Scenes from the First Yoshioka arc. Clockwise, from right: Musashi vs. Denshichirō, Matahachi accidentally sets the Yoshioka dojo on fire, Musashi ponders with Jōtarō and Takuan.
The First Yoshioka arc is the second of the story arcs in Vagabond, and it shows the events corresponding to Musashi Miyamoto's arrival to Kyōto when he is 21 years old.
Summary[]
After a 4 years timeskip, Musashi's arrival to Kyōto, his fight against the Yoshioka swords, Matahachi's situation in Kyōto, the fight's aftermath.
Duration[]
Chapters: 22—35
Volumes: 3—part of 4
Challenge against the Yoshioka[]
The story timeskips to when Musashi Miyamoto is 21 and arrives to the capital, Kyōto.
Denshichirō Yoshioka and Musashi Miyamoto fight.
Spring. Musashi, in his quest to become Invincible Under The Heavens, intends to challenge the famed Yoshioka swords. But in the way there, his arrogant attitude provokes that a young man in the street draw his sword and put it at his neck before he can even react. He heads to the Yoshioka dojo nonetheless and challenges them using only his wooden sword against their steel swords. The Yoshioka accept, but state that first he must fight the low-level members. He kills 5 of them, then briefly fights Ryōhei Ueda, the rank 3. Then the two Yoshioka brothers appear: Denshichirō, the rank 2; and Seijūrō, the Yoshioka head, who Musashi recognizes as the young man he met in the street earlier that day. Seijūrō leaves a scar on Musashi's forehead to scare him off, then leaves. But Musashi stays nonetheless, and Denshichirō decides to fight him. Though Musashi has much less skill than Denshichirō, they fight to a standstill. Denshichirō has his left shoulder dislocated, while Musashi loses a lot of blood from his wounds in his forehead and torso. Just when they are about to engage in a final collision, the dojo catches fire. Denshichirō tells Musashi that they will have a rematch in one year, then everyone escapes.
Matahachi's situation[]
Matahachi is dumped by Okō.
In the meantime, the story shows Matahachi, now a lazy bum who lives on Okō and Akemi's money. Matahachi has an argument with Okō because he can't tolerate their jobs in Kyōto's pleasure quarters, and Okō kicks him out. Frustrated, Matahachi passes by the Yoshioka dojo, and hears Musashi's fight. He is glad because the Yoshioka are regulars in Okō's quarter. He sneaks into the dojo intending to help Musashi, but instead drinks much of the stored sake and gets so drunk he accidentaly sets the dojo on fire. He spots a wounded Musashi and carries him to an inn, then leaves. However, after realizing the man is his childhood friend Takezō, he starts the inferiority complex that would shape his life.
Epilogue[]
Musashi, Takuan and Jōtarō leave Kyōto.
In the arc's epilogue, Musashi recovers and regains consciousness surrounded by Takuan Sōhō and an orphaned kid that wants to become Musashi's disciple: Jōtarō. Takuan notes Musashi for trying to hide his love for Otsū, and a flashback reveals Musashi turned down Otsū's proposal to travel together. Takuan urges Musashi to be sincere with himself and to truly sense everything. The three leave Kyōto and split: Takuan heads to the famed Yagyū swords to visit friends, while Musashi and Jōtarō head to the famed Hōzōin spears to challenge. Regarding the Yoshioka, Denshichirō heads to the Yagyū to challenge their head Sekishūsai; while Tōji Gion, the rank 4, sets out as a Yoshioka assassin to kill Musashi. Regarding Matahachi, he becomes a fugitive accused of burning the Yoshioka dojo, much to the dismay of his mother Osugi, who is also in Kyōto. She is travelling accompanied by Matahachi's uncle Gon. Both realize Musashi is Takezō.