By Kris Kosaka

 

Those with an interest in feudal Japan are urged not to miss Eiji Yoshikawa’s samurai epic, “Musashi: An Epic Novel of the Samurai Era” — just don’t expect historical accuracy. In telling the story of Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1685), the famed swordsman and author of “The Book of Five Rings,” Yoshikawa’s sprawling novel relies mostly on imagination and invention, much to the dismay of historians.

Yet the fact remains that “Musashi” has enjoyed great popularity since it was first serialized in the Asahi Shimbun in 1935, inspiring various movie and television versions and even becoming the basis of a popular manga. Read more

Source: The Japan Times