MUSASHI is no doubt the legendary Samurai hero dramatized into a number of plays and novels most famous of which is by Yoshikawa Eiji. Thomas Cleary not only translated this classic by Musashi's own writing into English, but he also introduced Musashi's archrival bushido school by Yagyus' chief Munenori's "The Book of Family Traditions of Book of War". Such coupling should cause much uproars from pure bushido followers which take sides of either ideas of the way of sword.

Musashi and Yagyus have contrasting idea of the way of the samurai. For loner undefeated Musashi the goal of the school is winning the opponent alone. But for Yagyu family who has much favor from Shoguns: the goal is to get rid of the evil to do justice. Yagyus favor distinctions while Musashi abhors it. But with such striking difference they share the fundamentals. Both are influenced by Sun Zi's The Art of War and Zen Buddhism.

Essential for THE ART OF WAR appreciators and Samurai fans as well as anyone who get involved into competition in business or sports. They may give you a clue to how to win the oppponent with careful examination and readily mindset.