In Japanese, the word for way, pronounced "doe", can used to refer to a type of art form, complete with a formal set of techniques and lessons to learn in the progression towards mastery. Some examples include shodo (art of writing), kendo (art / sport of the sword), sado (art of tea ceremony), judo (the soft way).

In The Book of Five Rings, Musashi gives his account of the Way of strategy, which can also be interpreted to mean martial arts. Both of these are would apply to the Way of the warrior, which Musashi is addressing. In the book he details the teachings of his school, Ni Ten Ichi Ryu, which means one way, two swords. While describing a variety of techniques and principles, Musashi points out on several occasions that the Way of strategy is not something that can easily be put into words, but must be reached through diligent training and reflection.

Musashi's conception of his school as the true Way is recorded in the final part, in the scroll of the Void. A short, but difficult part to understand, the Void section relates to the Zen buddhist conception of emptiness. While a complex topic to explain, it involves reaching the point where thought and action are one.