Samurai Showdown: Musashi vs. Jozan

Guess who wins the "Most Statues" battle?

Miyamoto Musashi (a.k.a. Musashi Miyamoto in the West) is the most famous samurai of his generation. Renowned for his two sword fighting style, Musashi transcended his peers to become an enduring icon in Japanese history. Ishikawa Jozan (Jozan Ishikawa) was a contemporary of Musashi, but today he is less well known than the house he built, Shisendo, let alone Musashi. That said, I still thought it would be fun to compare the two men in an unorthodox “tale of the tape.”

Life Span

Musashi (1584?-1645)
Jozan (1583-1672)
Winner: Jozan

Individual Combat

Musashi: Two swords
Jozan: Spear
Musashi would likely have some trouble getting in range, but if his skills were as sharp as advertised, he would have found a way.
Winner: Musashi

War

Musashi is believed to have fought with the Western armies at Sekigahara.
Jozan fought with the victorious Eastern armies.
Winner: Jozan

Service

Musashi: Although Musashi was a ronin (masterless samurai) at times during his career, he did enter the service of the Hosokawa near the end of his life.
Jozan: Resisted promotions while serving the Tokugawa. After losing his status in 1615, he refused attempts to be reinstated.
Winner: Musashi

Art

Musashi was an accomplished ink painter. His compositions reveal the decisive hand of an accomplished swordsman. He also wrote The Book of Five Rings, a philosophical reflection on combat.
Ishikawa was a renowned calligrapher, poet, and landscape architect. He achieved artistic freedom in a time when the state defined the roles of most people. Ishikawa may have accomplished more, but Musashi’s book still sells well today. 

Winner: Ishikawa for putting art ahead of service.

Pop Culture

Musashi: Movies, books, manga, you name it. He has made a lot of people a lot of money in the past 100 years.
Jozan: Outside of Shisendo being a well loved tourist destination, Jozan has a lot of catching up to do.
Winner: Musashi

I am obviously biased toward Jozan, so I thought the best way to settle the debate is with a poll. It will run until the end of August. [Note: Poll ended]

N.B. It is unlikely that these two men met in life, even if they were on the same battlefield at Sekigahara and later on the same side at Osaka Castle (1614-1615). Still, they share a close connection to the Ichijoji neighborhood in Kyoto that makes it easy for tourists to pay homage to both men. Although Ichijoji Temple no longer stands, the site of Miyamoto Musashi’s famous duel with Yoshioka Matashichiro is marked by a tree. The next stop would be Ishikawa Jozan’s famous residence, Shisendo, which happens to be right next door to the Hachidai Shrine, which honours--you guessed it--Miyamoto Musashi. Enjoy your trip.

Directions to Shisendo (includes Ichijoji & Hachidai Shrine)

Travis Belrose is the author of The Samurai Poet, a work of historical fiction based on the life of Ishikawa Jozan. Learn more here.