About Niwa Chozan
Lived 1659 – 1741 (aged 81–82). Niwa Chozan was a samurai.
, better known by the nom-de-plume or , was a Japanese samurai and gesaku author.
Biography Niwa was a retainer of the Sekiyado Domain and student of the writings of Wang Yangming and Kumazawa Banzan. Alongside Masuho Zankō, Niwa is credited as one of the originators of the dangibon genre.
In 1727, Niwa published the , a collection of essays and short stories. The best known of these stories is (The Cat's Eerie Skill) — an allegory on mushin and the maintenance of a tranquil state of mind in the face of danger, known as . Obscure until the 19th century, Neko no Myōjutsu was promoted by Yamaoka Tesshū as reading material for students of kendō and is today most often associated with practitioners of his school, Ittō Shōden Mutō-ryū.
Niwa died in 1741.
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Important facts
People in Niwa Chozan's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Niwa Chozan?
(1659-1741)
When was Niwa Chozan born?
Niwa Chozan was born in 1659.
When did Niwa Chozan die?
Niwa Chozan died in 1741.
What was Niwa Chozan's occupation?
Niwa Chozan was a samurai.
What nationality was Niwa Chozan?
Niwa Chozan's recorded nationality: Tokugawa shogunate.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Niwa Chozan. https://biography.guide/niwa-chozan/
MLA: "Niwa Chozan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/niwa-chozan/.
Chicago: "Niwa Chozan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/niwa-chozan/.
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