[gunshots]
>> Schappert: HEY!
JAPAN, 17TH CENTURY,
HOME TO ONE OF THE MOST ELITE AND FEARED
WARRIOR CULTURES EVER,
SAMURAI.
>> YAH! >> Schappert: THE LEGENDARY
SAMURAI LIVED BY A STRICT
CODE OF HONOR,
THE CODE OF BUSHIDO. AND THERE ARE LESSONS
IN THIS CODE
THAT GUIDE US TODAY. COMING HERE
HAS REAL MEANING FOR ME.
IN SPECIAL FORCES,
WE THINK OF OURSELVES AS MODERN-DAY SAMURAI.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M ABOUT
TO MEET PEOPLE THAT WE
EMULATE AS SOLDIERS. MY NAME IS TERRY SCHAPPERT.
I'M A GREEN BERET
SENT ON COMBAT
AND TRAINING MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD.
I'M PART OF A LONG LINE
OF UNIQUE WARRIORS
TESTED IN BATTLE. AND THE ONLY WAY TO REVEAL
THEIR WEAPONS AND TACTICS
IS TO EXPERIENCE THEM MYSELF.
I'M ABOUT TO FIND OUT WHAT IT TAKES
TO BE A SAMURAI WARRIOR. FOR 700 YEARS,
PROFESSIONAL SOLDIERS
KNOWN AS SAMURAI
DEFENDED JAPAN'S WARLORDS. THE JAPANESE VERSION
OF MEDIEVAL KNIGHTS,
THEY WERE MASTERS
OF MANY WEAPONS, THE MARTIAL ARTS,
AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE.
AND NO OTHER WEAPON
IS MORE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SAMURAI
THAN THE KATANA,
THE JAPANESE SWORD.
AND THIS SWORD WAS MORE THAN JUST A WEAPON
TO THE SAMURAI.
IT WAS CONSIDERED
THE SOUL OF THE WARRIOR AND A SYMBOL OF THEIR HONOR.
SO, MR. UTA,
CAN YOU SHOW ME THE PROPER WAY
TO GRIP THE WEAPON AND HOW TO USE IT?
OH, SO JUST LIKE THAT?
ALMOST LIKE A GOLF GRIP,
ACTUALLY. SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY
SUBTLE THING RIGHT THERE,
WHAT WE GOT GOING ON.
SUCH A SUBTLE THING AS A GRIP YOU WOULD THINK--
IN THE OLD WESTERN STYLE
OF FENCING,
WE'D GRIP THE SWORD JUST LIKE THIS,
STRAIGHT UP UNDERNEATH
THE POMMEL,
AND WE'RE GOING FOR SPEED. WHAT THESE GUYS ARE DOING,
IF YOU LOOK, IS THEY KIND OF
ROTATE OVER.
AND AS THEY'RE CUTTING, THE CUT STARTS FROM THE END
AND DRAWS BACK ACROSS.
IT'S A REALLY SUBTLE THING.
AND IT MADE THESE GUYS REALLY DEADLY.
IN FACT, ALMOST EVERYTHING
ABOUT THE KATANA IS DIFFERENT
FROM ALL THE OTHER WESTERN SWORDS I'VE EVER USED.
A TRUE KATANA MEASURES
ABOUT 42 INCHES IN LENGTH.
A SLIGHT CURVE IN THE BLADE MAKES IT IDEAL FOR CUTTING
AND SLASHING,
RATHER THAN STABBING.
THE HILT, OR HANDLE, IS USUALLY WRAPPED
IN STINGRAY SKIN
AND BOUND WITH SILK OR LEATHER
SO THAT THE SAMURAI WON'T LOSE HIS GRIP.
CAN YOU SHOW ME, FULL ON,
HOW YOU MOVE INTO THE CUTS
AND DO THOSE? OH, I SEE.
SO WE WANT TO CUT
WITH THIS SECTION RIGHT HERE.
OKAY. RIGHT.
SO YOU'RE LEADING
WITH THE BLADE.
THE TOP FIVE INCHES OF HIS BLADE ARE RAZOR SHARP.
AND ALL MOVEMENT WITH THE SWORD
IS DESIGNED TO OPTIMIZE
THAT PORTION OF THE BLADE. THE GOAL: TO FATALLY CUT
OR EVEN DECAPITATE
YOUR OPPONENT.
COME FORWARD. ATTACK.
CUT.
WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THIS:
IN THE SPACE OF A COUPLE SECONDS,
YOU'VE DONE THREE ATTACKS;
ONE ON THE DRAW,
A THRUST, THEN AN UPWARD CUT. AND IF YOU GET YOUR HEAD
AROUND THIS ONE,
THEY EVEN HAVE A MOVE FOR WIPING
THE BLOOD OFF THE BLADE. FROM HERE, YOU HANG BACK,
FLICK IT OFF,
AGAIN, ALWAYS WATCHING
THE OPPONENT FOR ANYTHING ELSE, AND GOING BACK AGAIN.
THE KATANA IS SO CENTRAL
TO JAPANESE CULTURE,
IT'S SAID THAT THE JAPANESE ISLANDS THEMSELVES
WERE FORMED BY OCEAN SALTS
DRIPPING FROM THE BLADE
OF A SWORD. AH.
FOR THE SAMURAI WARRIOR,
THE SWORD WAS MUCH MORE
THAN A WEAPON. IT WAS A SYMBOL OF HONOR,
COURAGE, LOYALTY,
AND THE WARRIOR'S COMMITMENT
TO BUSHIDO, THE CODE OF THE SAMURAI.
BUSHIDO WAS A CODE OF HONOR
SIMILAR TO THE MEDIEVAL KNIGHT'S
CODE OF CHIVALRY. MR. MATSUMOTO, WE HEAR
AND WE TALK ABOUT
THE CODE OF BUSHIDO,
BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS IT? I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK
THAT THESE GUYS WERE REALLY,
IN A WAY, VERY FREE.
I MEAN, THEY WERE FREE OF THE FEAR OF DYING,
FREE OF THE FEAR OF FAILURE,
FREE OF ALL BAD THINGS
THAT WOULD SLOW YOU DOWN. IF THEY WEREN'T WORRIED
ABOUT THAT, THEY WOULD PROBABLY
BE ABLE TO DO SOME INCREDIBLE
THINGS IN BATTLE. THE CODE OF BUSHIDO
BOUND THE SAMURAI WARRIOR
TO FIGHT FOR HIS MASTER.
AND THE WARRIOR PROVED HIS DEVOTION TO THE CODE
ON THE BATTLEFIELD. 1584: JAPAN IS IN THE MIDST
OF 700 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR.
POWER IS CONSTANTLY SHIFTING
BETWEEN THE EMPEROR IN KYOTO AND RIVAL WARLORDS
IN REMOTE REGIONS OF JAPAN.
IT IS IN THIS STATE
OF CONSTANT WARFARE THAT A LEADER EMERGES,
A SAMURAI, WHO, FOR ME,
HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SOURCE
OF INSPIRATION, MIYAMOTO MUSASHI.
LIKE ALL WARRIORS,
MUSASHI WOULD'VE BEEN EXPECTED
TO ADHERE TO THE SAMURAI CODE. BEFORE HIS LIFE IS THROUGH,
MUSASHI WOULD FOREVER CHANGE
THE SAMURAI CULTURE
AND LIVE BY THEIR CODE IN THIS OWN WAY. MUSASHI WOULD FIRST HAVE TO
MASTER NOT JUST THE SWORD
BUT ALL THE WEAPONS IT TOOK
TO BE A SAMURAI. THIS IS THE OGASAWARA SCHOOL
OF EQUINE ARCHERY.
AND IT IS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES
IN THE WORLD WHERE WE CAN STILL WITNESS YABUSAME,
THE TRUE ORIGINS
OF THE SAMURAI WARRIOR.
YABUSAME RIDERS MUST ACCURATELY FIRE A BOW AT A SERIES
OF TARGETS WHILE BALANCING
IN THE STIRRUPS OF A HORSE
THAT'S GALLOPING AS FAST AS 25 MILES PER HOUR.
IMPRESSIVE.
BEING A GOOD ARCHER WAS ONE
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS FOR A WARRIOR
IN THE EARLY SAMURAI PERIOD. AND THAT MEANT MASTERING A BOW
THAT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO FIRE
THAN ANY BOW I'VE EVER
HANDLED BEFORE, BOTH BECAUSE OF ITS SHEER SIZE
AND ITS ASYMMETRICAL GRIP. THE JAPANESE LONGBOW
CAN STAND A FULL SEVEN
TO EIGHT FEET IN LENGTH.
THE SHAFT IS MADE OF WOOD LAMINATED BETWEEN
TWO STRIPS OF BAMBOO,
WHICH GIVES THE BOW
GREATER FLEXIBILITY. AND THE HANDGRIP IS ONLY
1/3 OF THE WAY UP THE SHAFT
SO THE BOW CAN BE FIRED
FROM HORSEBACK. KIYOMOTO OGASAWARA
IS A DIRECT DESCENDANT
OF ONE OF THE ORIGINAL
YABUSAME MASTERS FROM EIGHT CENTURIES AGO.
SENSEI, WHAT'S THE IMPORTANCE
OF MAINTAINING THIS TRADITION?
>> [speaking Japanese] >> IT IS A RITUAL THAT STARTED
OVER 800 YEARS AGO.
AND I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT
TO PRESERVE THIS TRADITION BECAUSE IT'S STILL VERY MUCH
THE HEART AND SPIRIT
OF BEING JAPANESE. >> Schappert: SO I'VE SEEN
HOW THESE GUYS RIDE.
BUT NOW IT'S TIME TO SEE
HOW THEY TRAIN. AND TO DO THIS, I'M WEARING
TRADITIONAL TRAINING CLOTHES
THAT A SAMURAI WARRIOR
WOULD'VE WORN BACK IN THE DAY. THERE'S TWO REASONS FOR THIS:
ONE, GIVES YOU GREAT
RANGE OF MOVEMENT,
AND TWO, MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT FOCUSES YOUR MIND
FOR THE TASK AT HAND,
TRAINING FOR WAR. NOW, RIGHT NOW,
MR. TAKAHASHI'S TEACHING ME
HOW TO DO THIS.
AND I'M REALLY BAD AT IT, 'CAUSE IT'S VERY, VERY--
>> [speaking Japanese]
>> Schappert: VERY, VERY
STRICT FORM AND A DIFFERENT WAY
OF DOING IT.
PULL BACK. NOW, I ACTUALLY WAS JUST
A LITTLE BIT SHORT
OF THE TARGET.
BUT THIS IS A REALLY DIFFERENT WAY OF SHOOTING A BOW
THAN ANYTHING I'VE EVER DONE,
LIKE WITH THE ENGLISH LONGBOWS;
WAY DIFFERENT. VERY RITUALIZED,
VERY STYLIZED.
BUT IF YOU SEE
MR. TAKAHASHI SHOOT, REALLY, REALLY PRETTY
DARN EFFECTIVE.
ALL RIGHT, CAN WE DO
ANOTHER ONE? >> NO, NO, NO, NO.
>> Schappert: NO, NO, NO, NO.
BUT EVIDENTLY, THIS IS EVEN MORE
DIFFICULT THAN I THOUGHT, BECAUSE MR. TAKAHASHI
PROMPTLY TELLS ME
I AM DOING IT ALL WRONG.
I TRY TO SMOOTH THINGS OUT THROUGH MY TRANSLATOR, MIKE.
SO, MIKE, IF YOU COULD APOLOGIZE
TO MR. TAKAHASHI FOR ME BEING
SO BAD AT THIS. >> [speaking Japanese]
>> NO PROBLEM.
THIS IS VERY HARD FOR BEGINNERS.
>> Schappert: IT IS HARD FOR-- THAT MAKES ME FEEL
A LITTLE BIT BETTER,
BUT NOT REALLY.
OKAY, SO HERE WE GO. THE ARROW COMES OUT,
AND WE'VE GOT IT LIKE THIS.
OKAY.
>> [speaking Japanese] >> Schappert: ALMOST EVERYTHING
ABOUT FIRING THIS BOW
IS DIFFERENT THAN WESTERN BOWS.
AND FOR ME, IT'S HARD TO FIGHT MY INSTINCTS AND TRAINING.
THIS IS STILL ANCHORED
ON MY LEG TO GET ME SOME--
REMEMBER RIGHT NOW, I'M RIDING ON A HORSE,
SO YOU HAVE TO PICTURE THIS.
AGAIN, A LITTLE MORE FINESSE
THAN I'M USED TO HERE. THESE FINGERS GO UNDER. AND RIGHT AT THE END,
I LIFT MY FINGER OFF THE ARROW. I ACTUALLY SHOT BETTER THAT TIME
THAN I DID TRYING TO DO
THE WAY I THOUGHT.
THAT WAS AWESOME. <i>ARIGATO.</i> AS PART OF THE TRAINING,
ALL YOUNG SAMURAI
WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED
TO MASTER WEAPONS LIKE THE BOW AND THE SWORD.
BUT WHAT AMAZES ME
IS THAT THIS ONE SAMURAI,
MIYAMOTO MUSASHI, WOULD DARE TO CHANGE
THE WARRIOR CULTURE.
1596:
AT AGE 13, MUSASHI FIGHTS HIS FIRST DUEL.
HIS OPPONENT:
AN ESTABLISHED SWORD MASTER.
THE TWO EXCHANGE BLOWS UNTIL MUSASHI PICKS UP
HIS OPPONENT,
HURLS HIM TO THE GROUND,
AND BEATS HIM TO DEATH WITH HIS WEAPON.
MUSASHI LATER WRITES
THAT HE WON THE DUEL
BECAUSE HE GAVE NO THOUGHT TO HIS OWN LIFE.
HE SIMPLY WALKED IN AND STRUCK.
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE,
MUSASHI WOULD PROVE TIME AND AGAIN
THAT HIS GREATEST WEAPON
IS HIS MIND.
AND HIS SKILLS ARE ABOUT TO BE TESTED IN A BATTLE
THAT WILL FOREVER CHANGE
HIS FUTURE AND THAT OF JAPAN. >> Schappert: NO WEAPON
IS MORE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED
WITH SAMURAI WARRIORS
THAN THE SWORD. BUT BY THE MIDDLE
OF THE 16TH CENTURY,
A TRUE SAMURAI ALSO HAD
TO BE A MASTER OF THIS. [gunshots]
MATCHLOCK GUNS WERE INTRODUCED
BY THE PORTUGUESE IN THE 1540s
AND QUICKLY ADOPTED BY THE SAMURAI ARMIES.
>> [yelling in Japanese]
>> Schappert: THE GUNS
HAVE A KILLING RANGE OF 55 YARDS,
NEARLY TWICE THAT OF THE BOW.
THE MATCHLOCK GETS ITS NAME
FROM ITS LONG-BURNING FUSE. THE FUSE IS PLACED
IN A BRASS SERPENTINE
MOUNTED TO THE SIDE
OF THE GUNSTOCK. WHEN THE TRIGGER IS PULLED,
THE SERPENTINE IS RELEASED,
DROPPING THE FUSE
INTO A PRIMING PAN FULL OF GUNPOWDER.
[gunshots]
>> [speaking Japanese]
>> Schappert: SO THIS IS SIMILAR TO ANY OTHER FRONT-END
MUZZLE-LOADING GUN
THAT WE STILL PRACTICE WITH
IN THE UNITED STATES. AND YOU TAP DOWN THE GUN POWDER.
AND YOU'VE ALSO,
AT THIS POINT NOW,
TAPPED DOWN THE LOAD, WHICH HAS A LITTLE BULLET IN IT.
>> [speaking Japanese]
>> Schappert: OKAY.
THIS FUSE, WHICH, BY THE WAY, STAYS LIT THE WHOLE TIME,
SO YOU REALLY GOT TO BE AWARE
OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS
AND KNOW THAT THIS THING IS STILL BURNING.
OKAY? SO I'VE NOTICED WHAT HE DOES.
HE'S LOADED THE FUSE
INTO THE FUSE HOLDER,
WHICH HAS BEEN COCKED BACK. NOW THE GUN'S READY TO GO.
THE FIRE IS READY
TO TOUCH THE GUN POWDER.
BRING IT UP. AND ON THE--AND THE JAPANESE
COMMAND TO FIRE IS?
>> [yells in Japanese]
[gunshot] >> Schappert: A SKILLED GUNMAN
CAN LOAD AND FIRE HIS WEAPON
IN ABOUT 15 SECONDS
AND GET OFF FOUR SHOTS IN ABOUT A MINUTE.
[gunshots]
EARLY GUNS WERE NOT AS ACCURATE
AS THE BOW, BUT THEY WERE MORE POWERFUL
AND REQUIRED LESS TRAINING.
[gunshots]
THESE EARLY GUNS WERE EFFECTIVE WEAPONS.
BUT IMAGINE TRYING TO RELOAD
ONE OF THESE IN THE HEAT
OF BATTLE WHILE A LINE OF GUYS IS SHOOTING BACK AT YOU.
[gunshots]
AND THAT'S WHERE THE SAMURAI
MIND REALLY COMES INTO PLAY AND THE WAY THEY PREPARE
THEMSELVES TO FACE ALMOST
CERTAIN DEATH
ON THE BATTLEFIELD. [gunshots]
>> [yelling in Japanese] >> Schappert: NOW, WHAT WE'RE
SEEING HERE IS A TRADITIONAL
PRAYER RITUAL USED
BY THE SAMURAI WARRIORS BEFORE GOING INTO COMBAT. SAMURAI WARRIORS WERE PAID
BY THE WARLORDS WITH RICE.
AND THEY BELIEVED THAT BY MAKING
AN OFFERING OF SAKE AND RICE TO THEIR GODS, THEY WOULD BE
GRANTED COURAGE
IN THE UPCOMING FIGHT.
>> OH! >> Schappert: THE RITUAL ENDS
WITH A BATTLE CRY
THAT SIGNIFIES THE SAMURAI
IS READY TO ACCEPT HIS FATE AND EVEN HIS OWN DEATH.
BUT PERHAPS NOTHING SYMBOLIZES
THE SAMURAI'S WILLINGNESS
TO FIGHT MORE THAN WHAT THEY WORE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
SAMURAI ARMOR
IS CALLED<i> TATE NASHI,</i>
WHICH MEANS "ARMOR THAT NEEDS NO SHIELD."
THE PROTECTIVE LAYER
IS A FLEXIBLE MESH
OF TINY METAL OR WOODEN SCALES THAT ARE LACED TOGETHER
WITH SILK.
THE SCALES OVERLAP
LIKE THE SCALES OF A SNAKE, GIVING A DOUBLE LAYER
OF PROTECTION
AND A SURPRISING DEGREE
OF MOBILITY. SO NOW WE'RE IN A FULL SUIT
OF SAMURAI ARMOR,
MITHE HELMET.
AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, IT FEELS PRETTY COOL.
THIS TOOK A WHILE
TO PUT ON, THOUGH.
THERE'S A LOT OF CRISSCROSSING STRAPS
AND A LOT OF SMALL PIECES.
BUT ONCE IT'S ON,
I FEEL VERY MOBILE. EVERYTHING'S EASY TO DO;
KNEELING, GETTING BACK UP,
DRAWING A SWORD.
DEFINITELY, YOU COULD TAKE SOME HITS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE
IT'S GOT LAMINATE.
SO IT COULD TAKE THE HITS HERE. ALSO GOT CHAIN MAIL ON MY SHINS.
YOU COULD FIGHT WITH THIS.
>> YAH!
>> Schappert: AH! OH!
I COULD TELL YOU,
THIS IS REALLY FAST,
BUT THE ARMOR MOVES WELL. IT'S ARTICULATED
SO I CAN GO BACK AND FORTH.
BUT YOU HAVE TO MOVE QUICKLY
'CAUSE THIS IS A RAZOR COMING TO TAKE YOUR LIFE.
AH! BUT THE SAMURAI ARMOR
WASN'T JUST FOR PROTECTION.
THE DETAILS REVEAL
SOMETHING BIGGER. THE SAMURAI PERSONALIZE
THEIR HELMETS WITH ORNAMENTATION
DESIGNED TO INTIMIDATE
THE ENEMY. THE BRIGHT COLORS WERE BELIEVED
TO INSPIRE HEROIC DEEDS
IN BATTLE.
AND EVERY FOOT SOLDIER WORE A SASHIMO,
OR A FLAG ON HIS BACK,
SO HE COULD EASILY
BE IDENTIFIED IN BATTLE. THE IDEA WAS TO INVITE
THE ENEMY TO ATTACK.
THIS IS A KEY INSIGHT
INTO THE CODE OF BUSHIDO. THE ARMY ISN'T JUST
TO PROTECT LIFE.
IT'S INVITATION TO DEATH ITSELF.
IN A WAY, GOING INTO BATTLE, THEY SORT OF THOUGHT OF
THEMSELVES AS ALREADY
BEING DEAD.
RIGHT. YOU CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND
HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS
FOR THESE GUYS TO NOT ONLY
FIGHT BRAVELY, BUT TO HAVE HONOR IN DEATH.
NOTHING WAS MORE IMPORTANT
TO THE SAMURAI WARRIOR
THAN FIGHTING AND DYING WITH HONOR.
SUMMER, 1600.
RIVAL SAMURAI ARMIES,
ONE FROM THE EAST AND ONE FROM THE WEST,
ARRIVE AT A CRITICAL CROSSROADS
CALLED SEKIGAHARA.
MIYAMOTO MUSASHI, NOW 17 YEARS OLD,
COMES UPON THE TWO GREAT ARMIES
AND SEES HIS CHANCE
TO PROVE HIMSELF IN BATTLE. HE HONORS HIS FAMILY'S
ALLEGIANCE AND JOINS
THE ARMY OF THE WEST,
A DECISION THAT WOULD FOREVER DEFINE MUSASHI'S PLACE
IN SAMURAI SOCIETY.
AS A NEW RECRUIT,
MUSASHI WOULD'VE FOUGHT IN THE FRONT LINES
OF THE SAMURAI ARMY.
>> [yelling in Japanese]
>> Schappert: AND HE LIKELY WOULD'VE GONE INTO BATTLE
ARMED WITH THIS,
A SPEAR.
THE JAPANESE SPEAR IS CALLED A YARI.
IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT
FROM EUROPEAN SPEARS.
MADE OF HARDWOOD, THEY VARY IN LENGTH,
WITH THE LONGEST REACHING
OVER 20 FEET.
AT ONE END IS AN IRON POMMEL, WHICH ACTS AS A COUNTERWEIGHT
BUT WAS ALSO USED
AS A POUNDING WEAPON
IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT. AT THE OTHER END
WAS AN INCREDIBLY SHARP BLADE
MADE FROM THE SAME
HIGH-QUALITY STEEL AS THE SAMURAI SWORD.
THE BLADE IS FLAT.
AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED
TO PIERCE THE SPACES BETWEEN THE PLATES
OF THE SAMURAI ARMOR.
SO NOW MR. UTA IS GOING
TO SHOW ME SOME TECHNIQUES THESE GUYS ACTUALLY USED
WITH THESE WEAPONS.
OKAY.
SO THE FIRST... WE CIRCLE, COME IN,
AND KICK AND WITHDRAW,
AGAIN, USING BODY MECHANICS.
AND HERE, WHAT HE DID, HE EXTENDED AND REACHED
ALL THE WAY ACROSS LIKE THIS.
WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS DECEPTIVELY
GETTING RANGE ON THE GUY TO GET HIM.
OKAY, WHAT'S NEXT? AGAIN, PRETTY SIMPLE MOVE.
YOU'RE HERE.
YOU LIFT UP.
YOU OPEN THE GUY UP, AND THEN YOU COME THROUGH
AND YOU ATTACK
WITH THE END OF THE SPEAR.
LET'S GO AGAIN. CIRCLE, UP, KICK, EXTEND.
PERFECT.
BODY MECHANICS, SKILL,
TRAINING, AND FEROCITY. THESE GUYS WERE UNSTOPPABLE
IN BATTLE.
THE BATTLEFIELD SKILLS
OF THE SAMURAI WARRIOR WOULD BE PUT TO THE TEST,
BECAUSE TWO OF HISTORY'S
GREATEST SAMURAI ARMIES
ARE ABOUT TO COLLIDE. OCTOBER 21, 1600:
SAMURAI ARMIES
OF THE EAST AND WEST WILL MEET
AT THE BATTLE OF SEKIGAHARA. MUSASHI FIGHTS FOR THE WEST
AND DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF
WITH GREAT HONOR IN COMBAT.
BUT THE WEST IS DEFEATED IN ONE OF THE MOST
DECISIVE BATTLES
IN JAPANESE HISTORY. 700 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR
ARE OVER.
JAPAN IS FINALLY AT PEACE.
BUT FOR THE SAMURAI WARRIOR, IT'S THE END OF AN ERA.
NO LONGER WILL THEY FIGHT
IN PITCHED BATTLES.
THE SAMURAI WARRIOR CULTURE IS ABOUT TO UNDERGO
A DRASTIC CHANGE.
AT THE HEART OF THAT CHANGE
WILL BE MUSASHI. HE'S ABOUT TO SET OUT
ON A JOURNEY ACROSS JAPAN,
A JOURNEY THAT WILL CHALLENGE
THE CODE AND THE MINDSET OF THE SAMURAI WARRIOR. SO THE SAMURAI CULTURE
HAS CHANGED
FROM ONE OF BATTLEFIELD WARRIOR
TO LONE SWORDSMAN. MUSASHI AND HIS SAMURAI
HAVE NO WAR TO FIGHT IN.
SO THEY ROAM THE COUNTRYSIDE
CHALLENGING EACH OTHER TO DUELS. FOR MANY, THE WEAPON OF CHOICE
WAS THE SWORD. >> [grunting]
>> Schappert: I HAVE THE HONOR
OF LEARNING FROM ONE OF THE
GREATEST SWORDSMEN ALIVE TODAY, KIYOSHI YOSHIMOCHI.
HE HAS A DIRECT LINK
TO THE TEACHINGS OF MUSASHI.
HE'S SO REVERED IN JAPANESE SOCIETY
THAT HE'S ALWAYS
ADDRESSED AS "SENSEI,"
THE JAPANESE WORD FOR "TEACHER" AND A HIGH FORM OF RESPECT.
AND IN HIS HANDS,
WE CAN SEE JUST HOW LETHAL
THE JAPANESE KATANA CAN BE BY TESTING THE BLADE
AGAINST A BUNDLE OF RICE STRAW.
>> [speaking Japanese]
>> THE EDGING IS CALLED MURKY WATER.
>> Schappert: IT MAY NOT
LOOK LIKE MUCH, BUT THESE
BUNDLES ARE SOAKED IN WATER UNTIL THEY TAKE ON
THE DENSITY OF A LIVING
HUMAN BODY,
THE TRUE TEST OF THE JAPANESE KATANA.
>> WHEN A BUSHI, OR A WARRIOR,
ORDERED A KATANA FROM A SMITH,
THEY'D WANT TO TEST THE BLADE, THE CUTTING QUALITY
OF THE BLADE,
AFTER IT'D BEEN COMPLETED.
AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS, THEY WOULD TEST THE BLADE
ON CONDEMNED
OR ALREADY DEAD PRISONERS.
>> Schappert: WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD
OF THE SAMURAI WARRIOR.
EVEN WITH A BLADE
AS SHARP AS A KATANA, IT TAKES INCREDIBLE SKILL
TO CUT THROUGH A TARGET
THIS DENSE AND WITH
NO WASTED MOVEMENT. THE SWORDSMAN MUST HIT
THE TARGET STRAIGHT ON
TO GET A CLEAN CUT. I'M LOOKING AT THIS HERE,
AND THIS IS CUT COMPLETELY
CLEANLY THROUGH.
IMAGINE THIS BEING TISSUE, MUSCLE, BONE, BLOOD,
CUTTING RIGHT THROUGH IT
LIKE A SCALPEL.
VERY SERIOUS. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
THE POWER COMES FROM THE HIPS
AND THROUGH THE PINKY FINGER
INTO THE SWORD. >> [speaking Japanese]
>> SO AS WE CUT,
AS WE GO INTO THE CUT,
WE DROP OUR HIPS DOWN. >> Schappert: BUT YOU'RE REALLY
SINKING YOUR HIPS INTO IT.
>> YOU'RE SINKING YOUR HIPS
INTO IT, EXACTLY. >> Schappert: YEAH, OKAY, GOOD.
>> NOT STINKING
YOUR BACKSIDE OUT.
>> Schappert: NO, NO GOOD. NO GOOD.
AM I GETTING IT?
>> YOU ARE.
>> Schappert: HERE GOES. <i>ARIGATO GOZAIMASU.</i> THIS IS A TRUE HONOR FOR ME,
TO BE OFFERED NOT ONLY
MASTER YOSHIMOCHI'S GUIDANCE
BUT ALSO THE USE OF HIS PERSONAL WEAPON
IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF RESPECT
FOR A SAMURAI WARRIOR.
TELL SENSEI I'LL TRY TO MAKE SURE I GET EVERYTHING RIGHT.
>> [speaking Japanese] SO, SENSEI, I WAS VERY NERVOUS
ABOUT DOING THIS.
WAS IT AN OKAY CUT
FOR A FIRST TIME? >> [speaking Japanese]
>> FANTASTIC.
BEAUTIFUL CUTTING.
>> Schappert: PLEASE TELL SENSEI THE ONLY REASON I COULD'VE DONE
IT IS THAT I WAS LEARNING
FROM A TRUE MASTER.
>> [speaking Japanese] >> Schappert:<i> ARIGATO GOZAIMASU,</i>
MASTER SENSEI.
>><i> ARIGATO GOZAIMASU.</i>
>> Schappert: FELT GREAT. VERY SERIOUS FEELING.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS
TO THINK ABOUT,
A LOT OF BODY MECHANICS, A LOT OF MENTAL THINGS
TO KEEP IN.
BUT THE MAIN THING IS--
AND IT'S TAKEN YEARS, YEARS, A LIFETIME TO BE THE LEVEL
THAT SENSEI IS.
BUT THIS IS A PERFECT MELDING
OF MIND AND WEAPON ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
THAT WAS REALLY GREAT.
I'M REALLY LUCKY
TO GET A CHANCE TO DO THIS. VERY FEW PEOPLE EVER GET
A CHANCE TO...<i>
ARIGATO GOZAIMASU.</i> SKILLS WITH THE SWORD
WERE BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT
TO THE SAMURAI WARRIORS
BECAUSE THEY WERE ENTERING A NEW PHASE,
THE PHASE OF THE RONIN. WHAT IS A RONIN? SO A ROAMING WARRIOR--
>> ROAMING AROUND.
NO MASTER.
>> Schappert: THESE GUYS, DID THEY SEEK EACH OTHER OUT
TO CHALLENGE EACH OTHER?
IS THAT HOW IT WORKS? WELL, THAT'S--
I MEAN, IN A WAY--
BUT THAT'S THE THING.
WHEN YOU HAVE A WARRIOR CULTURE AND YOU TAKE AWAY THE WAR,
YOU STILL HAVE THE URGE TO FIGHT
AND THE NEED TO FIGHT.
SO THESE GUYS HAVE TO FIGHT SOMEBODY.
>> UH-HUH.
>> Schappert: HARA. SO THE SAMURAI WERE BECOMING
WANDERING SWORDSMEN.
I'VE SEEN HOW THEY USED
AND TRAINED WITH A KATANA. TO REALLY APPRECIATE
THE POWER OF THE SAMURAI SWORD,
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
HOW IT'S MADE. MR. MATSUDA IS A MODERN-DAY
SWORD MAKER THAT STILL MAKES
THE JAPANESE KATANA
THE TRADITIONAL WAY. THE SECRET:
A PRECISE BLENDING
OF STRENGTH AND SHARPNESS.
THE STRENGTH COMES FROM AN INNER CORE OF SOFT,
LOW-CARBON STEEL.
THIS FLEXIBLE INNER CORE
ACTS LIKE A SHOCK ABSORBER THAT PREVENTS BREAKAGE.
THE SWORD'S SHARPNESS
COMES FROM AN OUTER LAYER
OF HARDER, HIGH-CARBON STEEL THAT CAN HOLD AN EDGE
THAT'S RAZOR SHARP. FIRST, THE HIGH-CARBON STEEL
IS HEATED, WHICH IS TRICKY,
BECAUSE THE METAL
HAS TO BE BROUGHT TO JUST THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE. THEN IT'S FOLDED.
THIS MIXES THE STEEL
AND DISTRIBUTES THE CARBON. BUT AT ANY POINT,
THE STEEL COULD BREAK.
UNBELIEVABLE.
IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BREAK,
AND IT DIDN'T. AMAZING.
HE ALMOST CUT THAT BLOCK
IN HALF, JUST ENOUGH SPACE,
BENT IT BACK, AND FOLDED IT OVER.
HE'S GOING TO DO THIS
MULTIPLE TIMES,
MAYBE 10, 15 MORE. IT DEPENDS ON THE SMITH.
ONCE HE'S HAPPY
WITH THE CONSISTENCY
OF THE STEEL, HE THEN CREATES
A U-SHAPED ENVELOPE.
INSIDE THIS OUTER ENVELOPE,
HE WILL LAYER IN THE LOWER-CARBON FLEXIBLE
INNER CORE.
THEN HE SPENDS MONTHS
SHAPING, QUENCHING, AND POLISHING THE SWORD.
A SINGLE KATANA
TAKES 8 TO 12 MONTHS
TO COMPLETE. THIS IS WHAT REALLY DELINEATED
SAMURAI WARRIORS FROM
ANY OTHER THAT HAVE EVER
WALKED ON PLANET EARTH. MUSASHI MOST CERTAINLY FOUGHT
AND WON DUELS WITH A KATANA
LIKE THIS.
BUT LITTLE ELSE IS TRADITIONAL ABOUT MUSASHI.
HE'S KNOWN FOR HIS
UNRULY APPEARANCE
AND TATTERED CLOTHING. HE PLEDGES NO ALLEGIANCE
TO ANY RULING MASTER OR FAMILY.
AND HE IS STARTING TO DEVELOP
A FIGHTING STYLE OF HIS OWN. TO LEARN MUSASHI'S TECHNIQUES,
I MUST CONTINUE MY TRAINING
WITH YOSHIMOCHI SENSEI.
HE IS THE WORLD'S LEADING MASTER OF<i> NITEN ICHI-RYU,</i>
THE FIGHTING SCHOOL
FOUNDED BY MUSASHI
OVER 400 YEARS AGO. I'VE STUDIED FIGHTING TECHNIQUES
FOR MOST OF MY LIFE.
BUT TO LEARN FROM A MASTER
IS AN HONOR. LIKE ALL JAPANESE
FIGHTING SCHOOLS,
MUSASHI'S TEACHINGS
RELY ON A KATA, WHICH ARE A SERIES
OF PREDETERMINED MOVES,
ATTACKS, AND DEFENSES.
THE KATA ARE PRACTICED TODAY AS THEY WERE BY MUSASHI
WITH BOKKEN, OR WOODEN SWORDS. >> THE HEIGHT
OF THE TIP OF THE BLADE
SHOULD BE EXACTLY THE SAME
HEIGHT AS YOUR THROAT. >> Schappert: EACH KATA
IS CAREFULLY CHOREOGRAPHED
TO TEACH A CENTRAL PRINCIPLE.
THIS ONE, THE FIRST KATA, TEACHES HOW TO GO
FOR AN OPPONENT'S THROAT.
>> [speaking Japanese]
>> THE POINT IS, YOU'RE BOTH GOING INTO EACH OTHER,
FOCUSING ON EACH OTHER'S CENTER.
OKAY, BUT AS SOON AS UCHI,
THE OTHER SIDE, MAKES AN ATTACK, THAT'S WHEN YOU MOVE
OFF THE CENTER.
>> Schappert: THE OFFLINE.
>> YEAH, BUT YOU'RE MOVING YOUR BODY OFF-CENTER.
YOU'RE STILL MAINTAINING
THE CENTER FROM
A DIFFERENT ANGLE, MAKING HIS CUT INEFFECTIVE.
>> Schappert: HIS CUT'S
GOING TO MISS YOU.
EVEN WITH MY FORMAL MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING,
THIS IS HARD...
BECAUSE MUSASHI'S TEACHINGS
NOT ONLY REQUIRE EXACT POSITIONING AND MOVEMENT.
YOU MUST ALSO HOLD
A PROPER GAZE,
OR PLACEMENT OF THE EYES. IT TEACHES MENTAL STRENGTH
AND CONCENTRATION.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TO BRING IT
ALL TOGETHER WITH PRECISE TIMING. WOW.
THERE'S A LOT TO FOCUS ON
AND A LOT TO THINK ABOUT.
AND EVEN AT THAT LAST MOMENT, I KNOW WE'RE USING
WOODEN TRAINING SWORDS,
YOU CAN REALLY FEEL THE POWER
OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. THIS IS THE SAME PRINCIPLE
THAT USE IN ANY KIND
OF FIGHTING,
WHETHER IT'S KARATE, JUDO, OR FIGHTING IN IRAQ.
WE WANT TO CONTROL OURSELVES,
CONTROL OUR ENVIRONMENT,
AND NOT GIVE ANYTHING AWAY UNTIL THE LAST POSSIBLE SECOND
SO THAT YOU ACTUALLY
ASSURE VICTORY.
GREAT FEELING. DURING THIS RONIN PERIOD
OF WANDERING SAMURAI,
MUSASHI WAS PERFECTING
HIS DUELING SKILLS AND HIS USE OF NEW WEAPONS. 1604:
MUSASHI FIGHTS SEVERAL DUELS
AGAINST SWORD MASTERS
FROM FIGHTING SCHOOLS ACROSS JAPAN.
HE WILL GAIN THE COMPETITIVE
EDGE NOT WITH A SWORD
BUT WITH HIS MIND. MUSASHI ARRIVES LATE
FOR THE FIRST TWO DUELS.
IT'S A TACTIC DESIGNED
TO FRUSTRATE HIS OPPONENTS. THE STRATEGY WORKS.
AND MUSASHI WINS
THE FIRST TWO DUELS.
STUDENTS OF THE SCHOOL ARE OUTRAGED
AND PLAN TO AMBUSH MUSASHI
AT THE NEXT DUEL.
BUT THIS TIME, MUSASHI ARRIVES EARLY
AND CATCHES THE AMBUSHERS
BY SURPRISE.
MUSASHI CUTS DOWN SEVERAL OF THE ATTACKERS
WITH HIS SWORD
AND ESCAPES YET AGAIN.
MUSASHI HAS DEVELOPED A REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE BEST,
IF NOT THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL,
DUELERS. BUT IF MUSASHI IS TO CHANGE
THE SAMURAI CULTURE FOR GOOD,
HE WILL HAVE TO SHARPEN
HIS SKILLS AND HIS MIND EVEN MORE AND ADAPT
TO NEW WEAPONS
AND NEW TACTICS. DURING THIS TIME,
MUSASHI FIGHTS OVER 60 DUELS
AND NEVER LOSES.
THE KEY TO HIS SUCCESS: CONSTANTLY ADAPTING
TO HIS OPPONENTS.
BUT MUSASHI'S OPPONENTS
WERE ADAPTING AS WELL. THIS IS THE JO,
A SIMPLE WOODEN STAFF
ABOUT FOUR FEET LONG.
BY 1608, A NEW FIGHTING SCHOOL ADOPTED THIS AS ITS
PRIMARY WEAPON
AND AS AN ALTERNATE
TO THE SWORD IN A DUEL. THIS IS A WEAPON
MUSASHI WOULD HAVE TO DEFEAT.
THE JO IS AS SIMPLE A WEAPON
AS YOU CAN GET, BASICALLY, JUST A PIECE OF WOOD.
BUT THAT SIMPLICITY
ALSO MAKES IT
INCREDIBLY VERSATILE. IT'S ALL ABOUT
CONTROLLING DISTANCE
AND BEING ABLE TO ATTACK
YOUR ENEMY WHILE STAYING SAFELY OUT OF THE REACH
OF HIS SWORD.
AND A TRUE MASTER
CAN USE THAT ADVANTAGE TO DISARM AN OPPONENT
AND MOVE IN FOR THE KILL.
THIS IS SUCH A PRIVILEGE.
GUYS IN SPECIAL FORCES LIVE TO SEE THIS.
THIS IS A DEMONSTRATION
OF SKILL AND SPEED
THAT WE ASPIRE TO. SO NOW YOSHIDA SENSEI
IS ABOUT TO SHOW ME
SOME WAYS THAT THE JO
CAN DEFEAT THE SWORD. AY!
I'M IN.
RIGHT AWAY, HE HITS MY WRIST.
NERVE STRIKE. I TRY TO GET AWAY.
BOOM, RIGHT ON TOP.
HE HAS NOW REALLY DISABLED
BOTH MY HANDS WITH AN ACCURATE STRIKE
RIGHT ON THAT RADIAL NERVE.
I'M TRYING TO GET AWAY...
OH. THAT WOODEN STRIKE
RIGHT THERE TO THE THROAT
IN THAT LITTLE CONCENTRATED AREA
WILL CRUSH YOUR WINDPIPE AND KILL YOU.
AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH,
I THEN GET A GROIN STRIKE,
AND I'M TAKEN TO THE GROUND. >> [speaking Japanese]
>> Schappert: AND RIGHT NOW...
RIGHT NOW, HE'S EXPLAINING
ZANCHIN, WHICH IS A MINDSET THAT ALL WARRIORS TRAIN.
AND WHAT THAT IS
IS THAT THE FIGHT
IS NEVER OVER. EVEN THOUGH I LOOK
LIKE I'M DEFEATED
AND I MAY BE,
HE'S STILL IN THE FIGHT READY TO ATTACK AND KILL
AT ANY MOMENT'S NOTICE.
THIS IS WHAT SAMURAI
WERE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT. IT'S AMAZING HOW DIFFICULT IT IS
TO GET PAST THE JO
WITH A SWORD.
BUT YOSHIDA SENSEI HAS STUDIED AND TRAINED WITH THIS WEAPON
FOR ALMOST HIS ENTIRE LIFE.
IT'S LIKE I ALWAYS SAY,
A TRUE WARRIOR IS NOT DEFINED BY HIS WEAPON
BUT BY HIS SKILLS
AND MINDSET.
MUSASHI NEVER LOST A FIGHT. BUT HE DID FIGHT TO ONE DRAW,
AND IT WAS AGAINST
THAT WEAPON.
SO THE SAMURAI WARRIORS WERE CONSTANTLY MODIFYING
THEIR SKILLS AND THEIR WEAPONS.
AND THE JO WAS NOT THE ONLY
NEW WEAPON MUSASHI WOULD FACE. THIS IS THE KUSARIGAMA,
A SICKLE ON A CHAIN. IT'S BELIEVED THE KUSARIGAMA
WAS ORIGINALLY
AN AGRICULTURAL TOOL.
BUT IN THE HANDS OF THE SAMURAI WARRIOR,
IT'S AN INCREDIBLY
DEADLY WEAPON. THE KUSARIGAMA IS MADE UP
OF THREE BASIC PARTS:
THE MOST IMPORTANT, THE CHAIN,
WHICH VARIED IN LENGTH DEPENDING ON THE WARRIOR.
ON ONE END OF THE CHAIN
WAS A WEIGHT, WHICH ALLOWED
FOR MORE EFFECTIVE THROWING. AND ON THE OTHER END,
DOUBLE-EDGED SICKLE
MADE OF IRON OR STEEL AND HONED
TO A RAZOR-SHARP POINT. HOW LONG'S THAT CHAIN, SENSEI? A WEIGHT AT THE END OF THE CHAIN
TO GIVE IT SOME HEFT
WHEN YOU'RE SWINGING IT.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF WAYS TO USE A KUSARIGAMA.
YOU CAN THROW THE WEIGHT
DIRECTLY AT YOUR OPPONENT'S HEAD
TO DISTRACT HIM, OR, EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE,
USE THE CHAIN TO WRAP HIM UP.
SO THE PRIMARY PURPOSE
OF THIS CHAIN IS ACTUALLY TO WRAP THE GUY UP
AND IMMOBILIZE HIM.
THIS WEIGHT, JUST BY MOMENTUM,
SWINGS AROUND. NOW HE'S GOT MY JOINT.
THEY DON'T SWING THIS SICKLE.
THIS IS USED TO COME IN
AND FINISH THE GUY AFTER YOU GOT HIM ALL BOUND UP.
VERY THOUGHTFUL
AND REALLY DEADLY. FIGHTING THE KUSARIGAMA
IS REALLY DIFFICULT,
BECAUSE WITH THE KATANA,
I HAVE TO GET INSIDE FOUR FEET TO STRIKE HIM.
BUT HE CAN BE OVER TEN FEET AWAY
AND STILL DELIVER A BLOW.
AND A SKILLED FIGHTER CAN USE THE KUSARIGAMA
TO QUICKLY DISARM HIS OPPONENT. AH. THAT WAS GREAT.
I MEAN,
THAT'S A REALLY SCARY WEAPON,
'CAUSE HE'S SO GOOD AND HE'S SO FAST.
AND THE DIRECTION
CHANGES SO QUICKLY.
HE WAS BEING NICE TO ME. BUT IF HE WANTED TO,
HE COULD'VE EASILY
TAKEN ME DOWN AND KILLED ME.
WE'D LOVE TO SEE THAT. THAT'S WHAT BEING A WARRIOR'S
ALL ABOUT. AND MUSASHI HIMSELF
ALMOST MET HIS END
WHEN HE DUELED AN OPPONENT
ARMED WITH A KUSARIGAMA. THE OPPONENT HAS MUSASHI'S
LONG SWORD WRAPPED UP
IN HIS CHAIN
AND HE'S MOVING IN FOR THE KILL. BUT MUSASHI,
STAYING COOL UNDER PRESSURE,
DRAWS HIS SHORT SWORD,
THROWS IT AT HIM, AND STABS HIM IN THE HEART.
MUSASHI HAD ONCE AGAIN SURVIVED
THANKS TO QUICK THINKING
AND HIS ABILITY TO ADAPT. MUSASHI'S GREATEST WEAPON
MAY HAVE BEEN HIS ABILITY
TO CONSTANTLY DEVELOP
NEW WAYS OF USING WEAPONS AND NEW STRATEGIES
TO BRING TO EVERY FIGHT.
AND MUSASHI WOULD HAVE TO ADAPT
YET AGAIN FOR HIS NEXT AND MOST CHALLENGING DUEL.
HIS NAME IS SASAKI KOJIRO,
AND HE HAS BUILT A REPUTATION
AS ONE OF JAPAN'S MASTER DUELERS.
HE IS UNDEFEATED
AND EARNS THE NAME
"DEMON OF THE WESTERN PROVINCE." WELL, KOJIRO WAS WHAT YOU WOULD
SORT OF CONSIDER THE CLASSICAL
PICTURE OF A SAMURAI.
I MEAN, HE FOLLOWED TRADITIONS. HE KEPT HIMSELF COMPLETELY
IMMACULATELY DRESSED.
I MEAN, ALL OF THOSE THINGS,
HE FOLLOWED. RIGHT. KOJIRO IS VERY TRADITIONAL,
VERY REVERENT,
VERY RESPECTED,
EVERYTHING THAT MUSASHI IS NOT. MUSASHI LEARNS
OF KOJIRO'S REPUTATION
AND CHALLENGES HIM TO A DUEL.
HE KNOWS THIS IS GOING TO BE THE TOUGHEST FIGHT OF HIS LIFE,
BECAUSE KOJIRO IS
NO ORDINARY SWORDSMAN
AND HE FIGHTS WITH NO ORDINARY SWORD.
THIS IS THE SWORD KOJIRO
IS KNOWN FOR,
A WEAPON HE CALLED THE DRYING POLE,
BECAUSE IT WAS SO LONG,
IT RESEMBLED THE LONG
BAMBOO POLES THAT WERE USED AT THE TIME TO DRY LAUNDRY.
NOW, THIS SWORD
IS SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER
THAN THE KATANA. AND KOJIRO KNEW IT WOULD
GIVE HIM MORE RANGE
IN THE FIGHT.
BUT HE ALSO BELIEVED THAT IT WOULD
INTIMIDATE HIS OPPONENTS. KOJIRO ACCEPTS
MUSASHI'S CHALLENGE.
A DUEL IS SET.
THE PLACE: A TINY ISLAND
OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN.
THE TIME:
DAWN, THE HOUR OF THE DRAGON. MUSASHI HAS TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO BEAT THE TOUGHEST OPPONENT
HE WILL EVER FACE.
AND TO DO IT, HE WILL HAVE TO ADAPT
ONCE AGAIN AND CREATE
AN ENTIRELY NEW WEAPON. >> Schappert: APRIL 12, 1612,
THE DAY BEFORE THE MOST FAMOUS
ONE-ON-ONE DUEL
IN JAPANESE HISTORY. TWO PROMINENT SAMURAI,
SASAKI KOJIRO
AND MIYAMOTO MUSASHI,
HAVE AGREED TO A SHOWDOWN ON GANRYU ISLAND,
JUST OFF THE COAST
OF SOUTHERN JAPAN.
BOTH MUSASHI AND KOJIRO GO INTO THE DUEL UNDEFEATED.
BUT OTHERWISE,
THEY ARE COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT WARRIORS. KOJIRO IS WELL DRESSED,
WELL RESPECTED,
WELL CONNECTED
TO JAPAN'S RULING FAMILIES AND KNOW FOR HIS GRACEFUL SKILLS
WITH THE LONG SWORD,
A SWORD THAT'S SEVERAL INCHES
LONGER THAN ANY KATANA. MUSASHI, BY CONTRAST,
IS AN OUTSIDER, A DRIFTER,
AND KNOWN TO FIGHT
WITH WHATEVER WEAPON IS AT HAND. THE TRADITIONAL PERFECT IDEAL
OF A SAMURAI.
AND YOU HAVE MUSASHI
WHO WAS THIS KIND OF WILD, UNKEMPT... THE DAY BEFORE THE DUEL,
KOJIRO IS PRAYING
TO THE GODS FOR VICTORY,
PREPARING FOR THE FIGHT THE TRADITIONAL SAMURAI WAY,
BUT MUSASHI IS MISSING.
SOME THINK HE IS AFRAID
TO FACE KOJIRO AND HAS RUN AWAY.
BUT THEY ARE WRONG.
MUSASHI HAS NOT RUN.
HE'S IN THE COUNTRY PREPARING FOR THE DUEL
HIS OWN WAY.
FOR MUSASHI,
PREPARING FOR BATTLE IS NOT ABOUT PRAYER.
IT'S ABOUT USING HIS WITS
AND OUTSMARTING HIS OPPONENT.
HE KNOWS HE MUST FIND A WAY TO COUNTER THE LONG SWORD
OF KOJIRO.
SO HE CREATES HIS OWN WEAPON,
A WOODEN SWORD ABOUT AN INCH OR SO LONGER
THAN KOJIRO'S.
HE CARVED THIS WEAPON
FROM AN EXTRA OAR ON THE ROWBOAT HE WAS
TO TAKE TO THE DUEL. DAWN, APRIL 13, 1612:
IT'S THE MORNING OF THE DUEL,
AND IN TRUE SAMURAI FASHION,
KOJIRO HAS ARRIVED EARLY AND READY TO GO.
MUSASHI ISN'T EVEN HERE.
KOJIRO IS FURIOUS.
AND IT'S THE HEIGHT OF INSULT TO NOT SHOW UP
WHEN YOU MAKE A DUEL
WITH A SAMURAI.
WHERE IS MUSASHI? WHERE COULD HE BE RIGHT NOW?
IS HE AFRAID,
OR IS HE JUST CRAZY?
KOJIRO HAS NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND LITTLE DOES HE KNOW
THAT HE IS PLAYING
RIGHT INTO MUSASHI'S HANDS. FOR MUSASHI,
THE DUEL HAS ALREADY BEGUN.
AND HE KNOWS THAT
BY ARRIVING LATE, HE WILL THROW KOJIRO
OFF HIS GAME.
>> HE KNEW HOW TO PSYCH HIM OUT.
>> Schappert: YEAH, EXACTLY. HE KNEW WHAT WOULD GET
TO KOJIRO,
AND IT WORKED.
>> YEAH, IT WORKED. >> Schappert: RIGHT. MUSASHI FINALLY ARRIVES,
AND HE'S TWO HOURS LATE.
HE CALMLY GETS OUT OF THE BOAT
AND APPROACHES THE SHORE. KOJIRO LOOKS AND CAN'T BELIEVE
HIS EYES.
INSTEAD OF THE SWORD,
MUSASHI HAS BROUGHT THIS, A PIECE OF WOOD
WHITTLED FROM AN OAR.
KOJIRO CAN'T EVEN
THINK STRAIGHT. HE YELLS AT MUSASHI,
"ARE YOU LATE
BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID?"
HE DRAWS HIS SWORD AND THROWS THE SCABBARD AWAY. MUSASHI CALMLY TURNS TO KOJIRO
AND SAYS,
"YOU HAVE ALREADY LOST."
MUSASHI'S TAUNT ENRAGES KOJIRO EVEN MORE.
GAME ON.
KOJIRO MAKES THE FIRST MOVE
AND VICIOUSLY ATTACKS MUSASHI. BOOM!
MUSASHI POSITIONS HIMSELF
SO THE SWORD MISSES HIM
BY INCHES. NOW HE'S GOT HIS OPENING. DIRECT HIT ON THE TOP
OF KOJIRO'S HEAD.
KOJIRO IS DOWN. MUSASHI LOWERS HIS WEAPON,
MAINTAINING HIS FOCUS ON KOJIRO,
WHO DOES NOT MOVE.
SUDDENLY, WITH LIFE STILL IN HIM,
KOJIRO'S SWINGS
AT MUSASHI'S LEG,
BARELY MISSING AN ARTERY. MUSASHI COUNTERS
WITH A VICIOUS BLOW
TO THE CHEST. BLOOD FLOWED
FROM THE MOUTH OF KOJIRO.
MUSASHI CHECKS
FOR SIGNS OF LIFE. THERE ARE NONE.
THE DUEL IS OVER. MUSASHI WOULD NEVER AGAIN
CHALLENGE ANOTHER SWORD MASTER
TO A DUEL.
INSTEAD, HE FIGHTS ONLY WHEN CHALLENGED
AND NEVER AGAIN TO THE DEATH.
AFTER THE FIGHT THEN, MUSASHI...
DID HE DISAPPEAR? I MEAN, WHERE DID HE GO? AT THE END OF HIS LIFE,
MUSASHI RETREATED
TO A CAVE AND WROTE<i>
THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS,</i> ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL BOOKS
EVER WRITTEN ON THE MIND
OF THE WARRIOR
AND THE TACTICS OF FIGHTING. FOR ME, PERSONALLY,
IF I COULD HAVE ONLY ONE BOOK
ABOUT BEING A WARRIOR,
IT WOULD BE MUSASHI'S <i>BOOK OF FIVE RINGS.</i> AND HIS LEGACY CONTINUES
TO THIS DAY.
MUSASHI'S FIGHTING SCHOOL
SURVIVES. ITS HEADMASTER,
YOSHIMOCHI SENSEI.
HE IS THE 12TH SUCCESSOR
OF MUSASHI HIMSELF. IT'S A POSITION
OF SUCH PROMINENCE
THAT HIS NAME IS ENGRAVED
IN THIS MONUMENT DEDICATED TO MUSASHI'S MEMORY.
THIS IS SENSEI RIGHT THERE? I FEEL A REAL BOND
TO YOSHIMOCHI SENSEI.
LIKE ME,
HE IS A MODERN-DAY WARRIOR, AN EXTENSION OF A GREAT
WARRIOR CULTURE.
IT'S BEEN A VERY BIG
HONOR FOR ME AS A SPECIAL FORCES SOLDIER
TO MEET FOLKS LIKE YOU
AND SENSEI.
BUT THE GREATEST HONOR IS STILL TO COME.
A VERY SPECIAL GIFT FROM SENSEI,
A PAIR OF WOODEN BOKKEN,
MEANT TO BRING ME AND MY UNIT GOOD LUCK.
>> [speaking Japanese]
>> THIS IS TO BRING YOU LUCK
IN YOUR UPCOMING TRIP OVERSEAS TO AFGHANISTAN.
GOOD LUCK. >> Schappert: HONOR, COURAGE,
LOYALTY, AND SERVICE:
THESE DEFINE THE SAMURAI,
AND THEY DEFINE SOLDIERS TODAY. MUSASHI'S LEGACY
OF AN OPEN MIND,
AN ABILITY TO ADAPT,
AND CONSTANT PURSUIT OF PERFECTION
ARE WHAT WE STRIVE FOR
IN SPECIAL FORCES.
LIKE SENSEI AND MUSASHI BEFORE HIM,
I AM HONORED TO BE PART
OF THE GREAT WARRIOR TRADITION. Captioning by<font color="#00FF00"> CaptionMax
www.captionmax.com</font>
