, ▁and ▁Mus ashi ▁elected ▁to ▁spare ▁his ▁life . ▁ ▁G onn os u ke ' s ▁w ander ings ▁then ▁brought ▁him ▁to ▁M t ▁H oman ▁in ▁Ch iku zen ▁( mod ern - day ▁Fu ku oka ) ▁where , ▁after ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁pur ification , ▁med itation , ▁and ▁training , ▁G onn os u ke ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁received ▁a ▁divine ▁vision ▁from ▁a ▁small ▁child ▁who ▁told ▁him : ▁" hold ing ▁a ▁round ▁stick , ▁know ▁the ▁solar ▁p lex us " ▁(" mar uki ▁wo ▁mot te , ▁su ig ets u ▁wo ▁sh ire " 「 丸 木 を 以 っ て 、 水 月 を 知 れ 」 ). ▁By ▁short ening ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁b ō ▁from ▁roughly ▁ 1 8 5   cm ▁to ▁ 1 2 8   cm ▁( or , ▁in ▁Japanese ▁measurement ▁units , ▁four ▁sh aku , ▁two ▁sun ▁and ▁one ▁bu ), ▁he ▁could ▁increase ▁the ▁vers at ility ▁of ▁the ▁weapon , ▁giving ▁him ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁use ▁techniques ▁created ▁for ▁the ▁long ▁staff , ▁spe ar ▁fighting ▁and ▁sword sm ans hip . ▁The ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁weapon ▁was ▁longer ▁than ▁the ▁t achi ▁( long ▁sword ) ▁of ▁the ▁period , ▁but ▁short ▁enough ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁revers al ▁of ▁the ▁striking ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁j ō ▁in ▁much ▁t ighter ▁qu arters ▁than ▁the ▁longer ▁b ō . ▁G onn os u ke ▁could ▁alter ▁the ▁techniques