Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi(1607?-1650 April 21) is one of the most famous and romanticized of the samurai in Japan's feudal era.
Very little is known about the actual life of Yagyu Jubei as the official records of his life are very sparse. Yagyu Jubei (born "Shichiro") grew up in his family's ancestral lands, Yagyu no Sato, now in Nara. He was the son of Yagyu Tajima no Kami Munenori, master swordsman of the Tokugawa Shoguns, especially Ieyasu and Tokugawa Iemitsu, who prized Munenori as one of his top councillors. Munenori fought for the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, at the Battle of Sekigahara, expanding the Shogun's territory. For his efforts, Munemori was made the Shogun's sword instructor and a minor daimyo or provincial ruler. Munenori would go on to train three successive Shoguns: Ieyasu, Hidetada, and Iemitsu.
In 1616, Yagyu Jubei became an attendant in the court of the second Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada and became a sword instructor for the third Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, occasionally filling his father's role. Records of Yagyu Jubei, however, do not appear again until 1631, when Jubei, by now regarded as the best swordsman from the Yagyu clan, is summarily and inexplicably dismissed by the Shogun either due to Jubei's boldness and brashness or his decision to embark on a Warrior's Pilgrimage (Musha Shugyo). His whereabouts are then unknown over the next twelve years, (even the Yagyu clan's secret chronicles, which contained lengthy passages on numerous members, has little solid information on Jubei, particularly during these years), until Yagyu Jubei reappears, at the age of 36, at a demonstration of swordsmanship in front of the Shogun. Following this exhibition, Jubei was reinstated and serves for a short time as a government-inspector, taking control over his father's lands until Yagyu Tajima no Kami Munenori's death in 1646. Jubei also authored a treatise known as Tsukimi no Sho or The Text of Looking at the Moon, outlining his school of swordsmanship as well as teachings influenced by the monk Takuan Soho who was a friend of his father's. In this work, he briefly provides hints on his whereabouts during his absence from Edo Castle from 1631 to 1643 - traveling the countryside in perfecting his skills.
Due to Yagyu Jubei's disappearance and the fact of no existing records of his whereabouts, his life has bred speculation and interest and was romanticized in popular fiction. After residing in Edo for several years after his father's death, Jubei left his government duties and returned to his home village where he died in early 1650 under uncertain circumstances. Some accounts say he died of a heart attack, others say he died while falcon hunting, some during fishing, while still others presume he was assassinated by his half-brother's attendants.
Jubei was laid to rest in a small village called Ohkawahara Mura, nearby his birthplace, which was also the resting grounds for his half-brother, Yagyu Tomonori. In keeping with tradition, Yagyu Jubei was buried alongside his grandfather, Yagyu Muneyoshi, and was survived by two daughters. Jubei was given the Buddhist posthumous name of Sohgo.
Very little is known about the actual life of Yagyu Jubei as the official records of his life are very sparse. Yagyu Jubei (born "Shichiro") grew up in his family's ancestral lands, Yagyu no Sato, now in Nara. He was the son of Yagyu Tajima no Kami Munenori, master swordsman of the Tokugawa Shoguns, especially Ieyasu and Tokugawa Iemitsu, who prized Munenori as one of his top councillors. Munenori fought for the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, at the Battle of Sekigahara, expanding the Shogun's territory. For his efforts, Munemori was made the Shogun's sword instructor and a minor daimyo or provincial ruler. Munenori would go on to train three successive Shoguns: Ieyasu, Hidetada, and Iemitsu.
In 1616, Yagyu Jubei became an attendant in the court of the second Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada and became a sword instructor for the third Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, occasionally filling his father's role. Records of Yagyu Jubei, however, do not appear again until 1631, when Jubei, by now regarded as the best swordsman from the Yagyu clan, is summarily and inexplicably dismissed by the Shogun either due to Jubei's boldness and brashness or his decision to embark on a Warrior's Pilgrimage (Musha Shugyo). His whereabouts are then unknown over the next twelve years, (even the Yagyu clan's secret chronicles, which contained lengthy passages on numerous members, has little solid information on Jubei, particularly during these years), until Yagyu Jubei reappears, at the age of 36, at a demonstration of swordsmanship in front of the Shogun. Following this exhibition, Jubei was reinstated and serves for a short time as a government-inspector, taking control over his father's lands until Yagyu Tajima no Kami Munenori's death in 1646. Jubei also authored a treatise known as Tsukimi no Sho or The Text of Looking at the Moon, outlining his school of swordsmanship as well as teachings influenced by the monk Takuan Soho who was a friend of his father's. In this work, he briefly provides hints on his whereabouts during his absence from Edo Castle from 1631 to 1643 - traveling the countryside in perfecting his skills.
Due to Yagyu Jubei's disappearance and the fact of no existing records of his whereabouts, his life has bred speculation and interest and was romanticized in popular fiction. After residing in Edo for several years after his father's death, Jubei left his government duties and returned to his home village where he died in early 1650 under uncertain circumstances. Some accounts say he died of a heart attack, others say he died while falcon hunting, some during fishing, while still others presume he was assassinated by his half-brother's attendants.
Jubei was laid to rest in a small village called Ohkawahara Mura, nearby his birthplace, which was also the resting grounds for his half-brother, Yagyu Tomonori. In keeping with tradition, Yagyu Jubei was buried alongside his grandfather, Yagyu Muneyoshi, and was survived by two daughters. Jubei was given the Buddhist posthumous name of Sohgo.