Japan in the late sixteenth century was a land in turmoil. Lords of the great clans constantly jockeyed for position, generating countless tales of scheming and intrigue. Bound by a rigid code of honor, the aristocratic samurai were left to execute their lords' designs whatever the cost. Death defined these warriors' very existence; they could be commanded to die by their lord at any time to prove loyalty and strength of spirit. A dishonorable end...

Miyamoto Musashi was the child of an era when Japan was emerging from decades of civil strife. Lured to the great Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 by the hope of becoming a samurai--without really knowing what it meant--he regains consciousness after the battle to find himself lying defeated, dazed and wounded among thousands of the dead and dying. On his way home, he commits a rash act, becomes a fugitive and brings life in his own village to a standstill--until...

Great samurai Musashi Miyamoto travels to Kyoto for a reckoning after a price is put on his head and falls in love with a blind witch.

A sweeping saga of the legendary seventeenth-century samurai, Musashi Miyamoto, set against the turmoil of a devastating civil war. Follows Musashi's odyssey from his unruly youth to his enlightened years as a warrior.

"Real-life figure Miyamoto Musashi was the most celebrated samurai of all time. The quintessential warrior philosopher, Musashi authored 'A book of five rings, ' a theoretical guide to military strategy still used today. But the path to enlightement in feudal era Japan was fraught with peril. At seventeen years of age, Musashi-- still known by his childhood name, Shinmen Takezō-- was a wild young brute just setting out along the way of the sword....