Famous Japanese Swordsmen of the Warring States

The most destructive epoch in Japan’s long history of civil strife, the Warring States period began when the dearly won supremacy of the Ashikaga clan was squandered by a weak and indecisive ruler, allowing the jealous rivalry between local warlords to spiral irrevocably out of control. It was a time when thousands upon thousands of warriors either perished on the battlefield, or persevered simply on the strength of their martial skill. In spite of all the mayhem and bloodshed, these were also men with an inextinguishable moral core, who adhered with almost religious devotion to the bushido dictates of duty, fidelity, decorum, indeed, even of benevolence. Two such men were Lizasa Choisai Lenao and Kami Izumi Nobutsuna. Both not only witnessed but actively participated in the dramatic events of the period at hand. Their true stories, told against the greater historical backdrop of ruthless political intrigue and vast military campaigns, is a story of the tragedy of civil war experienced at the personal level. It is a story of sacrifice, of blind devotion, of seemingly insurmountable setbacks, yet it is at the same time a testimony to the kind of perseverance and dedication that can have no equal in times of peace.