Name: Yagyu Jubei (柳生十兵衛 やぎゅうじゅうべえ)
Dates: 1607-1650
Biography: A famous and often-romanticized samurai from the Edo period, Jubei only appears briefly in historical records. He served for a short time as a sword instructor to the Tokugawa shogunate, disappeared for twelve years, and then served again later in his life. The gaps between these appearances have been filled in popular culture with wild adventures that span the country.
Additional reading: Wikipedia (English), Wikipedia (日本語).