Musashi Characters

The classic samurai book Musashi (by Eiji Yoshikawa) comes highly recommended from Jocko Willink and Tim Ferriss but it can be hard keeping the characters straight. Shockingly, google and wiki don’t have as many answers as one might expect. There is a solid source with short descriptions for many of the characters, linked here, but there were characters not listed and some of the characters needed a little bit more description.

Below is a list I put together as I went; it’s not complete as it omits many of the names that are linked above and I didn’t start keeping track until I was well underway- but maybe it’ll help someone. This list tries to give enough detail to remind you of who the character is, without giving so much that it spoils any plot points ahead of time. Feel free to reach out if there’s someone/something you want to add.

Akemi– A teenage girl, daughter of Oko. Enters the story on a chance meeting with Takezo and Matahachi after the battle while she was scavenging for valuables from the dead. She brought them home to her mother Oko and they shelter Takezo and Matahachi.

Oko– Had been married to a well known man, a well known and successful freebooter, she gained expensive taste. Her husband was murdered, reportedly by Tsujikaze Temma.

Tsujikaze Temma– A local thug with his own ring of henchmen. Presumable killed Oko’s husband (Akemi’s father) and continued to torment them until meeting Musashi early in the book.

Jotaro– Musashi’s first young disciple.

Sasaki Kojiro– A young, brash sword master that carries a unique sword. He wears bright clothes (often associated with the style of a child) that attract attention. A unique hairstyle (long forelocks) also makes him distinctive. First seen traveling with a pet monkey.

Otsu– Opens the story as an orphan girl engaged to Hon’iden Matahachi. Known for playing the flute (even gives lessons). Accompanies Takuan Soho on his quest to capture Takezō.

Hon’iden Matahachi– Childhood best friend to Takezō.

Yoshioka Seijuro– Son of renowned samurai Yoshioka Kempō. Often called “The Young Master” but seems to spend more time enjoying life than training.

Yoshioka Denshichiro– Younger brother of Seijuro. Considered the better swordsman, but also wayward, not around the school.

Tamihachi– Servant of Yoshioka Seijuro. The one who runs for help after the fight with Musashi.

Koetsu– Well known artist, especially known for and proud of his calligraphy. Cleans & polishes swords. Came from a well known family and lives on what could be a lavish stipend of 1,000 bushels (lavish for a regular townsperson).

Matsuo Kaname– In service to Lord Konoe, Musashi’s uncle. Tried to kill him when Musashi visited.

Yajibei– Osugi stays with him in Edo for a while. A good man who has risen to become a wealthy merchant/contractor.

Juro & Koroku– Two of Yajibei’s henchmen who become henchmen for Kojiro as well.

Hojo Shinzo– A leading student of military strategy whose main job at the moment is caring for the elderly Kagenori Obata (the leader of the school). Shinzo does not want him or the others in the school to try to fight Kojiro despite his insults because he knows that to continue to lose battles brings further damage to the house.

Kagenori Obata– The elderly, sickly leader of the military strategy school that becomes a target of Sasaki Kojiro.

Obata Yogoro– The son of Kagenori Obata.

Sannosuke (aka Iori)– Young boy who lives alone and meets Musashi by a river and eventually becomes his student.

Hojo Ujikatsu– Hojo Shinzo’s father. A Lord and leader in a different military strategy school. Refused to teach Shinzo, told him to go find his own way.

Nagoaka Sado– An advisor to the oldest son of the daimyo (Tadatoshi is the son, Hosokawa Tadaoki is the daimyo). Sado travels with two samurai.

Gonnosuke– From a place called Kiso. Lives as a farmer, alone with his mother. While searching for Otsu and Jotaro Musashi happens upon Gonnosuke and finds out that he is very good with a staff.

Shishido Baiken– aka Tsujikaze Kōhei. A blacksmith, and a master of the chain-ball-sickle weapon. Younger brother to Tsujikaze Temma.

Ono Tadaaki– aka Mikogami Tenzen. A famous ronin who mastered the Yagyu style and created his own style. Became a tutor to the shogun and the leader of his own school.

A lot has been written about Tibor Rubin so this is just a short summary, the army has done a great job with their citation (text below) and especially the narrative by Beth Reece. You can also hear the story in Tibor’s own words in this video.

The first thing you need to know is that the Medal of Honor is the highest award a soldier can receive, and that in order to get it you must be nominated by a peer, then it must be passed up the chain of command all the way to the President of the United States. The story is scrutinized and the awards are few (and often posthumous). Rubin was nominated multiple times for the award.

First, he was not only a survivor of the Holocaust (he was Hungarian), but as a prisoner he put his own life on the line to save others. He stole food, improvised medical care, and tried to convince people that they needed to remain hopeful to be liberated in order to see their families. Upon being freed by American troops he made a promise to himself that “if I ever make it to America, I’m going to become a GI Joe.” He had a debt to pay, and pay it he did.

He did join the army and because of an anti-Semitic officer, he was continually given more difficult, dangerous jobs. As you read his citation and the narrative you get the picture for what an exceptional life he led. So many times he faced danger, so many times he could have developed a negative attitude, but he didn’t waiver.

He singlehandedly held off a Korean advance while the rest of the American troops could retreat and regroup. When another had fallen and was presumed dead, Rubin was given orders to leave him behind but he low crawled through sniper fire for hundreds of yards and carried him back to safety- saved his life. At one point it was his job to guard the rear of their moving line against advancing enemy fire. The previous three gunners with that job had fallen but he picked up the machine gun anyway and slowed the enemy.

He was among hundreds of soldiers captured by the Chinese. They offered to let him go home to Hungary but Rubin stayed in prison and used his hard won knowledge (from his time in the concentration camp) to save American lives. He improvised medical care again, saving limbs from infection, and again put his life on the line stealing food, this time from his Chinese captors.

Rubin faced death repeatedly and not only did he survive, but he brought others through the fire with him. And he even looks back at his anti-Semitic officer and laughs because in giving Rubin so many difficult jobs, rather than killing him, the anti-Semitic officer made Rubin a hero.

Here is the Army Citation (but again, the narrative account and the video are great):

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Corporal Tibor Rubin distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism during the period from July 23, 1950, to April 20, 1953, while serving as a rifleman with Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division in the Republic of Korea. While his unit was retreating to the Pusan Perimeter, Corporal Rubin was assigned to stay behind to keep open the vital Taegu-Pusan Road link used by his withdrawing unit. During the ensuing battle, overwhelming numbers of North Korean troops assaulted a hill defended solely by Corporal Rubin. He inflicted a staggering number of casualties on the attacking force during his personal 24-hour battle, single-handedly slowing the enemy advance and allowing the 8th Cavalry Regiment to complete its withdrawal successfully. Following the breakout from the Pusan Perimeter, the 8th Cavalry Regiment proceeded northward and advanced into North Korea. During the advance, he helped capture several hundred North Korean soldiers. On October 30, 1950, Chinese forces attacked his unit at Unsan, North Korea, during a massive nighttime assault. That night and throughout the next day, he manned a .30 caliber machine gun at the south end of the unit’s line after three previous gunners became casualties. He continued to man his machine gun until his ammunition was exhausted. His determined stand slowed the pace of the enemy advance in his sector, permitting the remnants of his unit to retreat southward. As the battle raged, Corporal Rubin was severely wounded and captured by the Chinese. Choosing to remain in the prison camp despite offers from the Chinese to return him to his native Hungary, Corporal Rubin disregarded his own personal safety and immediately began sneaking out of the camp at night in search of food for his comrades. Breaking into enemy food storehouses and gardens, he risked certain torture or death if caught. Corporal Rubin provided not only food to the starving Soldiers, but also desperately needed medical care and moral support for the sick and wounded of the POW camp. His brave, selfless efforts were directly attributed to saving the lives of as many as forty of his fellow prisoners. Corporal Rubin’s gallant actions in close contact with the enemy and unyielding courage and bravery while a prisoner of war are in the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/rubin/citation/index.html

Matthew Kray