Musashi: Book 3 - Sun, Moon and Perfect Clarity (9784805319420)

A new and unabridged translation of Eiji Yoshikawa's bestselling novel about Miyamoto Musashi—the most famous swordfighter in Japanese history!

Musashi: The Novel is the first unabridged translation of Eiji Yoshikawa's great novel, the top-selling novel in Japan. Masterfully translated for the first time in its entirety by Alexander Bennett, this vivid and fast-paced story reveals the exploits and inner life of a man who finds not only his true purpose but also his humanity.

This is the story of a man torn between his friendships, love and devotion to the sword. Filled with episodes of exciting duels, his travels throughout Japan, and the memorable characters he meets along the way, Musashi is revealed to be a flawed hero, a genius with the sword who dispatches pretenders one after another with minimal effort yet finds little pleasure in it.

Famous for fighting 62 duels without a single defeat, Musashi is a true philosopher warrior, author of the monumental treatise, The Book of Five Rings—one of the most widely read books in history. Although he was without peer, his path to glory was fraught with seemingly impossible challenges, tragic losses and emotional turmoil. And while his destiny seems clear, in order to achieve it he must open a new chapter and leave his old life behind.

In the last book, Musashi is left with his final obstacle, the great swordsman Sasaki Kojiro who has an untarnished reputation and is legendary for his skill in battle. As Musashi journeys the inevitable path that will lead to Kojiro, he encounters old friends and new enemies. Devoting himself to mediation and Zen teaching, he realizes that the pursuit of glory is fruitless and the only path to success can be found through self-reliance and discipline. To become truly happy, he must defeat not only his greatest rival but also his own delf-doubt, tying up loose ends in the process. He meets with Otsu as he prepares to fight Sasaki, whom he meets wielding only a wooden pole, emerging as the most formidable swordsman in the land.


About the Author:
Eiji Yoshikawa was a historical novelist whose works remain some of the most read books in Japan to this day. He published several retellings of Asian classics such as his Tale of the Heike, Tales from the Water Margin and Romance of the Three Kingdoms. However, his novelization of the life of Miyamoto Musashi is his most famous and popular work having sold over 120 million copies. He was awarded the Cultural Order of Merit and the Order of the Sacred Treasure. He died of cancer in 1962.

Alexander Bennett is Professor of Japanese History, Martial Arts, and Budo Theory at Kansai University. He is Director General of the International Budo University's Budo and Sports Research Institute. He co-founded and publishes Kendo World, the first English-language journal dedicated to Kendo. He holds black belts in several martial arts including Kendo Kyoshi 7-dan, Iaido Renshi 6-dan, Jukendo Renshi 6-dan, Naginata 5-dan. His published works include The Complete Musashi: The Book of Five Rings and Other Works and Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai.