Which warrior defeated Sasaki Kojirō in the famous 1612 duel on Ganryū Island?

Miyamoto Musashi defeated Sasaki Kojirō in the famous 1612 duel on Ganryū Island.

The duel is traditionally dated to 13 April 1612 and is associated with Ganryūjima, a small island in the Kanmon Straits between Honshū and Kyūshū. Kojirō was known for a long sword called the Monohoshizao, or “clothes-drying pole,” and for a technique called Tsubame-gaeshi. Musashi is said to have fashioned a wooden sword from an oar during the journey to the island.

Later accounts emphasize Musashi’s deliberate timing and psychological tactics, including his reputed late arrival. Details vary among sources, so dramatic elements should not all be treated as equally certain. The duel’s fame nevertheless made both men enduring figures in Japanese martial culture. It is separate from Musashi’s later authorship of The Book of Five Rings.