Born at Yagyū in Yamato (Nara), son of the master swordsman Yagyū Sekishūsai (Munetoshi).
After his father demonstrated mutō-dori, disarming an opponent bare-handed, before Tokugawa Ieyasu, he entered Ieyasu's service.
He joined Ieyasu's Eastern Army at Sekigahara and was rewarded with the return of the lost Yagyū lands.
He became sword instructor to Tokugawa Hidetada.
At the Summer Siege of Osaka he guarded Hidetada and is said to have cut down attackers.
He became sword instructor to the future third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu and won his deep trust.
He became chief inspector watching over the daimyo, and wrote the Heihō Kadensho, teaching that the sword should give life.
His domain passed 10,000 koku, making him a daimyo.
He died in Edo. Yagyū Shinkage-ryū was handed down as the shogunal house's style of swordsmanship.
Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa IemitsuTokugawa Hidetada
Hon'ami KōetsuTokugawa HidetadaKasuga no TsuboneKobori EnshūHayashi RazanMiyamoto MusashiIngenMatsudaira Nobutsuna
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.