The location: Ichioji -The name of a small village at old days, now a district of Marginas from Kyoto. The name preserved by a Temple Tenden What he burned after a battle in 1315.
Exact position: Sagarimatsu (Vale Pine) A pine taken as a geographical reference point from the 8th century by people in the area, on the routes Kyoto – The sacred temples in Kurama and Hia (Places with tradition for martial arts but also for Reiki, the master meditated here Usuithe founder Reiki).
The story: this pine is actually the place where the largest civil clash was told, a kind of martial arts between the famous Miyamoto Musashi and the clan Yoshooka. Why a guy? Well in 1604, Musashi He was coming to Kyoto to cause the stronger sword school here, Yoshioka Ryu – The official School of the Shogun Ashikaga. Musashi He is defeated in a row on Seijuro, the school leader (sometimes contradictory in various chronicles) and then away Deshichirohis brother.
The last clash rather wanted a revenge of the
Staying from Yoshioka, allies of the whole son Seijuro For only 12 years, now seen as a school leader. Beyond the versions and legends here it seems that Musashi fought with over 60-70 samurai in what wanted a «duel» with the last leader of the «non-affectionate» school. Here Musashi seems to have used the two swords for the first time, running and isolating the warriors of the Yoshioka school in smaller groups and, after a few legends, killing / grinding better than half!
300 m above is the Temple of Hachidai where it seems that Musashi would pray before the fight. According to some sources it seems that he would have had the «revelation» that if he prays means that he admits his weakness, so he has decided not to rely on any divinity! Musashi was however a «special» personality, a land for many conflicts, perhaps not extinct by chance of at least 60 years, cancer, a possible fibromyalgia that causes pain throughout the body, etc. («Autoimmune» diseases).
I spent a few minutes in this pine which is now already in the fifth generation (when you die, it burns, dries, it is immediately replaced by people in the area). I discovered that fragments of the original pine, witness of the massacre that I could say, is a bit above also in the temple of Hachidai Jinja, so I'll go there. Somehow there is a difficult and charged atmosphere, if you connect to those moments and I can only pray for all those who have suffered there, from both fields, to find peace. I appreciate his courage Musashi cause the strongest school since then (sometimes with questionable tactics and there would be challenges for Yagyu Who has not worked too much) but at what cost? Suffering and a painful end and in the solitude of a cave far from what he wanted. Obviously it's just my opinion right now. The courage generated by an unstoppable ego is not necessarily the best. Musashi hoped that he was defeating those of Yoshioka will become the Shogun instructor and this has not happened. There is also a need for manners, an inner balance that has not yet has. Even defeated, those of Yoshioka remained with Ashikaga in the following clashes and finally specialized in the painting of fabrics, becoming experts in a beautiful blue, in Indigo, in some way Japanese.
Yes, a little above our pine, now surrounded by extremely welcoming houses and courtyard, it is the temple It is not. An altar ShintoFounded in 1294 and dedicated to Susanoo No Mikoto, one of the first divinities of Japan, a kami wearer (revered by Ueshiba) of the Sacred Sword of Japanese mythology. A small temple and which emits a lot of peace in which, in fact, I find, it has sanctified even, part of the pine witness in the battles of Musashi. Maybe to bring more peace and peace to this area? The Garden of the Temple is simply part of the surrounding mountain and the small altar is lost as if in the greenery of the cedar and the other trees here. Not to mention the fact that there were some nice camels in bloom. The place is a bit visited by people, somehow outside the main tourist circuit and a visit is clear, both for those who are passionate about martial arts and for those who love only peace and raw green of a beautiful nature. They are still some moments, I send a prayer of peace and peace to the souls of disappearing here, but also for the health of loved ones, close or … who read only these lines … we really need peace and understanding, towards ourselves first of all towards others. I will continue soon, stay with us!
In the spirit of the Temple of Kurama, I wish you all, love, light and power!
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