twenty,one. his was the scene of his vendetta agains the
8oshio"a family. he 8oshio"as had been fencing instructors to the .shi"aga house for generations. Eater
forbidden to teach 4endo by lord o"ugawa, the family became dyers, and are dyers today. Munisai,
Musashi's father, had been invited to 4yoto some years before by the !hogun .shi"aga 8oshia"a. Munisai
was a competent swordsman, and an e$pert with the -?itte-, a "ind of iron truncheon with a tongue for
catching sword blades. he story has it that Munisai fought three of the 8oshio"as, winning two of the
duels, and perhaps this has some bearing on Musashi's behavior towards the family.
8oshio"a !ei?iro, the head of the family, was the first to fight Musashi, on the moor outside the city. !ei?iro
was armed with a real sword, and Musashi with a wooden sword. Musashi laid !ei?iro out with a fierce
attac" and beat him savagely as he lay on the ground. he retainers carried their lord home on a rain,
shutter, where for shame he cut off his samurai top"not.
Musashi longered on in the capital, and his continued presence further ir"ed the 8oshio"as. he second
brother, :enshichiro, applied to Musashi for a duel. .s a military ploy, Musashi arrived late on the
appointed day, and seconds after the start of the fight he bro"e his opponent's s"ull with one blow of his
wooden sword. :enshichiro was dead. he house issued yet another challenge with )anshichiro, the young
son of !ei?iro, as champion. )anshichiro was a mere boy, not yet in his teens. he contest was to be held by
a pine tree ad?acent to ricefields. Musashi arrived at the meeting place well before the appointed time and
waited in hiding for his enemy to come. he child arrived dressed formally in war gear, with a party of
well,armed retainers, determined to do away with Musashi. Musashi waited concealed in the shadows, and
?ust as they were thin"ing that he had thought better of it and had decided to leave 4yoto, he suddenly
appeared in the midst of them, and cut the boy down. hen, drawing both swords, he cut a path through
them and made his escape.
.fter that frightful episode Musashi wandered over Japan, becoming a legend in his own time. *e find
mention of his name and stories of his prowess in registers, diaries, on monuments, and in fol" memory
from o"yo to 4yushu. )e had more than si$ty contests before he was twenty,nine, and won them all. he
earliest account of his contests appears in (iten 4i, or -wo )eavens =hronicle-, a record compiled by his
pupils a generation after his death.
#n the year of the 8oshio"a affair, 1015, he visited the temple )o@oin in the south of the capital. )ere he
had a contest with '"u )o@oin, the (ichiren sect pupil of the <en priest )oin #nei. he priest was a
spearman, but no match for Musashi who defeated him twice with his short wooden sword. Musashi stayed
at the temple for some time studying fighting techniAues and en?oying tal"s with the priests. here is still
today a traditional spear fighting form practised by the mon"s of )o@oin. #t is interesting that in ancient
times the word -'sho-, which now means priest, used to mean -spear teacher-. )oin #nei was pupil to
#@umi Musashi no 4ami, a master of !hinto 4endo. he priest used spears with cross,shaped blades "ept
outside the temple under the eaves and used in fire fighting.
*hen Musashi was in #ga province he met a s"illed chain and sic"le fighter named !hishido ;ai"in. .s
!hishido twirled his chain Musashi drew a dagger and pierced his breast, advancing to finish him off. he
watching pupils attac"ed Musashi but he frightened them away in four directions.
#n 2do, a fighter named Muso Conosu"e visited Musashi reAuesting a duel. Musashi was cutting wood to
ma"e a bow, and granting Conosu"e's reAuest stood up intending to use the slender wand he was cutting as
a sword. Conosu"e made a fierce attac", but Musashi stepped straight in and banged him on the head.
Conosu"e went away.
>assing through #@umo province, Musashi visited lord Matsudaira and as"ed permission to fight with his
strongest 4endo e$pert. here were many good strategists in #@umo. >ermission was granted against a man
who used an eight foot long he$agonal wooden pole. he contest was held in the lord's library garden.
Musashi used two wooden swords. )e chased the samurai up the two wooden steps of the library veranda,
thrust at his face on the second step, and hit him on both arms as he flinched away. o the surprise of the
assembled retainers, lord Matsudaira as"ed Musashi to fight him. Musashi drove the lord up the library
steps as before, and when he tried to ma"e a resolute fencing attitude Musashi hit his sword with the -6ire
and !tones =ut-, brea"ing it in two. he lord bowed in defeat, and Musashi stayed for some time as his
teacher.
Musashi's most well,"nown duel was in the seventeenth year of 4eicho, 101+, when he was in 'gura in
;un@en province. )is opponent was !asa"i 4o?iro, a young man who had developed a strong fencing
techniAue "nown as subame,gaeshi, or -swallow counter-, inspired by the motion of a swallow's tail in
flight. 4o?iro was retained by the lord of the province, )oso"awa adao"i. Musashi applied to adao"i for
permission to fight 4o?iro through the offices of one of the )oso"awa retainers who had been a pupil of
Musashi's father, one (agao"a !ato '"inaga. >ermission was granted for the contest to be held at eight
o'cloc" the ne$t morning, and the place was to be an island some few miles from 'gura. hat night
Musashi left his lodging and moved to the house of 4obayashi aro <aemon. his inspired the rumor that
awe of 4o?iro's subtle techniAue had made Musashi run away afraid for his life. he ne$t day at eight
o'cloc" Musashi could not be wo"en until a prompter came from the officials assembled on the island. )e
got up, dran" the water they brought to him to wash with, and went straight down to the shore. .s !ato
rowed across to the island Musashi fashioned a paper string to tie bac" the sleeves of his "imono, and cut a
wooden sword from the spare oar. *hen he had done this he lay down to rest.
he boat neared the place of combat and 4o?iro and the waiting officials were astounded to see the strange
figure of Musashi, with his un"empt hair tied up in a towel, leap from the boat brandishing the long
wooden oar and rush through the waves up the beach towards his enemy. 4o?iro drew his long sword, a
fine blade made by (agamitsu of ;i@en, and threw away his scabbard. -8ou have no more need of that-
said Musashi as he rushed forward with his sword held to one side. 4o?iro was provo"ed into ma"ing the
first cut and Musashi dashed upward at his blade, bringing the oar down on 4o?iro's head. .s 4o?iro fell,
his sword, which had cut the towel from Musashi's head, cut across the hem of his divided s"irt. Musashi
noted 4o?iro's condition and bowed to the astounded officials before running bac" to his boat. !ome
sources have it that after he "illed 4o?iro Musashi threw down the oar and, nimbly leaping bac" several
paces, drew both his swords and flourished them with a shout at his fallen enemy.
#t was about this time that Musashi stopped ever using real swords in duels. )e was invincible, and from
now on he devoted himself to the search for perfect understanding by way of 4endo.
#n 1014 and again in 1015 he too" the opportunity of once more e$periencing warfare and siege. #eyasu
laid siege to 'sa"a castle where the supporters of the .shi"aga family were gathered in insurrection.
Musashi ?oined the o"ugawa forces in both winter and summer campaigns, now fighting against those he
had fought for as a youth at !e"i ga )ara.
.ccording to his own writing, he came to understand strategy when he was fifty or fifty,one in 10&4. )e
and his adopted son #ori, the waif whom he had met in :ewa province on his travels, settled in 'gura in
this year. Musashi was never again to leave 4yushu island. he )oso"awa house had been entrusted with
the command of the hot seat of )igo province, 4umamoto castle, and the new lord of ;un@en was an
'gasawara. #ori found employment under 'gasawara ada@ane, and as a captain in ada@ane's army
fought against the =hristians in the !himawara uprising of 10&8, when Musashi was about fifty,five. he
lords of the southern provinces had always been antagonistic to the o"ugawas and were the instigators of
intrigue with foreign powers and the Japanese =hristians. Musashi was a member of the field staff at
!himawara where the =hristians were massacred. .fter this, #eyasu closed the ports of Japan to foreign
intercourse, and they remained closed for over two hundred years.
.fter si$ years in 'gura, Musashi was invited to stay with =huri, the )oso"awa lord of 4umamoto castle,
as a guest. )e stayed a few years with lord =huri and spent his time teaching and painting. #n 104&, he
retired to a life of seclusion in a cave called -3eigendo-. )ere he wrote Co 3in (o !ho, addressed to his
pupil eruo (obuyu"i, a few wee"s before his death on the nineteenth of May, 1045.
Musashi is "nown to the Japanese as -4insei-, that is, -!word !aint-. Co 3in (o !ho heads every 4endo
bibliography, being uniAue among boo"s of martial art in that it deals with both the strategy of warfare and
the methods of single combat in e$actly the same way. he boo" is not a thesis on strategy, it is in
Musashi's words -a guide for men who want to learn strategy- and, as a guide always leads, so the
contents are always beyond the student's understanding. he more one reads the boo" the more one finds in
its pages. #t is Musashi's last will, the "ey to the path he trod. *hen, at twenty,eight or twenty,nine, he had
become such a strong fighter, he did not settle down and build a school, replete with success, but became
doubly engrossed with his study. #n his last days even, he scorned the life of comfort with lord )oso"awa
and lived two years alone in a mountain cave deep in contemplation. he behavior of this cruel, headstrong
man was evidently most humble and honest.
Musashi wrote -*hen you have attained the *ay of strategy there will be not one thing that you cannot
understand- and -8ou will see the *ay in everything-. )e did, in fact, become a master of arts and crafts.
)e produced masterpieces of in" painting, probably more highly valued by the Japanese than the in"
paintings of any other. )is wor"s include cormorants, herons, )otei the !hinto Cod, dragons, birds with
flowers, bird in a dead tree, :aruma 7;odhidharma9, and others. )e was a fine calligrapher, evidenced by
his piece -!en"i- 7*arspirit9. here is a small wood sculpture of the ;uddhist diety 6udo Myoo in private
hands. . sculpture of 4wannon was lost recently. )e made wor"s in metal, and founded the school of sword
guard ma"ers who signed -(iten-, after him 7see below9. )e is said to have written poems and songs, but
none of these survive. #t is said also that he was commissioned by the !hogun #emitsu to paint the sunrise
over 2do castle.
)is paintings are sometimes impressed with his seal, -Musashi-, or his nom de plume -(iten-. (iten means
-wo )eavens-, said by some to allude to his fighting attitude with a sword in each haand held above his
head. #n some places he established schools "nown as -(iten ryu-, and in other places called it -2nmei
ryu- 7clear circle9.
)e wrote -!tudy the *ays of all professions-. #t is evident that he did ?ust that. )e sought out not only great
swordsmen but also priests, strategists, artists and craftsmen, eager to broaden his "nowledge.
Musashi writes about the various aspects of 4endo in such a way that it is possible for the beginner to
study at beginner's level, and for 4endo masters to study the same words on a higher level. his applies not
?ust to military strategy, but to any situation where plans and tactics are used. Japanese businessmen have
used Co 3in (o !ho as a guide for business practice, ma"ing sales campaigns li"e military operations,
using the same energetic methods. #n the same way that Musashi seems to have been a horribly cruel man,
yet was following logically an honest ideal, so successful business sems to most people to be without
conscience.
Musashi's life study is thus as relevant in the twentieth century as it was on the medieval battleground, and
applies not ?ust to the Japanese race but to all nations. # suppose you could sum up his inspiration as
-humility and hard wor"-.
2(: 3.(!E.'3! #(3':B=#'(
$ntrou"tion
$ have been many years training in the Way of strategy% "alle Ni Ten $"hi Ryu% an no& $ think $ &ill
e'(lain it in &riting for the first time) $t is no& uring the first ten ays of the tenth month in the t&entieth
year of *anei (+,-.)) $ have "limbe mountain $&ato of #igo in *yushu to (ay homage to heaven% (ray to
*&annon% an kneel before Buha) $ am a &arrior of #arima (rovin"e% Shinmen Musashi No *ami
Fu/i&ara No Geshin% age si'ty years)
From youth my heart has been in"line to&ar the Way of strategy) My first uel &as &hen $ &as thirteen% $
stru"k o&n a strategist of the Shinto s"hool% one Arima *ihei) When $ &as si'teen $ stru"k o&n an able
strategist% Taashima Akiyama) When $ &as t&enty0one $ &ent u( to the "a(ital an met all manner of
strategists% never on"e failing to &in in many "ontests)
After that $ &ent from (rovin"e to (rovin"e uelling &ith strategists of various s"hools% an not on"e faile
to &in even though $ ha as many as si'ty en"ounters) This &as bet&een the ages of thirteen an t&enty0
eight or t&enty0nine)
When $ rea"he thirty $ looke ba"k on my (ast) The (revious vi"tories &ere not ue to my having
mastere strategy) 1erha(s it &as natural ability% or the orer of heaven% or that other s"hools2 strategy &as
inferior) After that $ stuie morning an evening sear"hing for the (rin"i(le% an "ame to realise the Way
of strategy &hen $ &as fifty)
Sin"e then $ have live &ithout follo&ing any (arti"ular Way) Thus &ith the virtue of strategy $ (ra"tise
many arts an abilities 0 all things &ith no tea"her) To &rite this book $ i not use the la& of Buha or the
tea"hings of 3onfu"ius% neither ol &ar "hroni"les nor books on martial ta"ti"s) $ take u( my brush to
e'(lain the true s(irit of this $"hi s"hool as it is mirrore in the Way of heaven an *&annon) The time is
the night of the tenth ay of the tenth month% at the hour of the tiger (40. a)m))
The Groun Book
Stategy is the "raft of the &arrior) 3ommaners must ena"t the "raft% an troo(ers shoul kno& this Way)
There is no &arrior in the &orl toay &ho really unerstans the Way of strategy)
There are various Ways) There is the Way of salvation by the la& of Buha% the Way of 3onfu"ius
governing the Way of learning% the Way of healing as a o"tor% as a (oet tea"hing the Way of Waka% tea%
ar"hery% an many arts an skills) 5a"h man (ra"ti"es as he feels in"line)
$t is sai the &arrior2s is the t&ofol Way of (en an s&or% an he shoul have a taste for both Ways) 5ven
if a man has no natural ability he "an be a &arrior by sti"king assiuously to both ivisions of the Way)
Generally s(eaking% the Way of the &arrior is resolute a""e(tan"e of eath) Although not only &arriors but
(riests% &omen% (easants an lo&lier folk have been kno&n to ie reaily in the "ause of uty or out of
shame% this is a ifferent thing) The &arrior is ifferent in that stuying the Way of strategy is base on
over"oming men) By vi"tory gaine in "rossing s&ors &ith iniviuals% or en/oining battle &ith large
numbers% &e "an attain (o&er an fame for ourselves or for our lor) This is the virtue of strategy)
The Way of Strategy
$n 3hina an 6a(an (ra"titioners of the Way have been kno&n as 7masters of strategy7) Warriors must learn
this Way)
Re"ently there have been (eo(le getting on in the &orl as strategists% but they are usually /ust s&or0
fen"ers) The attenants of the *ashima *antori shrines of the (rovin"e #ita"hi re"eive instru"tion from
the gos% an mae s"hools base on this tea"hing% travelling from "ountry to "ountry instru"ting men) This
is the re"ent meaning of strategy)
$n olen times strategy &as liste among the Ten Abilities an Seven Arts as a benefi"ial (ra"ti"e) $t &as
"ertainly an art but as benefi"ial (ra"ti"e it &as not limite to s&or0fen"ing) The true value of s&or0
fen"ing "annot be seen &ithing the "onfines of s&or0fen"ing te"hni8ue)
$f &e look at the &orl &e see arts for sale) Men use e8ui(ment to sell their o&n selves) As if &ith the nut
an the flo&er% the nut has be"ome less than the flo&er) $n this kin of Way of strategy% both those tea"hing
an those learning the &ay are "on"erne &ith "olouring an sho&ing off their te"hni8ue% trying to hasten
the bloom of the flo&er) They s(eak of 7This 9o/o7 an 7That 9o/o7) They are looking for (rofit) Someone
on"e sai 7$mmature strategy is the "ause of grief7) That &as a true saying)
There are four Ways in &hi"h men (ass through life: as gentlemen% farmers% artisans an mer"hants)
The &ay of the farmer) ;sing agri"ultural instruments% he sees s(rings through to autumns &ith an eye on
the "hanges of season)
Se"on is the Way of the mer"hant) The &ine maker obtains his ingreients an (uts them to use to make
his living) The Way of the mer"hant is al&ays to live by taking (rofit) This is the Way of the mer"hant)
Thirly the gentleman &arrior% "arrying the &ea(onry of his Way) The Way of the &arrior is to master the
virtue of his &ea(ons) $f a gentleman islikes strategy he &ill not a((re"iate the benefit of &ea(onry% so
must he not have a little taste for this<
Fourthly the Way of the artisan) The Way of the "ar(enter is to be"ome (rofi"ient in the use of his tools%
first to lay his (lans &ith a true measure an then (erform his &ork a""oring to (lan) Thus he (asses
through life) These are the four Ways of the gentleman% the farmer% the artisan an the mer"hant)
3om(aring the Way of the "ar(enter to strategy
The "om(arison &ith "ar(entry is through the "onne"tion &ith houses) #ouses of the nobility% houses of
&arriors% the Four houses% ruin of houses% thriving of houses% the style of the house% the traition of the
house% an the name of the house) The "ar(enter uses a master (lan of the builing% an the Way of strategy
is similar in that there is a (lan of "am(aign) $f you &ant to learn the "raft of &ar% (oner over this book)
The tea"her is as a neele% the is"i(le is as threa) =ou must (ra"ti"e "onstantly)
>ike the foreman "ar(enter% the "ommaner must kno& natural rules% an the rules of the "ountry% an the
rules of houses) This is the Way of the foreman)
The foreman "ar(enter must kno& the ar"hite"tural theory of to&ers an tem(les% an the (lans of (ala"es%
an must em(loy men to raise u( houses) The Way of the foreman "ar(enter is the same as the Way of the
"ommaner of a &arrior house)
$n the "ontru"tion of houses% "hoi"e of &oos is mae) Straight un0knotte timber of goo a((earan"e is
use for the reveale (illars% straight timber &ith small efe"ts is use for the innter (illars) Timber of the
finest a((earan"e% even if a little &eak% is use for the threshols% lintels% oors% an sliing oors% an so
on) Goo strong timber% though it be gnarle an knotte% "an al&ays be use is"reetly in "onstru"tion)
Timber &hi"h is &eak or knotte throughout shoul be use as s"affoling% an later for fire&oo)
The foreman "ar(enter allots his men &ork a""oring to their ability) Floor layers% makers of sliing oors%
threshols an lintels% "eilings an so on) Those of (oor ability lay the floor /oist% an those of lesser ability
"arve &eges an o su"h mis"ellaneous &ork) $f the foreman kno&s an e(loys his men &ell the finishe
&ork &ill be goo)
The foreman shoul take into a""ount the abilities an limitations of his men% "ir"ulating among them an
asking nothing unreasonable) #e shoul kno& their morale an s(irit% an en"ourage them &hen ne"essary)
This is the same as the (rin"i(le of strategy)
The Way of Strategy
>ike a troo(er% the "ar(enter shar(ens his o&n tools) #e "arries his e8ui(ment in his tool bo'% an &orks
uner the ire"tion of his foreman) #e makes "ulumns an girers &ith an a'e% sha(es floorboars an
shelves &ith a (lane% "uts fine o(en&ork an "arvings a""urately% giving as e'"ellent a finish as his skill
&ill allo&) This is the "raft of "ar(enters) When the "ar(enter be"omes skille an unerstans measures he
"an be"ome a foreman
The "ar(enter2s attainment is% having tools &hi"h &ill "ut &ell% to make small shrines% &riting shelves%
tables% (a(er lanterns% "ho((ing boars an (ot0lis) These are the s(e"ialities of the "ar(enter) Things are
similar for the troo(er) =ou ought to think ee(ly about this)
The attainment of the "ar(enter is that his &ork is not &ar(e% that the /oints are not misaligne% an that
the &ork is truly (lane so that it meets &ell an is not merely finishe in se"tions) This is essential)
$f you &ant to learn this Way% ee(ly "onsier the things &ritten in this book one at a time) =ou must o
suffi"ient resear"h)
?utline of the Five Books of this Book of Strategy
The Way is sho&n in five books "on"erning ifferent as(e"ts) These are Groun% Water% Fire% Traition
(Win)% an !oi)
The boy of the Way of strategy from the vie&(oint of my $"hi s"hool is e'(laine in the Groun book) $t
is iffi"ult to realise the true Way /ust through s&or0fen"ing) *no& the smallest things an the biggest
things% the shallo&est things an the ee(est things) As if it &ere a straight roa ma((e out on the groun%
the first book is "alle the Groun book)
Se"on is the Water book) With &ater as the basis% the s(irit be"omes like &ater) Water ao(ts the sha(e of
its re"e(ta"le% it is sometimes a tri"kle an sometimes a &il sea) Water has a "lear blue "olour) By the
"larity% things of $"hi s"hool are sho&n in this book)
$f you master the (rin"i(les of s&or0fen"ing% &hen you freely beat one man% you beat any man in the
&orl) The s(irit of efeating a man is the same for ten million men) The strategist makes small things into
big things% like builing a great Buha from one foot moel) $ "annot &rite in etail ho& this is one) The
(rin"i(le of strategy is having one thing% to kno& ten thousan things) Things of $"hi s"hool are &ritten in
this the Water book)
Thir is the Fire book) This book is about fighting) The s(irit of fire is fier"e% &hether the fire be small or
big@ an so it is &ith battles) The Way of battles is the same for man to man fights an for ten thousan a
sie battles) =ou must a((re"iate that s(irit "an be"ome big or small) What is big is easy to (er"eive: &hat
is small is iffi"ult to (er"eive) $n short% it is iffi"ult for large numbers of men to "hange (osition% so their
movements "an be easily (rei"te) An iniviual "an easily "hange his min% so his movements are
iffi"ult to (rei"t) =ou must a((re"iate this) The essen"e of this book is that you must train ay an night
in orer to make 8ui"k e"isions) $n strategy it is ne"essary to treat training as a (art of normal life &ith
your s(irit un"hanging) Thus "ombat in battle is es"ribe in the Fire book)
Fourthly the Win book) This book is not "on"erne &ith my $"hi s"hool but &ith other s"hools of strategy)
By Win $ mean ol traitions% (resent0ay traitions% an family traitions of strategy) Thus $ "learly
e'(lain the strategies of the &orl) This is traition) $t is iffi"ult to kno& yourself if you o not kno&
others) To all Ways there are sie0tra"ks) $f you stuy a Way aily% an your s(irit iverges% you may think
you are obeying a goo &ay% but ob/e"tively it is not the true Way) $f you are follo&ing the true Way an
iverge a little% this &ill later be"ome a large ivergen"e) =ou must realise this) ?ther strategies have "ome
to be thought of as mere s&or0fen"ing% an it is not unreasonable that this shoul be so) The benefit of my
strategy% although it in"lues s&or0fen"ing% lies in a se(arate (rin"i(le) $ have e'(laine &hat is
"ommonly meant by strategy in other s"hools in the Traition (Win) book)
Fifthly% the book of the !oi) By !oi $ mean that &hi"h has no beginning an no en) Attaining this
(rin"i(le means not attaining the (rin"i(le) The Way of strategy is the Way of nature) When you a((re"iate
the (o&er of nature% kno&ing the rhythm of any situation% you &ill be able to hit the enemy naturally an
strike naturally) All this is the Way of the !oi) $ inten to sho& ho& to follo& the true Way a""oring to
nature in the book of the !oi)
The Name $"hi Ryu Ni To (?ne s"hool 0 T&o s&ors)
Warriors% both "ommaners an troo(ers% "arry t&o s&ors at their belt) $n olen times these &ere "alle
the long s&or an the s&or@ no&aays they are kno&n as the s&or an the "om(anion s&or) >et it
suffi"e to say that in our lan% &hatever the reason% a &arrior "arries t&o s&ors at his belt) $t is the Way of
the &arrior)
7Nito $"hi Ryu7 sho&s the avantage of using both s&ors)
The s(ear an halber are &ea(ons that are "arrie out of oors)
Stuents of the $"hi s"hool Way of strategy shoul train from the start &ith the s&or an long s&or in
either han) This is the truth: &hen you sa"rifi"e your life% you must make fullest use of your &ea(onry) $t
is false not to o so% an to ie &ith a &ea(on yet unra&n)
$f you hol a s&or &ith both hans% it is iffi"ult to &iel it freely to left an right% so my metho is to
"arry the s&or in one han) This oes not a((ly to large &ea(ons su"h as the s(ear or halber% but s&ors
an "om(anion s&ors "an be "arrie in one han) $t is en"umbering to hol a s&or in both hans &hen
you are on horseba"k% &hen running on uneven roas% on s&am(y groun% muy ri"e fiels% stony groun%
or in a "ro& of (eo(le) To hol the long s&or in both hans is not the true Way% for if you "arry a bo& or
s(ear or other arms in your left han you have only one han free for the long s&or) #o&ever% &hen it is
iffi"ult to "ut an enemy o&n eith one han% you must use both hans) $t is not iffi"ult to &iel a s&or
in one han@ the Way to learn this is to train &ith t&o long s&ors% one in ea"h han) $t &ill seem iffi"ult
at first% but everything is iffi"ult at first) Bo&s are iffi"ult to ra&% halbers are iffi"ult to &iel@ as you
be"ome a""ustome to the bo& so your (ull &ill be"ome stronger) When you be"ome use to &ieling the
long s&or% you &ill gain the (o&er of the Way an &iel the s&or &ell)
As $ &ill e'(lain in the se"on book% the Water Book% there is no fast &ay of &ieling the long s&or) The
long s&or shoul be &iele broaly% an the "om(anion s&or "losely) This is the first thing to realise)
A""oring to this $"hi s"hool% you "an &in &ith a long &ea(on% an yet you "an also &in &ith a short
&ea(on) $n short% the Way of the $"hi s"hool is the s(irit of &inning% &hatever the &ea(on an &hatever its
siAe)
$t is better to use t&o s&ors rather than one &hen you are fighting a "ro& an es(e"ially if you &ant to
take a (risoner)
These things "annot be e'(laine in etail) From one thing% kno& ten thousan things) When you attain the
Way of strategy there &ill not be one thing you "annot see) =ou must stuy har)
The Benefit of the T&o 3hara"ters reaing 7Strategy7
Masters of the long s&or are "alle strategists) As for the other military arts% those &ho master the bo& are
"alle ar"hers% those &ho master the s(ear are "alle s(earmen% those &ho master the gun are "alle
marksmen% those &ho master the halber are "alle halberiers) But &e o not "all masters of the Way of
the long s&or 7longs&orsmen7% nor o &e s(eak of 7"om(anions&orsmen7) Be"ause bo&s% guns% s(ears
an halbers are all &arriors2 e8ui(ment they are "ertainly (art of strategy) To master the virtue of the long
s&or is to govern the &orl an oneself% thus the long s&or is the basis of strategy) The (rin"i(le is
7strategy by means of the long s&or7) $f he attains the virtue of the long s&or% one man "an beat ten men)
6ust as one man "an beat ten% so a hunre men "an beat a thousan% an a thousan men "an beat ten
thousan) $n my strategy% one man is the same as ten thousan% so this strategy is the "om(lete &arrior2s
"raft)
The Way of the &arrior oes not in"lue other Ways% su"h as 3onfu"ianism% Buhism% "ertain traitions%
artisti" a""om(lishments an an"ing) But even though these are not (art of the Way% if you kno& the Way
broaly you &ill see it in everything) Men must (olish their (arti"ular Way)
The Benefit of Wea(ons in Strategy
There is a time an a (la"e for use of &ea(ons)
The best use of the "om(anion s&or is in a "onfine s(a"e% or &hen you are engage "losely &ith an
o((onent) The long s&or "an be use effe"tively in all situations)
The halber is inferior to the s(ear on the battlefiel) With the s(ear you "an take the initiative@ the halber
is efensive) $n the hans of one of t&o men of e8ual ability% the s(ear gives a little e'tra strength) S(ear
an halber both have their uses% but neither is very benefi"ial in "onfine s(a"es) They "annot be use for
taking a (risoner) They are essentially &ea(ons for the fiel)
Any&ay% if you learn 7inoor7 te"hni8ues% you &ill think narro&ly an forget the true Way) Thus you &ill
have iffi"ulty in a"tual en"ounters)
The bo& is ta"ti"ally strong at the "ommen"ement of battle% es(e"ially battles on a moor% as it is (ossible to
shoot 8ui"kly from among the s(earmen) #o&ever% it is unsatisfa"tory in sieges% or &hen the enemy is more
than forty yars a&ay) For this reason there are no&aays fe& traitional s"hools of ar"hery) There is little
use no&aays for this kin of skill)
From insie fortifi"ations% the gun has no e8ual among &ea(ons) $t is the su(reme &ea(on on the fiel
before the ranks "lash% but on"e s&ors are "rosse the gun be"omes useless)
?ne of the virtues of the bo& is that you "an see the arro&s in flight an "orre"t your aim a""oringly%
&hereas gunshot "annot be seen) =ou must a((re"iate the im(ortan"e of this)
6ust as a horse must have enuran"e an no efe"ts% so it is &ith &ea(ons) #orses shoul &alk strongly% an
s&ors an "om(anion s&ors shoul "ut strongly) S(ears an halbers must stan u( to heavy use: bo&s
an guns must be stury) Wea(ons shoul be hary rather than e"orative)
=ou shoul not have a favourite &ea(on) To be"ome over0familiar &ith one &ea(on is as mu"h a fault as
not kno&ing it suffi"iently &ell) =ou shoul not "o(y others% but use &ea(ons &hi"h you "an hanle
(ro(erly) $t is ba for "ommaners an troo(s to have likes an islikes) These are things you must learn
thoroughly)
Timing in strategy
There is timing in everything) Timing in strategy "annot be mastere &ithout a great eal of (ra"ti"e)
Timing is im(ortant in an"ing an (i(e or string musi"% for they are in rhythm only if timing is goo)
Timing an rhythm are also involve in the military arts% shooting bo&s an guns% an riing horses) $n all
skills an abilities there is timing)
There is also timing in the !oi)
There is timing in the &hole life of the &arrior% in his thriving an e"lining% in his harmony an is"or)
Similarly% there is timing in the Way of the mer"hant% in the rise an fall of "a(ital) All things entail rising
an falling timing) =ou must be able to is"ern this) $n strategy there are various timing "onsierations)
From the outset you must kno& the a((li"able timing an the ina((li"able timing% an from among the
large an small things an the fast an slo& timings fin the relevant timing% first seeing the istan"e timing
an the ba"kgroun timing) This is the main thing in strategy) $t is es(e"ially im(ortant to kno& the
ba"kgroun timing% other&ise your strategy &ill be"ome un"ertain)
=ou &in in battles &ith the timing in the !oi born of the timing of "unning by kno&ing the enemies2
timing% an this using a timing &hi"h the enemy oes not e'(e"t)
All the five books are "hiefly "on"erne &ith timing) =ou must train suffi"iently to a((re"iate all this)
$f you (ra"tise ay an night in the above $"hi s"hool strategy% your s(irit &ill naturally broaen) Thus is
large s"ale strategy an the strategy of han to han "ombat (ro(agate in the &orl) This is re"ore for
the first time in the five books of Groun% Water% Fire% Traition (Win)% an !oi) This is the Way for men
&ho &ant to learn my strategy:
B 9o not think ishonestly)
B The Way is in training)
B Be"ome a8uainte &ith every art)
B *no& the Ways of all (rofessions)
B 9istinguish bet&een gain an loss in &orlly matters)
B 9evelo( intuitive /ugement an unerstaning for everything)
B 1er"eive those things &hi"h "annot be seen)
B 1ay attention even to trifles)
B 9o nothing &hi"h is of no use)
$t is im(ortant to start by setting these broa (rin"i(les in your heart% an train in the Way of strategy) $f you
o not look at things on a large s"ale it &ill be iffi"ult for you to master strategy) $f you learn an attain
this strategy you &ill never lose even to t&enty or thirty enemies) More than anything to start &ith you
must set your heart on strategy an earnestly sti"k to the Way) =ou &ill "ome to be able to a"tually beat
men in fights% an to be able to &in &ith your eye) Also by training you &ill be able to freely "ontrol your
o&n boy% "on8uer men &ith your boy% an &ith suffi"ient training you &ill be able to beat ten men &ith
your s(irit) When you have rea"he this (oint% &ill it not mean that you are invin"ible<
Moreover% in large s"ale strategy the su(erior man &ill manage many suborinates e'trously% bear himself
"orre"tly% govern the "ountry an foster the (eo(le% thus (reserving the ruler2s is"i(line) $f there is a Way
involving the s(irit of not being efeate% to hel( oneself an gain honour% it is the Way of strategy)
The se"on year of Shoho (+,-.)% the fifth month% the t&elfth ay)
Teruo Magono/o for S#$NM5N M;SAS#$
The Water Book
The s(irit of the Ni Ten $"hi s"hool of strategy is base on &ater% an this Water Book e'(lains methos of
vi"tory as the long0s&or form of the $"hi s"hool) >anguage oes not e'ten to e'(laining the Way in
etail% but it "an be gras(e intuitively) Stuy this book@ rea a &or then (oner on it) $f you inter(ret the
meaning loosely you &ill mistake the Way)
The (rin"i(les of strategy are &ritten o&n here in terms of single "ombat% but you must think broaly so
that you attain an unerstaning for ten0thousan0a0sie battles)
Strategy is ifferent from other things in that if you mistake the Way even a little you &ill be"ome
be&ilere an fall into ba &ays)
$f you merely rea this book you &ill not rea"h the Way of strategy) Absorb the things &ritten in this book)
9o not /ust rea% memorise or imitate% but so that you realise the (rin"i(le from &ithin your o&n heart
stuy har to absorb these things into your boy)
S(iritual Bearing in Strategy
$n strategy your s(iritual bearing must not be any ifferent from normal) Both in fighting an in everyay
life you shoul be etermine though "alm) Meet the situation &ithout tenseness yet not re"klessly% your
s(irit settle yet unbiase) 5ven &hen your s(irit is "alm o not let your boy rela'% an &hen your boy is
rela'e o not let your s(irit sla"ken) 9o not let your s(irit be influen"e by your boy% or your boy
influen"e by your s(irit) Be neither insuffi"iently s(irite nor over s(irite) An elevate s(irit is &eak an
a lo& s(irit is &eak) 9o not let the enemy see your s(irit)
Small (eo(le must be "om(letely familiar &ith the s(irit of large (eo(le% an large (eo(le must be familiar
&ith the s(irit of small (eo(le) Whatever your siAe% o not be misle by the rea"tions of your o&n boy)
With your s(irit o(en an un"onstri"te% look at things from a high (oint of vie&) =ou must "ultivate your
&isom an s(irit) 1olish your &isom: learn (ubli" /usti"e% istinguish bet&een goo an evil% stuy the
Ways of ifferent arts one by one) When you "annot be e"eive by men you &ill have realise the &isom
of strategy)
The &isom of strategy is ifferent from other things) ?n othe battlefiel% even &hen you are har0(resse%
you shoul "easelessly resear"h the (rin"i(les of strategy so that you "an evelo( a steay s(irit)
Stan"e in Strategy
Ao(t a stan"e &ith the hea ere"t% neither hanging o&n% nor looking u(% nor t&iste) =our forehea an
the s(a"e bet&een your eyes shoul not be &rinkle) 9o not roll your eyes nor allo& them to blink% but
slightly narro& them) With your features "om(ose% kee( the line of your nose straight &ith a feeling of
slightly flaring your nostrils) #ol the line of the rear of the ne"k straight: instil vigour into your hairline%
an in the same &ay from the shoulers o&n through your entire boy) >o&er both shoulers an% &ithout
the butto"ks /utting out% (ut strength into your legs from the knees to the to(s of your toes) Bra"e your
abomen so that you o not ben at the hi(s) Wege your "om(anion s&or in your belt against your
abomen% so that your belt is not sla"k 0 this is "alle 7&eging in7)
$n all forms of strategy% it is ne"essary to maintain the "ombat stan"e in everyay life an to make your
everyay stan"e your "ombat stan"e) =ou must resear"h this &ell)
The GaAe in Strategy
The gaAe shoul be large an broa) This is the t&ofol gaAe 71er"e(tion an Sight7) 1er"e(tion is strong
an sight &eak)
$n strategy it is im(ortant to see istant things as if they &ere "lose an to take a istan"e vie& of "lose
things) $t is im(ortant in strategy to kno& the enemy2s s&or an not to be istra"te by insignifi"ant
movements of his s&or) =ou must stuy this) The gaAe is the same for single "ombat an for large0s"ale
"ombat)
$t is ne"essary in strategy to be able to look to both sies &ithout moving the eyeballs) =ou "annot master
this ability 8ui"kly) >earn &hat is &ritten here: use this gaAe in everyay life an o not vary it &hatever
ha((ens)
#oling the >ong S&or
Gri( the long s&or &ith a rather floating feeling in your thumb an forefinger% &ith the mile finger
neither tight nor sla"k% an &ith the last t&o fingers tight) $t is ba to have (lay in your hans)
When you take u( a s&or% you must feel intent on "utting the enemy) As you "ut an enemy you must not
"hange your gri(% an your hans must not 7"o&er7) When you ash the enemy2s s&or asie% or &ar it
off% or for"e it o&n% you must slightly "hange the feeling in your thumb an forefinger) Above all% you
must be intent on "utting the enemy in the &ay you gri( the s&or)
The gri( for "ombat an for s&or0testing is the same) There is no su"h thing as a 7man0"utting gri(7)
Generally% $ islike fi'eness in both long s&ors an hans) Fi'eness means a ea han) 1liability is a
living han) =ou must bear this in min)
Foot&ork
With the ti(s of your toes some&hat floating% trea firmly &ith your heels) Whether you move fast or slo&%
&ith large or small ste(s% your feet must al&ays move as in normal &alking) $ islike the three &alking
methos kno&n as 7/um(ing0foot7% 7floating0foot7 an 7fi'e0ste(s7)
So0"alle 7=in0=ang foot7 is im(ortant to the Way) =in0=ang foot means not moving only one foot) $t
means moving your feet left0right an right0left &hen "utting% &ithra&ing% or &aring off a "ut) =ou
shoul not move one foot (referentially)
The Five Attitues
The five attitues are: ;((er% Mile% >o&er% Right Sie% an >eft Sie) These are the five) Although
attitue has these five imensions% the one (ur(ose of all of them is to "ut the enemy) There are none but
these five attitues)
Whatever attitue you are in% o not be "ons"ious of making the attitue@ think only of "utting)
=our attitue shoul be large or small a""oring to the situation) ;((er% >o&er an Mile attitues are
e"isive) >eft Sie an Right Sie attitues are flui) >eft an Right attitues shoul be use if there is an
obstru"tion overhea or to one sie) The e"ision to use >eft or Right e(ens on the (la"e)
The essen"e of the Way is this) To unerstan attitue you must thoroughly unerstan the Mile attitue)
The Mile attitue is the heart of the attitues) $f &e look at strategy on a broa s"ale% the Mile attitue
is the seat of the "ommaner% &ith the other four attitues follo&ing the "ommaner) =ou must a((re"iate
this)
The Way of the >ong S&or
*no&ing the Way of the long s&or means &e "an &iel &ith t&o fingers the s&or that &e usually "arry)
$f &e kno& the (ath of the s&or &ell% &e "an &iel it easily)
$f you try to &iel the long s&or 8ui"kly you &ill mistake the Way) To &iel the long s&or &ell you must
&iel it "almly) $f you try to &iel it 8ui"kly% like a foling fan or a short s&or% you &ill err by using
7short s&or "ho((ing7) =ou "annot "ut a man &ith a long s&or using this metho)
When you have "ut o&n&ars &ith the long s&or% lift it straight u(&ars% &hen you "ut sie&ays% return
the s&or along a sie&ays (ath) Return the s&or in a reasonable &ay% al&ays stret"hing the elbo&s
broaly) Wiel the s&or strongly) This is the Way of the long s&or)
$f you learn to use the five a((roa"hes of my strategy% you &ill be able to &iel a s&or &ell) =ou must
train "onstantly)
The Five A((roa"hes
B The first a((roa"h is the Mile attitue) 3onfront the enemy &ith the (oint of your s&or against his
fa"e) When he atta"ks% ash his s&or to the right an 7rie7 it) ?r% &hen the enemy atta"ks% efle"t the
(oint of his s&or by hitting o&n&ars% kee( your long s&or &here it is% an as the enemy rene&s the
atta"k "ut his arms from belo&) This is the first metho)
The five a((roa"hes are this kin of thing) =ou must train re(eately using a long s&or in orer to
learn them) When you master my Way of the long s&or% you &ill be able to "ontrol any atta"k the enemy
makes) $ assure you% there are no attitues other than the five attitues of the long s&or of NiTo)
B $n the se"on a((roa"h &ith the long s&or% from the ;((er attitue "ut the enemy /ust as he atta"ks) $f
the enemy evaes the "ut% kee( your s&or &here it is an% s"oo(ing from belo&% "ut him as he rene&s the
atta"k) $t is (ossible to re(eat the "ut from here)
$n this metho there are various "hanges in timing an s(irit) =ou &ill be able to unerstan this by
training in the $"hi s"hool) =ou &ill al&ays &in &ith the five long s&or methos) =ou must train
re(eately)
B $n the thir a((roa"h% ao(t the >o&er attitue% anti"i(ating s"oo(ing u() When the enemy atta"kes% hit
his hans from belo&) As you o so% he may try to hit your s&or o&n) $f this is the "ase% "ut his u((er
arm(s) horiAontally &ith a feeling of 7"rossing7) This means that from the >o&er attitues you hit the
enemy at the instant that he atta"ks)
=ou &ill en"ounter this metho often% both as a beginner an in later strategy) =ou must train holing a
long s&or)
B $n this fourth a((roa"h% ao(t the >eft Sie attitue) As the enemy atta"ks% hit his hans from belo&) $f
as you hit his hans he attem(ts to ash o&n your s&or% &ith the feeling of hitting his hans% (arry the
(ath of his long s&or an "ut a"ross from above your shouler)
This is the Way of the long s&or) Through this metho you &in by (arrying the line of the enemy2s
atta"k) =ou must stuy this)
B $n the fifth a((roa"h% the s&or is in the Right Sie attitue) $n a""oran"e &ith the enemy2s atta"k%
"ross your s&or from belo& at the sie to the ;((er attitue) Then "ut straight from above)
This metho is essential for kno&ing the Way of the long s&or &ell) $f you "an use this metho% you
"an freely &iel a heavy long s&or)
$ "annot es"ribe in etail ho& to use these five a((roa"hes) =ou must be"ome &ell a"8uainte &ith my 7in
harmony &ith the long s&or7 Way% learn large0s"ale timing% unerstan the enemy2s long s&or% an
be"ome use to the five a((roa"hes from the outset) =ou &ill al&ays &in by using these five methos% &ith
various timing "onsierations is"erning the enemy2s s(irit) =ou must "onsier all this "arefully)
The 7Attitue No0Attitue7 Tea"hing
7Attitue No0Attitue7 means that there is no nee for &hat are kno&n as long s&or attitues)
5ven so% attitues e'ist as the five &ays of holing the long s&or) #o&ever you hol the s&or it must be
in su"h a &ay that it is easy to "ut the enemy &ell% in a""oran"e &ith the situation% the (la"e% an your
relation to the enemy) From the ;((er attitue as your s(irit lessens you "an ao(t the Mile attitue% an
from the Mile attitue you "an raise the s&or a little in your te"hni8ue an ao(t the ;((er attitue)
From the >o&er attitue you "an raise the s&or a little an ao(t the Mile attitues as the o""asion
emans) A""oring to the situation% if you turn your s&or from either the >eft Sie or Right Sie attitue
to&ars the "entre% the Mile or the >o&er attitue results)
The (rin"i(le of this is "alle 75'isting Attitue 0 None'isting Attitue7)
The (rimary thing &hen you take a s&or in your hans is your intention to "ut the enemy% &hatever the
means) Whenever you (arry% hit% s(ring% strike or tou"h the enemy2s "utting s&or% you must "ut the enemy
in the same movement) $t is essential to attain this) $f you think only of hitting% s(ringing% striking or
tou"hing the enemy% you &ill not be able a"tually to "ut him) More than anything% you must be thinking of
"arrying your movement through to "utting him) =ou must thoroughly resear"h this)
Attitue in strategy on a larger s"ale is "alle 7Battle Array7) Su"h attitues are all for &inning battles)
Fi'e formation is ba) Stuy this &ell)
To #it the 5nemy 7$n ?ne Timing7
7$n ?ne Timing7 means% &hen you have "lose &ith the enemy% to hit him as 8ui"kly an ire"tly as
(ossible% &ithout moving your boy or settling your s(irit% &hile you see that he is still une"ie) The
timing of hitting before the enemy e"ies to &ithra&% break or hit% is this 7$n ?ne Timing7)
=ou must train to a"hieve this timing% to be able to hit in the timing of an instant)
The 7Abomen Timing of T&o7
When you atta"k an the enemy 8ui"kly retreats% as you see him tense you must feint a "ut) Then% as he
rela'es% follo& u( an hit him) This is the 7Abomen Timing of T&o7)
$t is very iffi"ult to attain this merely by reaing this book% but you &ill soon unerstan &ith a little
instru"tion)
No 9esign% No 3on"e(tion
$n this metho% &hen the enemy atta"ks an you e"ie to atta"k% hit &ith your boy% an hit &ith your
s(irit% an hit from the !oi &ith your hans% a""elerating strongly) This is the 7No 9esign% No 3on"e(tion7
"ut)
This is the most im(ortant metho of hitting) $t is often use) =ou must train har to unerstan it)
The Flo&ing Water 3ut
The 7Flo&ing Water 3ut7 is use &hen you are struggling blae to blae &ith the enemy) When he breaks
an 8ui"kly &ithra&s trying to s(ring &ith his long s&or% e'(an your boy an s(irit an "ut him as
slo&ly as (ossible &ith your long s&or% follo&ing your boy like stagnant &ater) =ou "an "ut &ith
"ertainty if you learn this) =ou must is"ern the enemy2s grae)
The Fire an Stones 3ut
The Fires an Stones 3ut means that &hen the enemy2s long s&or an your long s&or "lash together you
"ut as strongly as (ossible &ithout raising the s&or even a little) This means "utting 8ui"kly &ith the
hans% boy an legs 0 all three "utting strongly) $f you train &ell enough you &ill be able to strike strongly)
The Re >eaves 3ut
The Re >eaves 3ut means kno"king o&n the enemy2s long s&or) The s(irit shoul be getting "ontrol of
his s&or) When the enemy is in a long s&or attitue in front of you an intent on "utting% hitting an
(arrying% you strongly hit the enemy2s s&or &ith the Fire an Stones 3ut% (erha(s in the esign of the 7No
9esign% No 3on"e(tion7 3ut) $f you then beat o&n the (oint of his s&or &ith a sti"ky feeling% he &ill
ne"essarily ro( the s&or) $f you (ra"tise this "ut it be"omes easy to make the enemy ro( his s&or) =ou
must train re(etitively)
The Boy in 1la"e of the >ong S&or
Also 7the long s&or in (la"e of the boy7) ;sually &e move the boy an the s&or at the same time to
"ut the enemy) #o&ever% a""oring to the enemy2s "utting metho% you "an ash against him &ith your
boy first% an after&ars "ut &ith the s&or) $f his boy is immoveable% you "an "ut first &ith the long
s&or% but generally you hit first &ith the boy an then "ut &ith the long s&or) =ou must resear"h this
&ell an (ra"tise hitting)
3ut an Slash
To "ut an slash are t&o ifferent things) 3utting% &hatever form of "utting it is% is e"isive% &ith a resolute
s(irit) Slashing is nothing more than tou"hing the enemy) 5ven if you slash strongly% an even if the enemy
ies instantly% it is slashing) When you "ut% your s(irit is resolve) =ou must a((re"iate this) $f you first
slash the enemy2s hans or legs% you must then "ut strongly) Slashing is in s(irit the same as tou"hing)
When you realise this% they be"ome inistinguishable) >earn this &ell)
3hinese Monkey2s Boy
The 3hinese Monkey2s Boy is the s(irit of not stret"hing out your arms) The s(irit is to get in 8ui"kly%
&ithout in the least e'tening your arms% before the enemy "uts) $f you are intent u(on not stret"hing out
your arms you are effe"tively far a&ay% the s(irit is to go in &ith your &hole boy) When you "ome to
&ithin arm2s rea"h it be"omes easy to move your boy in) =ou must resear"h this &ell)
Glue an >a"8uer 5mulsion Boy
The s(irit of 7Glue an >a"8uer 5mulsion Boy7 is to sti"k to the enemy an not se(arate from him) When
you a((roa"h the enemy% sti"k firmly &ith your hea% boy an legs) 1eo(le ten to avan"e their hea an
legs 8ui"kly% but their boy lags behin) =ou shoul sti"k firmly so that there is not the slightest ga(
bet&een the enemy2s boy an your boy) =ou must "onsier this "arefully)
To Strive for #eight
By 7to strive for height7 is meant% &hen you "lose &ith the enemy% to strive &ith him for su(erior height
&ithout "ringing) Stret"h your legs% stret"h your hi(s% an stret"h your ne"k fa"e to fa"e &ith him) When
you think you have &on% an you are the higher% thrust in strongly) =ou must learn this)
To A((ly Sti"kiness
When the enemy atta"ks an you also atta"k &ith the long s&or% you shoul go in &ith a sti"ky feeling
an fi' your long s&or against the enemy2s as you re"eive his "ut) The s(irit of sti"kiness is not hitting
very strongly% but hitting so that the long s&ors o not se(arate easily) $t is best to a((roa"h as "almly as
(ossible &hen hitting the enemy2s long s&or &ith sti"kiness) The ifferen"e bet&een 7Sti"kiness7 an
75ntanglement7 is that sti"kiness is firm an entanglement is &eak) =ou must a((re"iate this)
The Boy Strike
The Boy Strike means to a((roa"h the enemy through a ga( in his guar) The s(irit is to strike him &ith
your boy) Turn your fa"e a little asie an strike the enemy2s breast &ith your left shouler thrust out)
A((roa"h &ith a s(irit of boun"ing the enemy a&ay% striking as strongly as (ossible in time &ith your
breathing) $f you a"hieve this metho of "losing &ith the enemy% you &ill be able to kno"k him ten or
t&enty feet a&ay) $t is (ossible to strike the enemy until he is ea) Train &ell)
Three Ways to 1arry #is Atta"k
There are three methos to (arry a "ut:
First% by ashing the enemy2s long s&or to your right% as if thrusting at his eyes% &hen he makes an atta"k)
?r% to (arry by thrusting the enemy2s long s&or to&ars his right eye &ith the feeling of sni((ing his ne"k)
?r% &hen you have a short 7long s&or7% &ithout &orrying about (arrying the enemy2s long s&or% to "lose
&ith him 8ui"kly% thrusting at his fa"e &ith your left han)
These are the three &ays of (arrying) =ou must bear in min that you "an al&ays "len"h your left han an
thrust at the enemy2s fa"e &ith your fist) For this it is ne"essary to train &ell)
To Stab at the Fa"e
To stab at the fa"e means% &hen you are in "ontrontation &ith the enemy% that your s(irit is intent on
stabbing at his fa"e% follo&ing the line of the blaes &ith the (oint of your long s&or) $f you are intent on
stabbling at his fa"e% his fa"e an boy &ill be"ome riable) When the enemy be"omes rieable% there are
various o((ortunities for &inning) =ou must "on"entrate on this) When fighting an the enemy2s boy
be"omes as if rieable% you "an &in 8ui"kly% so you ought not to forget to stab at the fa"e) =ou must (ersue
the value of this te"hni8ue through training)
To Stab at the #eart
To stab at the heart means% &hen fighting an there are obstru"tions above or to the sies% an &henever it
is iffi"ult to "ut% to thrust at the enemy) =ou must stab the enemy2s breast &ithout letting the (oint of your
long s&or &aver% sho&ing the enemy the rige of the blae s8uare0on% an &ith the s(irit of efle"ting his
long s&or) The s(irit of this (rin"i(le is often useful &hen &e be"ome tire or for some reason our long
s&or &ill not "ut) =ou must unerstan the a((li"ation of this metho)
To S"ol 7Tut0T;TC7
7S"ol7 means that% &hen the enemy tries to "ounter0"ut as you atta"k% you "ounter0"ut again from belo& as
if thrusting at him% trying to hol him o&n) With very 8ui"k timing you "ut% s"oling the enemy) Thrust
u(% 7TutC7% an "ut 7T;TC7 This timing is en"ountere time an time again in e'"hanges of blo&s) The &ay
to s"ol Tut0T;T is to time the "ut simultaneously &ith raising your long s&or as if to thrust the enemy)
=ou must learn this through re(etitive (ra"ti"e)
The Sma"king 1arry
By 7sma"king (arry7 is meant that &hen you "lash s&ors &ith the enemy% you meet his atta"king "ut on
your long s&or &ith a tee0um% tee0um rhythm% sma"king his s&or an "utting him) The s(irit of the
sma"king (arry is not (arrying% or sma"king strongly% but sma"king the enemy2s long s&or in a""oran"e
&ith his atta"king "ut% (rimarily intent on 8ui"kly "utting him) $f you unerstan the timing of sma"king%
ho&ever har your long s&ors "lash together% your s&or(oint &ill not be kno"ke ba"k even a little) =ou
must resear"h suffi"iently to realise this)
There are Many 5nemies
7There are many enemies7 a((lies &hen you are fighting one against many) 9ra& both s&or an
"om(anion s&or an assume a &ie0stret"he left an right attitue) The s(irit is to "hase the enemies
aroun from sie to sie% even though they "ome from all four ire"tions) ?bserve their atta"king orer% an
go to meet first those &ho atta"k first) S&ee( your eyes aroun broaly% "arefully e'amining the atta"king
orer% an "ut left an right alternately &ith your s&ors) Waiting is ba) Al&ays 8ui"kly re0assume your
attitues to both sies% "ut the enemies o&n as they avan"e% "rushing them in the ire"tion from &hi"h
they atta"k) Whatever you o% you must rive the enemy together% as if tying a line of fishes% an &hen they
are seen to be (ile u(% "ut them o&n strongly &ithout giving them room to move)
The Avantage &hen "oming to Blo&s
=ou "an kno& ho& to &in through strategy &ith the long s&or% but it "annot be "learly e'(laine in
&riting) =ou must (ra"tise iligently in orer to unerstan ho& to &in)
?ral traition:7The true Way of strategy is reveale in the long s&or)7
?ne 3ut
=ou "an &ith &ith "ertainty &ith the s(irit of 7one "ut7) $t is iffi"ult to attain this if you o not learn
strategy &ell) $f you train &ell in this Way% strategy &ill "ome from your heart an you &ill be able to &in
at &ill) =ou must train iligently)
9ire"t 3ommuni"ation
The s(irit of 79ire"t 3ommuni"ation7 is ho& the true Way of the NiTo $"hi s"hool is re"eive an hane
o&n)
?ral traition: 7Tea"h your boy strategy)7
Re"ore in the above book is an outline of $"hi s"hool s&or fighting)
To learn ho& to &in &ith the long s&or in strategy% first learn the five a((roa"hes an the five attitues%
an absorb the Way of the long s&or naturally in your boy) =ou must unerstan s(irit an timing% hanle
the long s&or naturally% an move boy an legs in harmony &ith your s(irit) Whether beating one man or
t&o% you &ill then kno& values in strategy)
Stuy the "ontents of this book% taking one item at a time% an through fighting &ith enemies you &ill
graually "ome to kno& the (rin"i(le of the Way)
9eliberately% &ith a (atient s(irit% absorb the virtue of all this% from time to time raising your han in
"ombat) Maintain this s(irit &henever you "ross s&ors &ith an enemy)
Ste( by ste( &alk the thousan0mile roa)
Stuy strategy over the years an a"hieve the s(irit of the &arrior) Toay is vi"tory over yourself of
yesteray@ tomorro& is your vi"tory over lesser men) Ne't% in orer to beat more skilful men% train
a""oring to this book% not allo&ing your heart to be s&aye along a sie0tra"k) 5ven if you kill an enemy%
if it is not base on &hat you have learne it is not the true Way)
$f you attain this Way of vi"tory% then you &ill be able to beat several tens of men) What remains is s&or0
fighting ability% &hi"h you "an attain in battles an uels)
The Se"on =ear of Shoho% the t&elfth ay of the fifth month (+,-.)
Teruo Magono/o for S#$NM5N M;SAS#$
The Fire Book
$n this the Fire Book of the NiTo $"hi s"hool of strategy $ es"ribe fighting as fire)
$n the first (la"e% (eo(le think narro&ly about the benefit of strategy) By using only their fingerti(s% they
only kno& the benefit of three of the five in"hes of the &rist) They let a "ontest be e"ie% as &ith the
foling fan% merely be the s(an of their forearms) They s(e"ialise in the small matter of e'terity% learning
su"h trifles as han an leg movements &ith the bamboo (ra"tise s&or)
$n my strategy% the training for killing enemies is by &ay of many "ontests% fighting for survival%
is"overing the meaning of life an eath% learning the Way of the s&or% /uging the strength of atta"ks
an unerstaning the Way of the 7ege an rige7 of the s&or)
=ou "annot (rofit from small te"hni8ues (arti"ularly &hen full armor is &orn) My Way of strategy is the
sure metho to &in &hen fighting for your life one man against five or ten) There is nothing &rong &ith the
(rin"i(le 7one man "an beat ten% so a thousan men "an beat ten thousan7) =ou must resear"h this) ?f
"ourse you "annot assemble a thousan or ten thousan men for everyay training) But you "an be"ome a
master of strategy by training alone &ith a s&or% so that you "an unerstan the enemy2s strategies% his
strength an resour"es% an "ome to a((re"iate ho& to a((ly strategy to beat ten thousan enemies)
Any man &ho &ants to master the essen"e of my strategy must resear"h iligently% training morning an
evening) Thus "an he (olish his skill% be"ome free from self% an realise e'trorinary ability) #e &ill "ome
to (osess mira"ulous (o&er)
This is the (ra"ti"al result of strategy)
9e(ening on the 1la"e
5'amine your environment
Stan in the sun@ that is% take u( an attitue &ith the sun behin you) $f the situation oes not allo& this% yo
umust try to kee( the sun on your right sie) $n builings% you must stan &ith the entran"e behin you or
to your right) Make sure that your rear is unobstru"te% an that there is free s(a"e on your left% your right
sie being o""u(ie &ith your s&or attitue) At night% if the enemy "an be seen% kee( the fire behin you
an the entran"e to your right% an other&ise take u( your attitue as above) =ou must look o&n on the
enemy% an take u( your attitue on slightly higher (la"es) For e'am(le% the *amiAa in a house is thought
of as a high (la"e)
When the fight "omes% al&ays eneavour to "hase the enemy aroun to your left sie) 3hase him to&ars
a&k&ar (la"es% an try to kee( him &ith his ba"k to a&k&ar (la"es) When the enemy gets into an
in"onvenient (osition% o not let him look aroun% but "ons"ientiously "hase him aroun an (in him o&n)
$n houses% "hase the enemy into the threshols% lintels% oors% veranas% (illars% an so on% again not letting
him see his situation)
Al&ays "hase the enemy into ba foothols% obsta"les at the sie% an so on% using the virtues of the (la"e
to establish (reominant (ositions from &hi"h to fight) =ou must resear"h an train iligently in this)
The Three Methos to Forestall the 5nemy
The first is to forestall him by atta"king) This is "alle *en No Sen (to set him u())
Another metho is to forestall him as he atta"ks) This is "alle Tai No Sen (to &ait for the initiative))
The other metho is &hen you an the enemy atta"k together) This is "alle Tai Tai No Sen (to a""om(any
him an forestall him))
There are no methos of taking the lea other than these three) Be"ause you "an &in 8ui"kly by taking the
lea% it is one of the most im(ortant things in strategy) There are several things involve in taking the lea)
=ou must make the best of the situation% see through the enemy2s s(irit so that you gras( his strategy an
efeat him) $t is im(ossible to &rite about this in etail)
The First 0 *en No Sen
When you e"ie to atta"k% kee( "alm an ash in 8ui"kly% forestalling the enemy) ?r you "an avan"e
seemingly strongly but &ith a reserve s(irit% forestalling him &ith the reserve)
Alternately% avan"e &ith as strong a s(irit as (ossible% an &hen you rea"h the enemy move &ith your feet
a little 8ui"ker than normal% unsettling him an over&helming him shar(ly)
?r% &ith your s(irit "alm% atta"k &ith a feeling of "onstantly "rushing the enemy% from first to last) The
s(irit is to &in in the e(ths of the enemy)
These are all *en No Sen)
The Se"on 0 Tai No Sen
When the enemy atta"ks% remain unisturbe but feign &eakness) As the enemy rea"hes you% suenly
move a&ay ini"ating that you inten to /um( asie% then ash in atta"king strongly as soon as you see the
enemy rela') This is one &ay)
?r% as the enemy atta"ks% atta"k more strongly% taking avantage of the resulting isorer in his timing to
&in)
This is the Tai No Sen (rin"i(le)
The Thir 0 Tai Tai No Sen
When the enemy makes a 8ui"k atta"k% you must atta"k strongly an "almly% aim for his &eak (oint as he
ra&s near% an strongly efeat him)
?r% if the enemy atta"ks "almly% you must observe his movement an% &ith your boy rather floating% /oin
in &ith his movements as he ra&s near) Move 8ui"kly an "ut him strongly)
This is Tai Tai No Sen
These things "annot be "learly e'(laine in &ors) =ou must resear"h &hat is &ritten here) $n these three
&ays of forestalling% you must /uge the situation) This oes not mean that you al&ays atta"k first@ but if
the enemy atta"ks first you "an lea him aroun) $n strategy% you have effe"tively &on &hen you forestall
the enemy% so you must train &ell to attain this)
To #ol 9o&n a 1illo&
To #ol 9o&n a 1illo& means not allo&ing the enemy2s hea to rise)
$n "ontests of stategy it is ba to be le about by the enemy) =ou must al&ays be able to lea the enemy
about) ?bviously the enemy &ill also be thinking of oing this% but he "annot forestall you if you o not
allo& him to "ome out) $n strategy% you must sto( the enemy as he attem(ts to "ut@ you must (ush o&n his
thrust% an thro& off his hol &hen he tries to gra((le) This is the meaning of 7to hol o&n a (illo&7)
When you have gras(e this (rin"i(le% &hatever the enemy tries to bring about in the fight you &ill see in
avan"e an su((ress it) The s(irit is to "he"k his atta"k at the syllable 7at)))7% &hen he /um(s "he"k his
avan"e at the syllable 7/u)))7% an "he"k his "ut at 7"u)))7)
The im(ortant thing in strategy is to su((ress the enemy2s useful a"tions but allo& his useless a"tions)
#o&ever% oing this alone is efensive) First% you must a"t a""oring to the Way% su((ress the enemy2s
te"hni8ues% foiling his (lans% an then"e "omman him ire"tly) When you "an o this you &ill be a master
of strategy) =ou must train &ell an resear"h 7holing o&n a (illo&7)
3rossing at a For
73rossing at a for7 means% for e'am(le% "rossing the sea at a strait% or "rossing over a hunre miles of
broa sea at a "rossing (la"e) $ believe this 7"rossing at a for7 o""urs often in a man2s lifetime) $t means
setting sail even though your friens stay in harbour% kno&ing the route% kno&ing the sounness of your
shi( an the favour of the ay) When all the "onitions are met% an there is (erha(s a favourable &in% or a
tail&in% then set sail) $f the &in "hanges &ithin a fe& miles of your estination% you must ro& a"ross the
remaining istan"e &ithout sail)
$f you attain this s(irit% it a((lies to everyay life) =ou must al&ays think of "rossing at a for)
$n strategy also it is im(ortant to 7"ross at a for7) 9is"ern the enemy2s "a(ability an% kno&ing your o&n
strong (oints% 7"ross the for7 at the avantageous (la"e% as a goo "a(tain "rosses a sea route) $f you
su""ee in "rossing at the best (la"e% you may take your ease) To "ross at a for means to atta"k the
enemy2s &eak (oint% an to (ut yourself in an avantageous (osition) This is ho& to &in in large0s"ale
strategy) The s(irit of "rossing at a for is ne"essary in both large0 an small0s"ale strategy)
=ou must resear"h this &ell)
To *no& the Times
7To kno& the times7 means to kno& the enemy2s is(osition in battle) $s is flourishing or &aning< By
observing the s(irit of the enemy2s men an getting the best (osition% you "an &ork out the enemy2s
is(osition an move your men a""oringly) =ou "an &in through this (rin"i(le of strategy% fighting from a
(osition of avantage)
When in a uel% you must forestall the enemy an atta"k &hen you have first re"ognise his s"hool of
strategy% (er"eive his 8uality an his strong an &eak (oints) Atta"k in an unsus(e"te manner% kno&ing
his metre an moulation an the a((ro(riate timing)
*no&ing the times means% if your ability is high% seeing right into things) $f you are thoroughly "onversant
&ith strategy% you &ill re"ognise the enemy2s intentions an thus have many o((ortunities to &in) =ou must
suffi"iently stuy this)
To Trea 9o&n the S&or
7To trea o&n the s&or7 is a (rin"i(le often use in strategy) First% in large0s"ale strategy% &hen the
enemy first is"harges bo&s an guns an then atta"ks% it is iffi"ult for us to atta"k if &e are busy loaing
(o&er into our guns or not"hing our arro&s) The s(irit is to atta"k 8ui"kly &hile the enemy is still
shooting &ith bo&s or guns) The s(irit is to &in by 7treaing o&n7 as &e re"eive the enemy2s atta"k)
$n single "ombat% &e "annot get a e"isive vi"tory by "utting% &ith a 7tee0um tee0um7 feeling% in the
&ake of the enemy2s atta"king long s&or) We must efeat him at the start of his atta"k% in the s(irit of
treaing him o&n &ith the feet% so that he "annot rise again to the atta"k)
7Treaing7 oes not sim(ly mean treaing &ith the feet) Trea &ith the boy% trea &ith the s(irit% an% of
"ourse% trea an "ut &ith the long s&or) =ou must a"hieve the s(irit of not allo&ing the enemy to atta"k a
se"on time) This is the s(irit of forestalling in every sense) ?n"e at the enemy% you shoul not as(ire /ust
to strike him% but to "ling after the atta"k) =ou must stuy this ee(ly)
To *no& 73olla(se7
5verything "an "olla(se) #ouses% boies% an enemies "olla(se &hen their rhythm be"omes erange)
$n large0s"ale strategy% &hen the enemy starts to "olla(se you must (ersue him &ithout letting the "han"e
go) $f you fail to take avantage of your enemies2 "olla(se% they may re"over)
$n single "ombat% the enemy sometimes loses timing an "olla(ses) $f you let this o((ortunity (ass% he may
re"over an not be so negligent thereafter) Fi' your eye on the enemy2s "olla(se% an "hase him% atta"king
so that you o not let him re"over) =ou must o this) The "hasing atta"k is &ith a strong s(irit) =ou must
utterly "ut the enemy o&n so that he oes not re"over his (osition) =ou must unerstan utterly ho& to "ut
o&n the enemy)
To Be"ome the 5nemy
7To be"ome the enemy7 means to think yourself into the enemy2s (osition) $n the &orl (eo(le ten to think
of a robber tra((e in a house as a fortifie enemy) #o&ever% if &e think of 7be"oming the enemy7% &e feel
that the &hole &orl is against us an that there is no es"a(e) #e &ho is shut insie is a (heasant) #e &ho
enters to arrest is a ha&k) =ou must a((re"iate this)
$n large0s"ale strategy% (eo(le are al&ays uner the im(ression that the enemy is strong% an so ten to
be"ome "autious) But if you have goo soliers% an if you unerstan the (rin"i(les of strategy% an if you
kno& ho& to beat the enemy% there is nothing to &orry about)
$n single "ombat also you must (ut yourself in the enemy2s (osition) $f you think% 7#ere is a master of the
Way% &ho kno&s the (rin"i(les of strategy7% then you &ill surely lose) =ou must "onsier this ee(ly)
To Release Four #ans
7To release four hans7 is use &hen you an the enemy are "ontening &ith the same s(irit% an the issue
"annot be e"ie) Abanon this s(irit an &in through an alternative resour"e)
$n large0s"ale strategy% &hen there is a 7four hans7 s(irit% o not give u( 0 it is man2s e'isten"e)
$mmeiately thro& a&ay this s(irit an &in &ith a re"hni8ue the enemy oes not e'(e"t)
$n single "ombat also% &hen &e think &e have fallen into the 7four hans7 situation% &e must efeat the
enemy by "hanging our min an a((lying a suitable te"hni8ue a""oring to his "onition) =ou must be
able to /uge this)
To Move the Shae
7To move the shae7 is use &hen you "annot see the enemy2s s(irit)
$n large0s"ale strategy% &hen you "annot see the enemy2s (osition% ini"ate that you are about to atta"k
strongly% to is"over his resour"es) $t is easy then to efeat hin &ith a ifferent metho on"e you see his
resour"es)
$n single "ombat% if the enemy takes u( a rear or sie attitue of the long s&or so that you "annot see his
intention% make a feint atta"k% an the enemy &ill sho& his long s&or% thinking he sees your s(irit)
Benefiting from &hat you are sho&n% you "an &in &ith "ertainty) $f you are negligent you &ill miss the
timing) Resear"h this &ell)
To #ol 9o&n a Shao&
7#oling o&n a shao&7 is use &hen "an see the enemy2s atta"king s(irit)
$n large0s"ale strategy% &hen the enemy embarks on an atta"k% if you make a sho& of strongly su((ressing
his te"hni8ue% he &ill "hange his min) Then% altering your s(irit% efeat him by forestalling him &ith a
!oi s(irit)
?r% in single "ombat% hol o&n the enemy2s strong intention &ith a suitable timing% an efeat him by
forestalling him &ith this timing) =ou must stuy this &ell)
To 1ass ?n
Many things are sai to be (asse on) Slee(iness "an be (asse on% an ya&ning "anbe (asse on) Time "an
be (asse on also)
$n large0s"ale strategy% &hen the enemy is agitate an sho&s an in"lination to rush% o not min in the
least) Make a sho& of "om(lete "almness% an the enemy &ill be taken by this an &ill be"ome rela'e)
When you see that this s(irit has been (asse on% you "an bring about the enemy2s efeat by atta"king
strongly &ith a !oi s(irit)
$n single "ombat% you "an &in by rela'ing your boy an s(irit an then% "at"hing on the moment the
enemy rela'es% atta"k strongly an 8ui"kly% forestalling him)
What is kno&n as 7getting someone runk7 is similar to this) =ou "an also infe"t the enemy &ith a bore%
"areless% or &eak s(irit) =ou must stuy this &ell)
To 3ause >oss of Balan"e
Many things "an "ause a loss of balan"e) ?ne "ause is anger% another is harshi(% an another is sur(rise)
=ou must resear"h this)
$n large0s"ale strategy it is im(ortant to "ause loss of balan"e) Atta"k &ithout &arning &here the enemy is
not e'(e"ting it% an &hile his s(irit is une"ie follo& u( your avantage an% having the lea% efeat
him)
?r% in single "ombat% start by making a sho& of being slo&% then suenly atta"k strongly) Without allo&ing
him s(a"e for breath to re"over from the flu"tuation of s(irit% you must gras( the o((ortunity to &in) Get
the feel of this)
To Frighten
Fright often o""urs% "ause by the une'(e"te)
$n large0s"ale strategy you "an frighten the enemy not by &hat you (resent to their eyes% but by shouting%
making a small for"e seem large% or by threatening them from the flank &ithout &arning) These things all
frighten) =ou "an &in by making best use of the enemy2s frightene rhythm)
$n single "ombat% also% you must use the avantage of taking the enemy una&ares by frightening him &ith
your boy% long s&or% or voi"e% to efeat him) =ou shoul resear"h this &ell)
To Soak $n
When you have "ome to gri(s an are striving together &ith the enemy% an you realise that you "annot
avan"e% you 7soak in7 an be"ome one &ith the enemy) =ou "an &in by a((lying a suitable te"hni8ue
&hile you are mutually entangle)
$n battles involving large numbers as &ell as in fights &ith small numbers% you "an often &in e"isively
&ith the avantage of kno&ing ho& to 7soak7 into the enemy% &hereas% &ere you to ra& a(art% you &oul
lise the "han"e to &in) Resear"h this &ell)
To $n/ure the 3orners
$t is iffi"ult to move strong things by (ushing ire"tly% so you shoul 7in/ure the "orners7)
$n large0s"ale strategy% it is benefi"ial to strike at the "orners of the enemy2s for"e% $f the "orners are
overthro&n% the s(irit of the &hole boy &ill be overthro&n) To efeat the enemy you must follo& u( the
atta"k &hen the "orners have fallen)
$n single "ombat% it is easy to &in on"e the enemy "olla(ses) This ha((ens &hen you in/ure the 7"orners7 of
his boy% an this &eaken him) $t is im(ortant to kno& ho& to o this% so you must resear"h this ee(ly)
To Thro& into 3onfusion
This means making the enemy lose resolve)
$n large0s"ale strategy &e "an use our troo(s to "onfuse the enemy on the fiel) ?bserving the enemy2s
s(irit% &e "an make him think% 7#ere< There< >ike that< >ike this< Slo&< Fast<7 !i"tory is "ertain &hen
the enemy is "aught u( in a rhythm that "onfuses his s(irit)
$n single "ombat% &e "an "onfuse the enemy by atta"king &ith varie te"hni8ues &hen the "han"e arises)
Feint a thrust or "ut% or make the enemy thing you are going "lose to him% an &hen he is "onfuse you "an
easily &in)
This is the essen"e of fighting% an you must resear"h it ee(ly)
The Three Shouts
The three shouts are ivie thus: before% uring an after) Shout a""oring to the situation) The voi"e is a
thing of life) We shout against fires an so on% against the &in an the &aves) The voi"e sho&s energy)
$n large0s"ale strategy% at the start of battle &e shout as louly as (ossible) 9uring the fight% the voi"e is
lo&0(it"he% shouting out as &e atta"k) After the "ontest% &e shout in the &ake of our vi"tory) These are the
three shouts)
$n single "ombat% &e make as if to "ut an shout 75iC7 at the same time to isturb the enemy% then in the
&ake of our shout &e "ut &ith the long s&or) We shout after &e have "ut o&n the enemy 0 this is to
announ"e vi"tory) This is "alle 7sen go no koe7 (before an after voi"e)) We o not shout simultaneously
&ith flourishing the long s&or) We shout uring the fight to get into rhythm) Resear"h this ee(ly)
To Mingle
$n battles% &hen the armies are in "onfrontation% atta"k the enemy2s strong (oints an% &hen you see that
they are beaten ba"k% 8ui"kly se(arate an atta"k yet another strong (oint on the (eri(hery of his for"e) The
s(irit of this is like a &ining mountain (ath)
This is an im(ortant fighting metho for one man against many) Strike o&n the enemies in one 8uarter% or
rive them ba"k% then gras( the timing an atta"k further strong (oints to right an left% as if on a &ining
mountain (ath% &eighing u( the enemies2 is(osition) When you kno& the enemies2 level% atta"k strongly
&ith no tra"e of retreating s(irit)
$n single "ombat% too% use this s(irit &ith the enemy2s strong (oints)
What is meant by 2mingling2 is the s(irit of avan"ing an be"oming engage &ith the enemy% an not
&ithra&ing even one ste() =ou must unerstan this)
To 3rush
This means to "rush the enemy regaring him as being &eak)
$n large0s"ale strategy% &hen &e see that the enemy has fe& men% or if he has many men but his s(irit is
&eak an isorere% &e kno"k the hat over his eyes% "rushing him utterly) $f &e "rush lightly% he may
re"over) =ou must learn the s(irit of "rushing as if &ith a han0gri()
$n single "ombat% if the enemy is less skilful than ourself% if his rhythm is isorganiAe% or if he has fallen
into evasive or retreating attitues% &e must "rush him straighta&ay% &ith no "on"ern for his (resen"e an
&ithout allo&ing him s(a"e for breath) $t is essential to "rush him all at on"e) The (rimary thing is not to let
him re"over his (osition even a little) =ou must resear"h this ee(ly)
The Mountain0Sea 3hange
The 7mountain0sea7 s(irit means that it is ba to re(eat the same thing several times &hen fighting the
enemy) There may be no hel( but to o something t&i"e% but o not try it a thir time) $f you on"e make an
atta"k an fail% there is little "han"e of su""ess if you use the same a((roa"h again) $f you attem(t a
te"hni8ue &hi"h you have (reviously trie unsu"essfully an fail yet again% then you must "hange your
atta"king metho)
$f the enemy thinks of the mountains% atta"k like the sea@ an if he thinks of the sea% atta"k like the
mountains) =ou must resear"h this ee(ly)
To 1enetrate the 9e(ths
When &e are fighting &ith the enemy% even &hen it "an be seen that &e "an &in on the surfa"e &ith the
benefit of the Way% if his s(irit is not e'tinguishe% he may be beaten su(erfi"ially yet unefeate in s(irit
ee( insie) With this (rin"i(le of 7(enetrating the e(ths7 &e "an estroy the enemy2s s(irit in its e(ths%
emoralising him by 8ui"kly "hanging our s(irit) This often o""urs)
1enetrating the e(ths means (enetrating &ith the long s&or% (enetrating &ith the boy% an (enetrating
&ith the s(irit) This "annot be unerstoo in a generalisation)
?n"e &e have "rushe the enemy in the e(ths% there is no nee to remain s(irite) But other&ise &e must
remain s(irite) $f the enemy remains s(irite it is iffi"ult to "rush him) =ou must train in (enetrating the
e(ths for large0s"ale strategy an also single "ombat)
To Rene&
7To rene&7 a((lies &hen &e are fighting &ith the enemy% an an entangle s(irit arises &here there is no
(ossible resolution) We must abanon our efforts% think of the situation in a fresh s(irit then &in in the ne&
rhythm) To rene&% &hen &e are ealo"ke &ith the enemy% means that &ithout "hanging our "ir"umstan"e
&e "hange our s(irit an &in through a ifferent te"hni8ue)
$t is ne"essary to "onsier ho& 7to rene&7 also a((lies in large0s"ale strategy) Resear"h this iligently)
Rat2s #ea% ?'2s Ne"k
7Rat2s hea an o'2s ne"k7 means that% &hen &e are fighting &ith the enemy an both he an &e have
be"ome o""u(ie &ith small (oints in an entangle s(irit% &e must al&ays think of the Way of strategy as
being both a rat2s hea an an o'2s ne"k) Whenever &e have be"ome (reo""u(ie &ith small etails% &e
must suenly "hange into a large s(irit% inter"hanging large &ith small)
This is one of the essen"es of strategy) $t is ne"essary that the &arrior think in this s(irit in everyay life)
=ou must not e(art from this s(irit in large0s"ale strategy nor in single "ombat)
The 3ommaner *no&s the Troo(s
7The "ommaner kno&s the troo(s7 a((lies every&here in fights in my Way of strategy)
;sing the &isom of strategy% think of the enemy as your o&n troo(s) When you think in this &ay you "an
move him at &ill an be able to "hase him aroun) =ou be"ome the general an the enemy be"omes your
troo(s) =ou must master this)
To >et Go the #ilt
There are various kins of s(irit involve in letting go the hilt)
There is the s(irit of &inning &ithout a s&or) There is also the s(irit of holing the long s&or but not
&inning) The various methos "annot be e'(resse in &riting) =ou must train &ell)
The Boy of a Ro"k
When you have mastere the Way of strategy you "an suenly make your boy like a ro"k% an ten
thousan things "annot tou"h you) This is the boy of a ro"k)
=ou &ill not be move) ?ral traition)
What is re"ore above is &hat has been "onstantly on my min about $"hi s"hool s&or fen"ing% &ritten
o&n as it "ame to me) This is the first time $ have &ritten about my te"hni8ue% an the orer of things is a
bit "onfuse) $t is iffi"ult to e'(ress it "learly)
This book is a s(iritual guie for the man &ho &ishes to learn the Way)
My heart has been in"line to the Way of strategy from my youth on&ars) $ have evote myself to
training my han% tem(ering my boy% an attaining the many s(iritual attitues of s&or fen"ing) $f &e
&at"h men of other s"hools is"ussing theory% an "on"entrating on te"hni8ues &ith the hans% even though
they seem skilful to &at"h% they have not the slightest true s(irit)
?f "ourse% men &ho stuy in this &ay think they are training the boy an s(irit% but it is an obsta"le to the
true Way% an its ba influen"e remains for ever) Thus the true Way of strategy is be"oming e"aent an
ying out)
The true Way of s&or fen"ing is the "raft of efeating the enemy in a fight% an nothing other than this) $f
you attain an ahere to the &isom of my strategy% you nee never oubt that you &ill &in)
The se"on year of Shoho% the fifth month% the t&elfth ay (+,-.)
Teruo Magono/o for S#$NM5N M;SAS#$
The Win Book
$n strategy you must kno& the Ways of other s"hools% so $ have &ritten about various other traitions of
strategy in this the Win Book)
Without kno&lege of the Ways of other s"hools% it is iffi"ult to unerstan the essen"e of my $"hi s"hool)
>ooking at other s"hools &e fin some that s(e"ialise in te"hni8ues of strength using e'tra0long s&ors)
Some s"hools stuy the Way of the short s&or% kno&n as koa"hi) Some s"hools tea"h e'terity in large
numbers of s&or te"hni8ues% tea"hing attitues of the s&or as the 7surfa"e7 an the Way as the 7interior7)
That none of these are the true Way $ sho& "learly in the interior of this book 0 all the vi"es an virtues an
rights an &rongs) My $"hi s"hool is ifferent) ?ther s"hools make a""om(lishments their means of
livelihoo% gro&ing flo&ers an e"oratively "olouring arti"les in orer to sell them) This is efinately not
the Way of strategy)
Some of the &orl2s strategists are "on"erne only &ith s&or fen"ing% an limit their training to
flourishing the long s&or an "arriage of the boy) But is e'terity alone suffi"ient to &in< This is not the
essen"e of the Way)
$ have re"ore the unsatisfa"tory (oints of other s"hools one by one in this book) =ou must stuy these
matters ee(ly to a((re"iate the benefit of my Ni To $"hi s"hool)
?ther S"hools ;sing 5'tra0>ong S&ors
Some other s"hools have a liking for e'tra0long s&ors) From the (oint of vie& of my strategy these must
be seen as &eak s"hools) This is be"ause they o not a((re"iate the (rin"i(le of "utting the enemy by any
means) Their (referen"e is for the e'tra0long s&or an% relying on the virtue of its length% they think to
efeat the enemy from a istan"e)
$n this &orl it is sai% 7?ne in"h gives the han avantage7% but these are the ile &ors of one &ho oes
not kno& strategy) $t sho&s the inferior strategy of a &eak s(rit that men shoul be e(enant on the length
of their s&or% fighting from a istan"e &ithout the benefit of strategy)
$ e'(e"t there is a "ase for the s"hool in 8uestion liking e'tra0long s&ors as (art of it2s o"trine% but if &e
"om(are this &ith real life it is unreasonable) Surely &e nee not ne"essarily be efeate if &e are using a
short s&or% an have no long s&or<
$t is iffi"ult for these (eo(le to "ut the enemy &hen at "lose 8uarters be"ause of the length of the long
s&or) The blae (ath is large so the long s&or is an en"umbran"e% an they are at a isavantage
"om(are to the man arme &ith a short "om(anion s&or)
From olen times it has been sai: 7Great an small go together)7 So o not un"onitionally islike e'tra0
long s&ors) What $ islike is the in"lination to&ars the long s&or) $f &e "onsier large0s"ale strategy%
&e "an think of large for"es in terms of long s&ors% an small for"es as short s&ors) 3annot fe& men
give battle against many< There are many instan"es of fe& men over"oming many)
=our strategy is of no a""ount if &hen "alle on to fight in a "onfine s(a"e your heart is in"line to the
long s&or% or if you are in a house arme only &ith your "om(anion s&or) Besies% some men have not
the strength of others)
$n my o"trine% $ islike (re"on"eive% narro& s(irit) =ou must stuy this &ell)
The Strong >ong S&or S(irit in ?ther S"hools
=ou shoul not s(eak of strong an &eak long s&ors) $f you /ust &iel the long s&or in a strong s(irit
your "utting &ill be"ome "oarse% an if you use the s&or "oarsely you &ill have iffi"ulty in &inning)
$f you are "on"erne &ith the strength of your s&or% you &ill try to "ut unreasonably strongly% an &ill not
be able to "ut at all) $t is also ba to try to "ut strongly &hen testing the s&or) Whenever you "ross s&ors
&ith an enemy you must not think of "utting him either strongly or &eakly@ /ust think of "utting an killing
him) Be intent solely on killing the enemy) 9o not try to "ut strongly an% of "ourse% o not think of "utting
&eakly) =ou shoul only be "on"erne &ith killing the enemy)
$f you rely on strength% &hen you hit the enemy2s s&or you &ill inevitably hit too har) $f you o this% your
o&n s&or &ill be "arrie along as a result) Thus the saying% 7The strongest han &ins7% has no meaning)
$n large0s"ale strategy% if you have a strong army an are relying on strength to &in% but the enemy also has
a strong army% the battle &ill be fier"e) This is the same for both sies)
Without the "orre"t (rin"i(le the fight "annot be &on)
The s(irit of my s"hool is to &in through the &isom of strategy% (aying no attention to trifles) Stuy this
&ell)
;se of the Shorter >ong S&or in ?ther S"hools
;sing a shorter long s&or is not the true Way to &in)
$n an"ient times% ta"hi an katana meant long an short s&ors) Men of su(erior strength in the &orl "an
&iel even a long s&or lightly% so there is no "ase for their liking the short s&or) They also make use of
the length of s(ears an halbers) Some men use a shorter long s&or &ith the intention of /um(ing in an
stabbing the enemy at the unguare moment &hen he flourishes his s&or) This in"lination is ba)
To aim for the enemy2s unguare moment is "om(letely efensive% an unesirable at "lose 8uarters &ith
the enemy) Furthermore% you "annot use the metho of /um(ing insie his efense &ith a short s&or if
there are many enemies) Some men think that if they go against many enemies &ith a shorter long s&or
they "an unrestri"tely frisk aroun "utting in s&ee(s% but they have to (arry "uts "ontinuously% an
eventually be"ome entangle &ith the enemy) This is in"onsistant &ith the true Way of strategy)
The sure Way to &in thus is to "hase the enemy aroun in a "onfusing manner% "ausing him to /um( asie%
&ith your boy hel strongly an straight) The same (rin"i(le a((lies to large0s"ale strategy) The essen"e of
strategy is to fall u(on the enemy in large numbers an to bring about his s(eey o&nfall) By their stuy
of strategy% (eo(le of the &orl get use to "ountering% evaing an retreating as the normal thing) They
be"ome set in this habit% so "an easily be (arae aroun by the enemy) The Way of strategy is straight an
true) =ou must "hase the enemy aroun an make him obey your s(irit)
?ther S"hools &ith many Methos of using the >ong S&or
$ think it is hel in other s"hools that there are many methos of using the long s&or in orer to gain the
amiration of beginners) This is selling the Way) $t is a vile s(irit in strategy)
The reason for this is that to eliberate over many &ays of "utting o&n a man is an error) To start &ith%
killing is not the Way of mankin) *illing is the same for (eo(le &ho kno& about fighting an for those
&ho o not) $t is the same for &omen or "hilren% an there are not many ifferent methos) We "an s(eak
of ifferent ta"ti"s su"h as stabbing an mo&ing o&n% but none other than these)
Any&ay% "utting o&n the enemy is the Way of strategy% an there is no nee for many refinements of it)
5ven so% a""oring to the (la"e% your long s&or may be obstru"te above or to the sies% so you &ill nee
to hol your s&or in su"h manner that it "an be use) There are five methos in five ire"tions)
Methos a(art from these five 0 han t&isting% boy bening% /um(ing out% an so on% to "ut the enemy 0 are
not the true Way of strategy) $n orer to "ut the enemy you must not make t&isting or bening "uts) This is
"om(letely useless) $n my strategy% $ bear my s(irit an boy straight% an "ause the enemy to t&ist an
ben) The ne"essary s(irit is to &in by atta"king the enemy &hen his s(irit is &ar(e) =ou must stuy this
&ell)
;se of Attitues of the >ong S&or in ?ther S"hools
1la"ing a great eal of im(ortan"e on the attitues of the long s&or is a mistaken &ay of thinking) What is
kno&n in the &orl as 7attitue7 a((lies &hen there is no enemy) The reason is that this has been a
(re"eent sin"e an"ient times% that there shoul be no su"h thing as 7This is the moern &ay to o it7
uelling) =ou must for"e the enemy into in"onvenient situations)
Attitues are for situations in &hi"h you are not to be move) That is% for garrisoning "astles% battle array%
an so on% sho&ing the s(irit of not being move even by a strong assault) $n the Way of uelling% ho&ever%
you must al&ays be intent u(on taking the lea an atta"king) Attitue is the s(irit of a&aiting an atta"k)
=ou must a((re"iate this)
$n uels of strategy you must move the o((onent2s attitue) Atta"k &here his s(irit is la'% thro& him into
"onfusion% irritate an terrify him) Take avantage of the enemy2s rhythm &hen he is unsettle an you "an
&in)
$ islike the efensive s(irit kno&n as 7attitue7) Therefore% in my Way% there is something "alle 7Attitue0
No Attitue7)
$n large0s"ale strategy &e e(loy our troo(s for battle bearing in min our strength% observing the enemy2s
numbers% an noting the etails of the battlefiel) This is at the start of the battle)
The s(irit of atta"king is "om(letely ifferent from the s(irit of being atta"ke) Bearing an atta"k &ell% &ith
a strong attitue% an (arrying the enemy2s atta"k &ell% is like making a &all of s(ears an halbers) When
you atta"k the enemy% your s(irit must go to the e'tent of (ulling the stakes out of a &all an using them as
s(ears an halbers) =ou must e'amine this &ell)
Fi'ing the 5yes in ?ther S"hools
Some s"hools maintain that the eyes shoul be fi'e on the enemy2s long s&or) Some s"hools fi' the eye
on the hans) Some fi' the eyes on the fa"e% an some fi' the eyes on the feet% an so on) $f you fi' the eyes
on these (la"es your s(irit "an be"ome "onfuse% an your strategy th&arte)
$ &ill e'(lain this in etail) Footballers o not fi' their eyes on the ball% but by goo (lay on the fiel they
"an (erform &ell) When you be"ome a""ustome to something% you are not limite to the use of your eyes)
1eo(le su"h as master musi"ians have the musi" s"ore in front of their nose% or flourish the s&or in several
&ays &hen they have mastere the Way% but this oes not mean that they fi' their eyes on these things
s(e"ifi"ally% or that they make (ointless movements of the s&or) $t means that they "an see naturally)
$n the Way of strategy% &hen you have fought many times you &ill easily be able to a((raise the s(ee an
(osition of the enemy2s s&or% an having mastery of the Way you &ill see the &eight of his s(irit) $n
strategy% fi'ing the eyes means gaAing at the man2s heart)
$n large0s"ale strategy the area to &at"h is the enemy2s strength) 71er"e(tion7 an 7sight7 are the t&o
methos of seeing) 1er"e(tion "onsists of "on"entrating strongly on the enemy2s s(irit% ovserving the
"onition of the battle fiel% fi'ing the gaAe strongly% seeing the (rogress of the fight an the "hanges of
avantage) This is the sure &ay to &in)
$n single "ombat you must not fi' the eyes on etails) As $ sai before% if you fi' your eyes on etails an
negle"t im(ortant things% your s(irit &ill be"ome be&ilere% an vi"tory &ill es"a(e you) Resear"h this
(rin"i(le &ell an train iligently)
;se of the Feet in ?ther S"hools
There are various methos of using the feet: floating foot% /um(ing foot% s(ringing foot% treaing foot%
"ro&2s foot% an su"h nible &alking methos) From the (oint of vie& of my strategy% these are all
unsatisfa"tory)
$ islike floating foot be"ause the feet al&ays ten to float uring the fight) The Way must be tro firmly)
Neither o $ like /um(ing foot% be"ause it en"ourages the habit of /um(ing% an a /um(y s(irit) #o&ever
mu"h you /um(% there is no real /ustifi"ation for it% so /um(ing is ba)
S(ringing foot "auses a s(ringing s(irit &hi"h is ine"isive)
Treaing foot is a 7&aiting7 metho% an $ es(e"ially islike it)
A(art from these% there are various fast &alking methos% su"h as "ro&2s foot% an so on)
Sometimes% ho&ever% you may en"ounter the enemy on marshlan% s&am(y groun% river valleys% stony
groun% or narro& roas% in &hi"h situations you "annot /um( or move the feet 8ui"kly)
$n my strategy% the foot&ork oes not "hange) $ al&ays &alk as $ usually o in the street) =ou must never
lose "ontrol of your feet) A""oring to the enemy2s rhythm% move fast or slo&ly% a/usting your boy not
too mu"h an not too little)
3arrying the feet is im(ortant also in large0s"ale strategy) This is be"ause% if you atta"k 8ui"kly an
thoughtlessly &ithout kno&ing the enemy2s s(irit% your rhythm &ill be"ome erange an you &ill not be
able to &in) ?r% if you avan"e too slo&ly% you &ill not be able to take avantage of the enemy2s isorer%
the o((ortunity to &in &ill es"a(e% an you &ill not be able to finish the fight 8ui"kly) =ou must &in by
seiAing u(on the enemy2s isorer an erangement% an by not a""oring him even a little ho(e of
re"overy) 1ra"tise this &ell)
S(ee in ?ther S"hools
S((e is nor (art of the true Way of strategy) S(ee im(lies that things seem fast or slo&% a""oring to
&hether or not they are in rhythm) Whatever the Way% the master of strategy oes not a((ear fast)
Some (eo(le "an &alk as fast as a hunre or a hunre an t&enty miles in a ay% but this oes not mean
that they run "ontinuously from morning till night) ;n(ra"tise runners may seem to have been running all
ay% but their (erforman"e is (oor)
$n the Way of an"e% a""om(lishe (erformers "an sing &hile an"ing% but &hen beginners try this they
slo& o&n an their s(irit be"omes busy) The 7ol (ine tree7 meloy beaten on a leather rum is tran8uil%
but &hen beginners try this they slo& o&n an their s(irit be"omes busy) !ery skilful (eo(le "an manage a
fast rhythm% but it is ba to beat hurrely) $f you try to beat too 8ui"kly you &ill get out of time) ?f "ourse%
slo&ness is ba) Really skilful (eo(le never get out of time% an are al&ays eliberate% an never a((ear
busy) From this e'am(le% the (rin"i(le "an be seen)
What is kno&n as s(ee is es(e"ially ba in the Way of strategy) The reason for this is that e(ening on
the (la"e% marsh or s&am( an so on% it may not be (ossible to move the boy an legs together 8ui"kly)
Still less &ill you be able to "ut 8ui"kly if you have a long s&or in this situation) $f you try to "ut 8ui"kly%
as if using a fan or short s&or% you &ill not a"tually "ut even a little) =ou must a((re"iate this)
$n large0s"ale strategy also% a fast busy s(irit is unesirable) The s(irit must be that of holing o&n a
(illo&% then you &ill not be even a little late)
When you o((onent is hurrying re"klessly% you must a"t "ontrarily% an kee( "alm) =ou must not be
influen"e by the o((onent) Train iligently to attain this s(irit)
7$nterior7 an 7Surfa"e7 in ?ther S"hools
There is no 7interior7 nor 7surfa"e7 in strategy)
The artisti" a""om(lishments usually "laim inner meaning an se"ret traition% an 7interior7 an 7gate7%
but in "ombat there is no su"h thing as fighting on the surfa"e% or "utting &ith the interior) When $ tea"h my
Way% $ first tea"h by training in te"hni8ues &hi"h are easy for the (u(il to unerstan% a o"trine &hi"h is
easy to unerstan) $ graually eneavour to e'(lain the ee( (rin"i(le% (oints &hi"h it is harly (ossible to
"om(rehen% a""oring to the (u(il2s (rogress) $n any event% be"ause the &ay to unerstaning is through
e'(erien"e% $ o not s(eak of 7interior7 an 7gate7)
$n this &orl% if you go into the mountains% an e"ie to go ee(er an yet ee(er% instea you &ill emerge
at the gate) Whatever is the Way% it has an interior% an it is sometimes a goo thing to (oint out the gate) $n
strategy% &e "annot say &hat is "on"eale an &hat is reveale)
A""oringly $ islike (assing on my Way through &ritten (leges an regulations) 1er"eiving the ability of
my (u(ils% $ tea"h the ire"t Way% remove the ba influen"e of other s"hools% an graually introu"e them
to the true Way of the &arrior)
The metho of tea"hing my strategy is &ith a trust&orthy s(irit) =ou must train iligently)
$ have trie to re"or an outline of the strategy of other s"hools in the above nine se"tions) $ "oul no&
"ontinue by giving a s(e"ifi" a""ount of these s"hools one by one% from the 7gate7 to the 7interior7% but $
have intentionally not name the s"hools or their main (oints) The reason for this is that ifferent bran"hes
of s"hools give ifferent inter(retations of the o"trines) $n as mu"h as men2s o(inions iffer% so there must
be iffering ieas on the same matter) Thus no one man2s "on"e(tion is vali for any s"hool)
$ have sho&n the general tenen"ies of other s"hools on nine (oints) $f &e look at them from an honest
vie&(oint% &e see that (eo(le al&ays ten to like long s&ors or short s&ors% an be"ome "on"erne &ith
strength in both large an small matters) =ou "an see &hy $ o not eal &ith the 7gates7 of other s"hools)
$n my $"hi s"hool of the long s&or there is neither gate nor interior) There is no inner meaning in s&or
attitues) =ou must sim(ly kee( your s(irit true to realise the virtue of strategy)
T&elfth ay of the fifth month% the se"on year of Shoho (+,-.)
Teruo Magono/o for S#$NM5N M;SAS#$
The Book of the !oi
The Ni To $"hi Way of strategy is re"ore in this the Book of the !oi)
What is "alle the s(irit of the voi is &here there is nothing) $t is not in"lue in man2s kno&lege) ?f
"ourse the voi is nothingness) By kno&ing things that e'ist% you "an kno& that &hi"h oes not e'ist) That
is the voi)
1eo(le in this &orl look at things mistakenly% an think that &hat they o not unerstan must be the voi)
This is not the true voi) $t is be&ilerment)
$n the Way of strategy% also% those &ho stuy as &arriors think that &hatever they "annot unerstan in their
"raft is the voi) This is not the true voi)
To attain the Way of strategy as a &arrior you must stuy fully other martial arts an not eviate even a
little from the Way of the &arrior) With your s(irit settle% a""umulate (ra"ti"e ay by ay% an hour by
hour) 1olish the t&ofol s(irit heart an min% an shar(en the t&ofol gaAe (er"e(tion an sight) When
your s(irit is not in the least "loue% &hen the "lous of be&ilerment "lear a&ay% there is the true voi)
;ntil you realise the true Way% &hether in Buhism or in "ommon sense% you may think that things are
"orre"t an in orer) #o&ever% if &e look at things ob/e"tively% from the vie&(oint of la&s of the &orl% &e
see various o"trines e(arting from the true Way) *no& &ell this s(irit% an &ith forthrightness as the
founation an the true s(irit as the Way) 5na"t strategy broaly% "orre"tly an o(enly)
Then you &ill "ome to think of things in a &ie sense an% taking the voi as the Way% you &ill see the Way
as voi)
$n the voi is virtue% an no evil) Wisom has e'isten"e% (rin"i(le has e'isten"e% the Way has e'isten"e%
s(irit is nothingness)
T&elfth ay of the fifth month% se"on year of Shoho (+,-.)
Teruo Magono/o for S#$NM5N M;SAS#$