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Yagyū Sekishūsai Taira-no-Munetoshi (柳生石舟斎平宗厳 1529 - May 25, 1606) was a samurai in Japan’s Sengoku period famous for mastering the Shinkage-ryū school of combat, and introducing it to the Tokugawa clan. He was also known as Shinsuke, or Shinzaemon. ==Early life== Munetoshi was born Yagyū Shinsuke in 1529 in Yagyū Village (present day Yagyū, Nara) in Yamato Province. His father, Ietoshi, was a minor landed lord. When Munetoshi was 12, Ietoshi joined a general named Kisawa Nagamasa in contesting the growing power of the warlord Miyoshi Chōkei. However, Kisawa was killed in battle, and the Yagyū found themselves on the defensive. With over half of Yamato Province under his control, Miyoshi left the rest of the conquest to his lieutenant, Tsutsui Junshō.〔Yagyū, Toshinaga ''Shōden Shinkage-ryū''. (1957, 1989) Kōdansha, reprinted by Shimazu Shobō, ISBN 4-88218-012-X.〕 The Tsutsui and the Yagyū had feuded previously, and Junshō wasted no time. In 1544 he attacked the Yagyū at Koyagyū Castle with some 10,000 men. According to the ''Tamon-in Nikki'', a chronicle of the Kōfuku-ji temple, at first the Yagyū were caught by surprise, but Ietoshi rallied his troops for a defensive battle. Munetoshi, a young man of 15, ably led a small troop of his own. The Tsutsui troops surrounded the castle, burned the surrounding houses and villages, took control of the outer castle and cut off the water supply, but the main castle still held out. The Yagyū held out or three days, but they were greatly outnumbered, and had no choice but to capitulate, and submit to the Tsutsui.〔 The Yagyū served the Tsutsui for eight years. Munetoshi studied the martial and liberal arts, becoming proficient with the spear and sword, as well as studying Confucianism, Zen Buddhism, and Shingon Buddhism.〔 Munetoshi soon gained notice as an able warrior and commander, and as many of orders were sent by Tsutsui to him, a young man in his 20s, as were sent to his father, still an active lord in his 50s.〔Imamura, Yoshio. ''Teihon Yamato Yagyū Ichizoku''. (1994) Shinjimbutsu Ōraisha. ISBN 4-404-02091-0〕 One message sent by Junshō’s son Fujikatsu to Ietoshi singles out Munetoshi in particular for praise. In 1559, the warlord Matsunaga Hisahide decided to attack the Tsutsui and take control of Yamato Province. He sent a message to Munetoshi promising to restore their old lands and position to the Yagyū in exchange for their service. The Tsutsui were overthrown, and the Yagyū grew prominent under Matsunaga. In particular, Matsunaga gave Munetoshi a citation for valor for his performance in a battle at To'unomine. Matsunaga’s attempt to take the mountain was repulsed, and Munetoshi fought in the rearguard as the army retreated. He was wounded, but fighting with a spear he killed several of the enemy. Munetoshi almost did not survive the battle, but a retainer named Matsuda Muneshige sacrificed his life to save Munetoshi’s.〔 Munetoshi would later make mention of his extreme gratitude when he gave a Shinkage-ryū license to Muneshige’s son Genjirō. It is not entirely clear what school of combat Munetoshi studied, or who his teachers were. An Owari Yagyū family record suggests that he studied Shintō-ryū under a man named Kantori Shinjūrō.〔Yagyū Hyōgo Toshinobu, "Yagyū Shinkage-ryū Engi", in Yoshio Imamura (Ed.) ''Kaitei Shiryō Yagyū Shinkage-ryū Vol. 2''. (1995) Shinjimbutsu Ōraisha, ISBN 4-404-02196-8〕 But “Kantori” may simply be a misreading of kanji meant to read “Katori”, thus signifying “Katori Shintō-ryū”. An Edo Yagyū family record suggests that he studied Toda-ryū, a branch of Chūjō-ryū.〔"Gyokuei Shūi", a Yagyū family record, in Yoshio Imamura (Ed.) ''Kaitei Shiryō Yagyū Shinkage-ryū Vol. 1''. (1995) Shinjimbutsu Ōraisha, ISBN 4-404-02195-X〕 All family records and Munetoshi’s own surviving writings suggest that he was an enthusiastic student of the military arts from a young age, before he met Kamiizumi Hidetsuna.〔〔〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Yagyū Munetoshi」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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