Jisai Kanemaki

Jisai Kanemaki (, Kanemaki Jisai) was the father of Kojiro but he died before the beginning of the story.

Appearance
Jisai was a tall, well- built man with long hair what is tied up. He had a scar on the left side of his face. He wore a light coloured kimono and a sword on his side tied with chains. He had to use a walking stick because he lost his right leg.

His son, Kojiro greatly resembles him.

Personality
Jisai was a kind and calm man even tough all the harshness he had to bear from the townsfolk because of his Bushi origin. He greatly loved his son and was concerned about his well- being. Jisai was proud of his ancestors and always encouraged Kojiro to be proud to be a Bushi descendant.

History
15 years ago, Jisai was formerly in the Uesugi band. Although temporary, he managed to accomplished a great feat of exterminating Kishin, and won the title of "hero." Although his fame wasn't in par with rest of the "Five Grand Generals", there were still many Bushis admiring him, especially the Hojo Bushi Band. Not far from that point, he disappeared from the face of Hinomoto, and Jisai was nowhere to be found. Many thought he was dead.

However, it was later revealed that he was formerly the "Obsidian Goddess's Sheath" and had to hide in a rural village governed by the Kishin to fulfill his role as the "Obsidian Goddess's Sheath", to protect the Musashi, the "Vessel of the Obsidian Goddess". Jisai also bore a child named Kojiro Kanemaki, who is around the same age as Musashi. Musashi and Kojira was rasied together by Jisai, and taught them swordsmanship in desire to raise them into formidable Bushis.

However, one day, Jisai's location was discovered by the "obsidian eights", and in an effort to save Kojiro and Musashi. He sacrificed his life in a brutal death of cow tearing punishment, in which his body was ripped into shreds. It instilled a heavy trauma on both Kojiro and Musashi. Despite seeing that, Musashi still manages to pursue his ambition of become a Bushi. However, the execution induced a strong negative impression on Kojiro, making him doubt the existence of Bushi, and his father, Jisai's teachings.

Etymology

 * The name Jisai means "self/oneself" (自) (ji) and "purification, Buddhist food, room, worship, avoid, alike" (斎) (sai).
 * Jisai's surname Kanemaki means "bell, chime" (鐘) (kane) and "volume, roll, reel, book" (巻) (maki).

Trivia

 * Jisai's character is probably inspired by the real life swordsman Kanemaki Jisai, who was believed to be the master of Sasaki Kojirō
 * Jisai smoked so Kojiro probably took up this habit after him.
 * He taught Musashi and Kojiro swordsmanship.

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Джисай Канэмаки