Paul Whiteman mentioned Mishima Yukio in a comment on my last post. Having read nearly all of Mishima’s translated works over the years and aware that he participated in the 1st World Kendo Championships in Tokyo in 1970 (the year of his suicide), I am curious to understand more about his kendo career.
Yukio Mishima or Kimitake Hiraoka (his real name), was perhaps best known amongst kendoka for his short story Ken on which a film was based, little information however seems to be available about his own kendo history. The best English language resume was posted courtesy of Tom Bolling on the Washington University site. I have edited out any non-kendo facts
- born January 14, 1925, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo
- died November 25, 1970, Ichigaya Headquarters, Tokyo
- entered Tokyo Imperial University 1943
- graduated in law 1947
- June 1958 began Kendo under Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan Masami Yoshikawa, assistant instructor, Higashi Chofu Police Station
- December 1958 practicing Kendo in the basement exercise hall of Daiichi Seimei under Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan Takayuki Yamamoto
- August 1959 resumed receiving instruction in Kendo under Yoshikawa Sensei
- April 1961 Kendo Shodan
- March 1963 Kendo 2nd Dan
- November 1965 began Iaido at Himonya Police Station in Meguro
- January 1966 took part in Kendo Friendship Competition with Councillors in the House of Councillors Training Hall
- March 1966 Mishima entered the Sainei-kan Training Hall within the Imperial Palace grounds to study Kendo and Iaido under Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan Masami Matsunaga
- May 1966 Kendo 4th Dan
- February 1967 Iaido Shodan
- August 1968 Kendo 5th Dan
- April 5, 1970 participated in the 1st World Kendo Championships, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo
Accounts of Mishima’s life including Henry Scott Stokes extensive biography, give little information on his kendo interests. The most I could gather is that he trained in kendo twice a week and concentrated on body-building twice a week. It is unusual for someone who had practised twice a week for 11 years to at the age of 45 reach a suitable standard to represent Japan. I was however told that his participation was in some kind of goodwill match.
Mishima was obviously a complex character with an enormous literary output ranging from popular fiction to formal Japanese literature. His reactionary politics and desire to return to the values of the samurai were obviously genuine, but it’s hard to say whether or not the nature of his death was as much influenced by a spirit of narcissistic masochism. Nevertheless he was clearly one of Japan’s most eminent writers and someone who did much to promote kendo through his writing.
Here’s an English interview of Mishima where he talks Kendo.
Magnificent article, about a hard teme , thank you
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Many people says that he only got his fifth dan thanks to his influence and fame as a writter i can’t even say that i agreed or not with that first because I have never seen any video of him doing kendo and second because i’ve don’t even got a shodan level yet lol but he seems to be very serious about his kendo training and besides that he had many great teachers and great “friendly kendo” environment.
I recomend a book called “Mishima Sword” by Cristopher Ross it’s a and very interesting journalistic book about his life and the journey of the author who is in search of the sword that Mishima used in his harakiri, there’s also many things about Mishima kendo carrer as well.
“but it’s hard to say whether or not the nature of his death was as much influenced by a spirit of narcissistic masochism.”
Great line, sensei!
There is a rather interesting book out there by Christopher Ross called “Mishima’s Sword” that details the author’s travels throughout Japan in search of the sword that was used at Mishima’s beheading.
Opinions on Mishima have a polarizing quality, but I for one, find him to be a fascinating character to say the very least.
“Mishima’s Sword” is an excellent book…..I enjoyed reading it and it gave me some insight into the life of Mishima.
No idea when this vid was taken, but based on it, he wasn’t very talented:
I’ve seen some vid of his kendo as well a long time ago and Ive heard stories that he would sit and have his bogu put on him… he didnt tie his own bogu.
Having read all his translated books (and with the above in mind), I can only imagine that kendo/iaido for him was simply posturing, much like his body building.
I hadn’t recognized this name until the movie “Ken” was mentioned above. An interesting movie. What surprised me was to learn the Mishima committed suicide as that is a prominent aspect of the “Ken” story as well.
Thank you for your article! It was insightful, for sure. From what I’ve understood so far about Mishima Yukio, I don’t think his ideology was one to follow after… But he is a very interesting character with an interesting take on the poor, battered around term “bushido”.