Continuing from Musashi – Book 3: Fire
1. The Withered Field
Students from the House of Yoshioka wait for their master on the outskirts of Kyoto. They wish to accompany him to the field where Yoshioka Seijuro will face Musashi in a duel. While they are waiting, a crowd of onlookers also slowly shows up. Among them is Jotaro who is desperately looking for Otsu whom he hasn’t seen since she left with the old woman Osugi, Matahachi’s mother. Sasaki Kojiro also arrives and warns the Yoshioka students that Seijuro will lose if he fights Musashi. They feel offended and, while they exchange some threats, Akemi bursts into their ranks looking for Musashi. Finally, Seijuro’s young servant comes screaming that Seijuro has been badly hurt. His students carry Seijuro on a rain shutter but Kojiro tells him that if he lets them carry him like that through the streets of Kyoto, Seijuro will shame his father’s name. Seijuro stands up but can’t walk properly because of his wounded arm; he asks his students to cut it off and when no one offers to do it, Sasaki Kojiro gladly volunteers. With a bleeding stump, Seijuro walks for a short distance and then collapses. Kojiro asks Akemi if Seijuro’s punishment for what he had done to her was good enough for her. Akemi realizes that, although she hated Seijuro for having violated her, Kojiro was pure evil; she had no choice but follow him.
2. A Man of Parts
Reflecting on the fight he had that morning, Musashi felt sorry for having injured Seijuro and he sincerely hoped that he hadn’t fatally injured him and that he would recover soon. Before they had even drawn swords, Musashi realized that Seijuro was not the great fighter his father used to be and fighting an unworthy opponent was not something that Musashi wanted to do. Nevertheless, to honor his family’s name, Seijuro had to fight and suffer the consequences. After the fight, Musashi encounters Hon’ami Koetsu and his mother who were having a picnic out in a field. Musashi is invited to stay for tea and he takes part in his first tea ceremony. After drinking the bitter tea, Musashi notices the beauty of the tea bowl and realizes that whoever was the potter, he must be a really famous. When Musashi is told that Koetsu himself has made the bowl, Musashi realizes that he was in the presence of a true artist and that, compared to him, he is a mere youth of 23 trying to understand the way of the sword.
3. Too Many Kojiros
Hearing of Musashi’s victory over Yoshioka Seijuro, Matahachi comes from Osaka to Kyoto to verify the rumors. They were all true so he starts drinking heavily, feeling jealous of Musashi’s great deeds of swordsmanship. One night, after being unable to pay because he had no money at all, Matahachi tries to pay using the pillbox he had taken from the dying man at Fushima. An itinerant monk recognizes the inscription on the pillbox and challenges Musashi to tell him the truth about his true identity. Matahachi keeps pretending to be Sasaki Kojiro but runs away. He sees a pack of dog barking at a tree and upon coming closer, her recognizes Akemi up in the tree. The real Sasaki Kojiro also shows up and wants to bring Akemi back to his inn. Matahachi challenges Kojiro and after a heated exchange of words, Matahachi realizes who his opponent really is. Matahachi tries to run but Kojiro immediately incapacitates him. Kojiro then climbs up the tree to look for Akemi but she has already fled the scene. The itinerant monk catches up and ties Matahachi to the same tree and prepares to kill him for having stolen the letter from his master in Fushima. Kojiro intervenes and Matahachi is spared but, after refusing his own certificate from the itinerant messenger (who in fact was a samurai in disguise, looking for his master’s stolen belongings), leaves a note on the tree informing all passers-by of how Matahachi has shamefully impersonated him.
4. The Younger Brother
Yoshioka Denshichiro, Seijuro’s younger brother, returns to Kyoto from his travels in Ise. On his way he sees Matahachi tied to the tree and frees him. Back at the Yoshioka dojo, Seijuro has slowly started to recover. Denshichiro takes aver all the affairs of the family but Seijuro doesn’t want him to fight Musashi. Denshichiro is offended by his brother’s doubts and sends people out to find Musashi. One week later they find Musashi at Koetsu’s home. Hearing this, Denshichiro prepares to go there and challenge Musashi but the senior students in the dojo insists that they send an official letter. Denshichiro agrees and goes to his brother’s room to inform him about his decision but Seijuro has secretly left, leaving a letter behind but not disclosing his whereabouts.
5. A Mother’s Love
Otsu is trapped at inn in Kyoto; Osugi who won’t let her leave anywhere. Akemi comes looking for a room to rest at the same inn. Osugi mistreats Otsu in every way possible and basically keeps her a prisoner. Matahachi sends Osugi a letter informing her that he will be waiting her at a temple up a nearby mountain. Although it was already dark, Osugi and Otsu immediately go to the temple and, on their way, they ran into Sasaki Kojiro who is looking for Akemi. Osugi then convinces Matahachi to kill Otsu but, when he sees his former fiancée, he can’t kill but rather asks for forgiveness. Otsu doesn’t want to have to do anything with Matahachi and when she tries to run away, Matahachi follows her with the intention to kill her. Thinking she has fallen down, Matahachi slices at her body but when Osugi wants to take the body’s head, they realize they’ve killed someone else. Matahachi recognizes the body as that of Akakabe Yasoma, the man who had stolen his (actually Kojiro’s) money. Takuan also arrives at the inn looking for Otsu, fearing that Osugi wants to kill her. Matahachi and Osugi flee when they see Takuan. While the inn keeper and some priests from the temple are burying the body they find Otsu who was passed out nearby.
6. The Urbane Craftsman
Musashi tries to locate a temple in Kyoto but runs into Koetsu’s mother who invites him to their house. Here, Musashi is welcomed by the artist and sword polisher Koetsu who insists he stays. Musashi ends ups staying with Koetsu for a few days during which time he studies the books and scrolls in his library. One night, Koetsu and Musashi accompany Haiya Shoyu, a wealthy Kyoto merchant, to Yanagimachi, also known as the Town of Willows or the geisha quarters. On their way to Shoyu’s house, Musashi is approached by three students from the House of Yoshioka who deliver him the letter from Denshichiro. Offhandedly, Musashi accepts the challenge. At the geisha house, Musashi is coerced by Shoyu to drink sake and when Yoshino Dayu, the most famous geisha in the country, is not available to join their party, Shoyu begins an exchange of letters with Lord Karasumaru Mitsuhiro who outclasses Shoyu in their verse writing skills. While this goes on, Musashi silently leaves the room.
7. Reverberations in the Snow
After eating two balls of rice, Musashi leaves the geisha house, buys new sandals and a hat and goes in the falling snow to the Rengeoin Temple where Denshichiro and his acolytes are waiting for him. Yoshioka Genzaemon, Kempo’s brother and Denshichiro’s uncle, makes a surprise appearance and warns his nephew not to take his fight with Musashi lightly. Musashi arrives at the temple a little late and, in the fight that ensues, he kills one of the Yoshioka students who tried to attach him from behind and, with a second blow, kills Denshichiro. Genzaemon swears to revenge the name of the Yoshioka School.
8. The Elegant People
Shoyu, the merchant, goes to Lord Karasumaru’s room at the geisha house. Here he meets Takuan who is staying at the Karasumaru residence where Jotaro is taking care of Otsu. She has fallen ill after her ordeal at the hands of Osugi and Matahachi. Shoyu insists that Yoshino Dayu comes to his room to entertain him but the nobleman opposes this. The two end up playing a game of rock-scissor-paper and Yoshino manages to return to her own small house. When they realize that she is gone, the priest, the merchant and the nobleman, together with Koetsu and Musashi – who has recently returned from his duel with Denshichiro – visit Yoshino at her home. Warming themselves around Yoshino’s fire, the courtesan notices a spot of blood on Musashi’s sleeve and, without batting an eye, wipes it off with a small piece of paper. When the others see the red spot on the paper, that exclaim that it’s blood, but Yoshino offhandedly tells them it’s just “a petal from a red peony.”
9. The Broken Lute
The party stays in the house of Yoshino, the courtesan, watching the fire, writing poems, and listening to the host playing a biwa, a kind of flute. When the four men want to take their leave, Yoshino insists that Musashi stays with her. Immediately after, they are informed that students from the Yoshioka School are all over the neighborhood waiting for Musashi. Being uncomfortable at having to be alone with Yoshino, Musashi just waits for the morning to come. Yoshino then tells him that he is too stiff and not relaxed enough, making a comparison between his state of mind and the flute, which the players could handle according to their wishes.
10. A Sickness of the Heart
Takuan Soho receives a message from another wondering priest that his mother is very ill so Takuan immediately leaves Lord Karasumaru’s home for Izumi Province to take care of his mother. Jotaro tries to convince Takuan to visit Otsu one more time. She is still sick and hopes that Takuan will arrange for Musashi to visit her at the Karasumarus. Takuan tells Jotaro to make Ostu understand that Musashi won’t be coming as, for the last two days, he’s been living with Yoshino Dayu, a courtesan from the Ogya brothel in Yanagimachi, the licensed quarters. Jotaro curses him for speaking badly of Musashi and sets off to find his sensei.
11. The Scent of Aloeswood
Jotaro arrives at Ogya and uses his wooden sword on the proprietor when he tries to kick him out. Later Jotaro finds Musashi with the help of Yoshino’s servant. After a messenger returns the borrowed kimono to Koestsu’s home and brought Musashi his own, old kimono, Musashi leaves Yoshino’s house. He tries to see Yoshino one last time to thank her for her kindness and hospitality but she is too busy. Instead, Yoshino sends Musashi a letter smelling of aloeswood. During his stay at Ogya, Musashi has learned to appreciate the beauties of life and realized that, just as Takuan and Nikkan had once told him, he was too strong and needed to relax more.
12. The Gate
Musashi helps Jotaro exit the licensed quarters by jumping over the fence encircling the compound while he himself walks out through the main gate. Here he meets the Yoshioka students but none of them has the guts to challenge him. Sasaki Kojiro shows up and mediates between the two parties. Musashi agrees to a duel with the Yoshioka students and returns with Jotaro to Lord Karasumaru’s house. He tells Jotaro that there are high chances he might die in the bout against the Yoshiokas so he can’t see Otsu.
12. A Toast to the Morrow
Hearing about the duel, Matahachi returns to the inn where he is staying with his mother and informs her that, the following morning, Musashi will face off the Yoshioka School at Ichijoji Village. Osugi calls for the bill and prepares her traveling bag, wishing to be there before the duel starts. Akemi, who has been staying at the same inn, steals their money and leaves a note that says she just borrowed the money. The innkeeper is angry that his employees did not catch Akemi before she ran away without paying so he charges Osugi as, according to the innkeeper, they knew the girl.
13. The Death Trap
Students from the Yoshioka School converge on the agreed place at the foot of Mount Hiei in Ichijoji in fewer numbers than they had expected. With the dojo closed, many students did not show up. The senior students plant the attack on Musashi, hoping to trap him from all three available roads. Sasaki Kojiro also shows up as the uninvited and self-nominated witness to the bout and encourages the Yoshioka students to make absolutely sure Musashi doesn’t survive the duel, even proposing using tricks.
14. A Meeting in the Moonlight
After refreshing himself at the old inn where he met Jotaro a few years before, Musashi leaves for Ichijoji for the bout with the Yoshiokas. He’s aware that he will face more than one man but feels at peace with the thought that he might die. On his way he meets a coffin-maker from whom he learns that his uncle, Matsuo Kaname, has died. Later on, Musashi meets Sasaki Kojiro who has been waiting for him. Kojiro is surprised to see that Musashi is all alone. Musashi ditches Kojiro whom he knows to be bad news and takes a detour to Ichijoji so that he can get a bird’s-eye-view of the location where the battle will take place. He also meets Otsu and Jotaro who are looking for him. Musashi and Otsu have a moment together and Musashi explains to Otsu that, although he loves her, he loves his sword even more.
15. Stray Geese
Matahachi and Osugi are lost. They are also on their way to Ichijoji but Matahachi becomes increasingly annoyed with his old mother who cannot walks as fast as him. All of a sudden, they hear a piercing scream and Matahachi runs off to investigate where the sounds came from. He finds Akemi who says she has seen a ghost. In fact, it was Jotaro who was wearing his mask. Matahachi convinces Akemi to go with him to Edo and swiftly abandons his mother who is waiting for him higher up on the mountain.
16. The Spreading Pine
Musashi arrives at the battleground in Ichijoji and, upon seeing a shrine, he stops to pray to the gods. Soon he realizes that if he needs the help of the gods to win the battle, he isn’t truly ready. Then he attacks the core of the Yoshioka group gathered around a big pine. His first victim is no other than, Genjiro, the new official head of the House of Yoshioka, still a boy of only 13. Musashi continues to challenge and slay everyone in his path and then starts a tactical retreat which gives him the possibility to have his enemies in front of him at all times. Without even realizing, he also draws his short sword and uses it to attack his enemies and defend the oncoming blows. After killing many men, he disappears in the nearby woods.
17. An Offering for the Dead
After the fight, Musashi found refuge at Mudogi a temple on Mount Hiei, where he took care of his wounds and started carving the image of Kanon from a piece of sandalwood. It was his way of putting Genjiro’s soul to rest. During the day, Osugi spread false rumors about him so the former warrior priests tell Musashi, in no friendly terms, that he has to leave the temple. Musashi promises to leave the following morning but doesn’t fell he did anything wrong. He had to kill Genjiro so that the House of Yoshioka could not claim victory. After he finishes the sculpture, Musashi gives it to the head priest who, although took care of his wounds, wants no trouble and urges Musashi to leave. During the night, Osugi tries to kill Musashi in his sleep but she’s no match for him.
18. A Drink of Milk
Musashi helps Osugi travel down the mountain on a cow he borrowed from the temple. Osugi resents Musashi for being so nice to her and flees at the first opportunity. Musashi takes the cow to the inn where he meets Matahachi. They have a talk and Musashi reminds Matahachi that he still has time to make a name for himself, even if he has wasted five years of his life. Matahachi confesses that he’s with Akemi but she, once again, runs away with his money. Matahachi leaves and, soon after, a group of workers come to the inn for tea. One of them retells the battle between Musashi and the Yoshiokas which he witnessed. In the meantime, Sasaki Kojiro stops with a group of priest to have tea at the inn. Kojiro hears the worker’s praise of Musashi and then starts belittling Musashi’s action. Musashi is resting inside and hears everything. When the priests and workers leave, Kojiro goes inside and sees Musashi stretched out on a bench. Musashi makes it clear that, one day, the two of them will have a duel.
19. Entwining Branches
Musashi has arranged for Matahachi, Otsu and Jotaro to meet at Kara Bridge in Seta. Otsu and Jotaro arrive on time but Matahachi stops at the brothel where Sasaki Kojiro coerces him into drinking and spending the night. The following morning, Matahachi leaves the brothel and, at the inn by the bridge, finds a letter from Musashi informing him that he couldn’t wait for him but that Matahachi should catch up with him on the Edo road. But, when Matahachi sees that Ostu is accompanying Musashi, he is overcome by jealousy and swears revenge.
20. The Male and the Female Waterfalls
The three of them decide to rest in a small abandoned hut by a big waterfall on the Edo highway. While Jotaro is playing in the water, Musashi tries to be intimate with Otsu but she panics and runs off. Musashi sees this as a defeat as he was unable to control his urgings. All of a sudden, he is naked in the water, trying to cross the treacherous river. After a long struggle with the water elements, he’s on the other side of the river and feels cleansed of his emotions. Otsu returns to the hut and hugs Musashi’s clothes and swords. She realizes that another rift between the two of then has just taken place.
(To be continued: Musashi – Book 5: Sky)
