Yagyu Munenori (1571–1646) was a renowned Japanese swordsman and martial artist of the Edo period. A member of the Yagyu clan, he served as the official sword instructor to the Tokugawa shogunate. Munenori, known for his expertise in Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, instructed Tokugawa Ieyasu and subsequent shoguns. His influential work, “Heiho Kadensho,” delves into both physical and mental aspects of swordsmanship, encompassing strategy and mindset. Munenori’s legacy endures through the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school, a traditional martial art emphasizing his teachings, and his impact on Japanese martial arts and philosophy remains significant to this day.

Yagyu Munenori Quotes

1. “It is bias to think that the art of war is just for killing people. It is not to kill people, it is to kill evil. It is a strategem to give life to many people by killing the evil of one person.”
— Yagyu Munenori

2. “Once a fight has started, if you get involved in thinking about what to do, you will be cut down by your opponent with the very next blow.”
— Yagyu Munenori

3. “See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body.”
— Yagyu Munenori

4. “Conquering evil, not the opponent, is the essence of swordsmanship.”
— Yagyu Munenori

5. “When you strike a blow, do not let your mind dally on it, not concerning yourself with whether or not it is a telling blow; you should strike again and again, over and over, even four or five times. The thing is not to let your opponent even raise his head.”
— Yagyu Munenori