Kyudo

"Kyudo" is a Japanese martial art in which the mind and body are trained through a series of behaviors to aim the Japanese bow and arrow. It evolved long ago as Kyujutsu (the Japanese art of archery) for tactics and martial arts, and is still considered a sport or healthy exercise today. Meanwhile, some schools from ancient times still exist and preserve the traditional school while coexisting with modern Kyudo.

Contrast with Western Archery Art

Japanese Kyudo developed independently and has its own technique, culture and history, and is quite different from modern sports such as archery based on Tankyu (short bow) from Europe. Historically known; Kyujutsu, Shajutsu or Shagei, but now in Japan the traditional Yumiire/Kyusha (弓射) culture is called "Kyudo (Japanese archery art)" and the term "Kyujutsu" is often used to distinguish the older martial art that preceded it. Changed to 'Kyudo'. However, there are still some schools that use the term "Kyujutsu" which means that they maintain a traditional school but still maintain a strict tradition, while others use the term "Kyudo" so there is a difference between "Kyudo" and "Kyujutsu". there is no border. It is definitely classified as clear or clearly from the aspect of understanding and technique. It has been uniquely developed in Japan's long history. It is not certain exactly when Japanese Kyudo was systematized as a "technique", not only because there are no clear records, but also partly because the use of the bow and arrow began in prehistoric times. It is possible that during the Yayoi Period there was a technique for shooting a bow and arrow that was the original present-day Wakyu (a Japanese longbow with a long upper half and a shorter lower half) used in combat, but the details are unknown. At the end of the Asuka Period, since the establishment of "Taisha-rokuho" by Emperor Monmu, the rules of etiquette for Reisha and Yumiire began to be gradually organized and the technique was also systematized and at the same time established as "Kyudo", based on a simple drawing technique. On the other hand, not only was the bow used as a weapon for hunting and fighting, but the Yumiya/Kyushi (bow and arrow) were believed to have spiritual power, so during the Nara Period, ceremonies were held to dedicate Yumiya and Yumiire shrines. it became the origin of the current festivals and shrine rituals in various places.

A way to discipline the mind and body of the samurai

During the Heian Period, several schools of Kyudo were established, and each school had its own technique, teaching style, and behavior. Each school of Kyudo flourished and flourished on battlefields, festival events, and Kojitsu (ancient traditions) or annual events at the Imperial Court. Around the middle of the Sengoku period, the introduction of firearms removed bows and arrows from actual combat on the battlefields, but Kyudo retained its status as a martial art even after its withdrawal from actual combat and remained popular as a martial art for samurai. The way to discipline the mind and body in the peaceful Edo Period improved its techniques and equipment over time, and each school developed individually at the same time.

Kyudo with a female player

Kyudo was perfected during the Edo period. Because some schools had classes that mimicked actual combat conditions, their classes were more varied than present-day Kyudo. However, by the end of the Edo Period, the basic technique system for Kyudo between each school became similar, and Yumiire's technique for using Wakyu is essentially the same with very minor differences. It is no exaggeration to say that Kyujutsu, which led to today's Kyudo, was perfected in both technique and equipment during the Edo Period.

Kyudo is spreading all over the world

Kyudo gained foreign attention through books such as Eugen Herrigel's "Zen in the Art of Archery," where it drew attention to spirituality, and while not an Olympic sport, it was particularly popular in Europe and the United States. States with sports associations established there. On May 2, 2006, the International Kyudo Federation was established for the purpose of popularizing and promoting Kyudo. The most distinctive feature is the length of the Wakyu (bow), which is longer than a person's height. A normal Wakyu is 221 cm long, the longest bow in the world. It is said that because Wakyu is made of bamboo, it is made to last for durability and strength. Rum is made from plant material such as wood and bamboo, which are less flexible, while Tankyu is made from animal material, which is more flexible. Also, another distinguishing feature is that the grip is on the underside of the Yugara (the wooden or bamboo part between the Motohazu (lower bow top) and the Urahazu (bow top)). This asymmetry creates a difference in the strength of the upper and lower sides of the bow, which results in the characteristic technique of Kyudo, and Wakyu was designed to take advantage of this technique. The Japanese bow string is drawn back to the ear. In addition to the string to the ear position, in foreign countries the bowstring is usually drawn back to the archer's neck, in Japanese Kyudo the bowstring 

is drawn back to the ear. Accordingly, the length of the axis is made longer. When a person sets an arrow to their bow, they place it on the right side of the bow and adopt the "Mongolian form" for the Torikake hook, where the Torikake is caught at the base of the right thumb by hooking the bow string. (Yokyu (Western-style archery) adopts the "Mediterranean style" of holding the string with the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger.) Menggu-style Torikake In Turkey, Mongolia, China, Korea, and Menggu-style, the arrow is often placed on the right side of the bow. . It is said to have been designed to avoid losing an arrow from a headwind on a galloping horse. Kyudo was developed according to the Japanese environment. In foreign countries, Tankyu (short bow) is used due to its superiority on horseback, while in Japan, Chokyu Wakyu is used as an exception. To push the arrow along the right side of the bow, a bend called "Iriki" is placed on the Wakyu, and to take advantage of this, a shooting technique called "Tunomi (balance of tension on the root of the thumb)" was developed. from him. In addition, after the Edo period, the shape of the Yugake leather glove, worn on the right hand, changed significantly, which stimulated a certain form and technique in Japan.

Kyudo uses the Mongolian style of archery

Technically, archery uses the 'Mediterranean style', in which the arrow is fixed on the left side of the bow (as seen from the shaft) and the string is drawn with the index, middle and third fingers of the right hand, while Kyudo uses the 'Menggu (Mongolian) style, in which the arrow is fixed on the right side of the bow and torikake (holding the bow string with the right hand) hooks the string with the bottom of the right thumb (see Kyudo compared to foreign archery). In addition, archery in Japan adopts Kyudo's Shaho hassetsu. A Japanese Bow Only consists of a Bow and a String. Kyudo Men's Kyudoka In terms of tools, Kyudo and archery are essentially the same, but in archery many additional tools (stabilizer, sight (sight device), clicker, etc.) are attached to the bow (depending on the athletic event) The Japanese bow consists mainly of a bow and string. Archery has both left- and right-handed bows, but in Kyudo, bows are mostly left-handed only (in Kyudo, the bow is held in the left hand and the string is drawn with the right hand). In terms of the rules, Kyudo does not allow an arrow to be returned to its original position in a match, and an arrow shot before the shot is disqualified as a 'shitsu' (fault). Over hundreds of years, the Wakyu structure evolved, leading to today's Kyudo, the Kataboshi Yugake (a type of glove) was invented in the early Edo period, and the techniques of 'Tsunomi' and 'Yugaeri (a technique in which the Japanese bow returns to the left hand after release).' Since samurai appeared in the Heian period in the 10th century, Kisha and Kyudo were considered Kyuba-no-michi as samurai professions. Kisha and Kyudo were major forces in combat and were actively practiced as operational martial arts until the middle of the Sengoku Period. In addition, bows and arrows were believed to have the power to ward off evil and were regarded as highly spiritual products or sacred equipment (even today the Hamayumi (ceremonial bow used to ward off evil) retains traces of the faith, and the Kyudo and Yabusame-shinji rituals are practiced in various places. is executed). During the Kamakura Period, 'Kisha-Mitsumono', the three archers on horseback, Inuou-mono, Kasagake and Yabusame, were actively performed as one of the martial arts or performances at events, but this temporarily declined during the Azuchi-momoyama period. The "bow and arrow" fell out of the status of a primary weapon on the battlefield in the second half of the Sengoku Period, but the "Yumiire" remained popular as a profession among samurai, so bow shooting was considered a discipline of mind and spirit. The body was even peaceful in the Edo period and various Kyudo schools and firing methods developed. During the Edo Period, the activity of each school was at its peak. At the beginning of the Edo Period, 'Toshiya', a sport of target shooting through Sanjusangendo's Nokishita (about 120m long), became increasingly popular, and sharpshooters of feudal guards from each domain competed to be called '. Tenka-soitsu (Japan's best shooter)', risking their lives and the prestige of their domains. In 1669 Kanzaemon HOSHINO (Bishu-Chikurin group of Heki school) recorded 8,000 Toshiya 10,242 arrows and in 1686 Daihachiro WASA (Kishu-chikurin group of Heki school) recorded 8,133 Toshiya shots. In the middle of the Edo Period, Yabusame, once temporarily in decline, was promoted by Yoshimune TOKUGAWA and revived as a shrine ritual throughout Japan.

During the Meiji and Taisho periods

Kyudo, a profession of the samurai, had to undergo a major change over time from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period. At the end of the Edo period, in 1862, the "Kyudo initiation ceremony" was abolished in the Edo bakufu (the Japanese feudal government headed by the samurai shogun) and Kyudo was removed from the subjects (art training) taught at the Kobusho (martial institute). Later, in 1867, Taisei Hokan (the reign of the emperor again 

Traditional Kyudo culture was forced to decline when the feudal structure characteristic of shogunate and samurai society collapsed. With the Hayhan-chiken (abolition of feudal domains and establishment of prefectures) in 1871, martial arts education in the hanko (domain school) disappeared and its practicality was lost not only in Kyudo, but in martial arts in general, further accelerating the decline of martial arts until the Meiji Restoration, with few exceptions, only members of the samurai class were allowed to shoot bows, but after the restoration commoners were allowed to shoot bows and it quickly became a game or pastime. On the other hand, Yumiya (bow and arrow) as an instrument of pleasure already existed among the common people, and gambling archery halls in public resorts were very popular in urban areas after the revolution. Many of the gambling archery parlors were entertainment and entertainment businesses, and they flourished so much that the Meiji government imposed restrictions. By the early Meiji, Yumiire/Kyusha culture had declined to the point that the bow was often associated with gambling archery halls. Although public Kyudo dojos (training halls) disappeared under such social circumstances, Japanese Kyudo and its radiation culture survived thanks to the activities of sincere Kyudo-kan (Kyudo artists) who established private Kyudo dojos, etc. they tried to pass down the ancient Kyudo traditions correctly. conscription, victory in the Japanese-Chinese and Japanese-Russian wars, etc., along with the rise of patriotism, nationalist thinking arose in society. Martial arts began to be used as national politics, and citizens once again recognized and respected various martial arts, including Kyudo and Bushido (the code of the samurai). This social trend led to the establishment in 1895 of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, an organization governing various martial arts by key figures living in Kyoto, headquartered in the Butokuden built on the grounds of the Heian-jingu Temple in Kyoto. Various martial arts, including Kyudo, shifted their focus from technique to the cultivation of the Japanese spirit, and in 1920, Bujutsu Senmon Gakko was renamed Budo Senmon Gakko. On the other hand, an overemphasis on the spirit that gave meaning was becoming commonplace, as a reaction to the decadent thinking of "The more you shoot, the better." In addition, from the Taisho period to the early Show period, a form of throwing called Shomen-uchiokoshi (front-facing stance shot) performed by the Honda-ryu school and its students became very popular. Later, Toshizane's students used this form of throwing to distinguish themselves as members of the Honda-ryu school.

The post-war period

When World War II ended, Butoku Kai immediately sought to transform its existing nature into a private organization, and therefore privatized its operations in January 1946. Efforts were made for preservation and development through mutual cooperation with various martial arts organizations. board members were appointed from among private citizens, recommended by a council elected from around the country, and their affairs were limited to kudo, judo, and kudo. They were approved by the Minister of Education, but inquiries by the Allied General Staff gradually intensified and an atmosphere was created in which disbandment was ordered for the following reasons. It was a powerful, centralized organization. They consisted of high-ranking military personnel and police officers linked to the Special High Police both centrally and locally, and linked to national organizations. They had great wealth. Butoku Kai and the Ministry of Education held various talks, but in the end they realized that disbandment was inevitable and eventually decided to disband. They submitted a report to the Allied Headquarters on September 28, 1946, and on October 31 announced the voluntary disbandment of Butoku Kai, ending its 52-year history. However, the Allied General Staff did not accept the voluntary disbandment of Butoku Kai and instead ordered the disbandment of Butoku Kai on November 9, and nearly 5,000 people involved in Butoku Kai were fired from the public and private sectors. With the collapse of Butoku Kai, enthusiasts organized local federations in various regions and spread them throughout the country.

Kyudo in the post-war period

The All Nippon Kyudo Federation was established in 1947 by gathering the consensus of these various organizations. However, due to various factors, it ended in its collapse in December 1948. On April 3, 1949, the "Nihon Kyudo Federation" was established, and on August 2, it was officially accepted as a member of the Japan Amateur Sports Association. On September 15, 1953, he received permission to create a foundation from the Ministry of Education. In 1954, when the state of society was settled, the movement to restore the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai that had taken place two years earlier was 

became active and emerged as a problem within the Kyudo federation. However, after careful deliberation, the Ministry of Education rejected the request to establish the Butoku Kai in August 1955, citing the existence of a democratically organized and healthy national organization that was also a member of the Japan Amateur Sports Association. As a result, archers involved in the movement to rebuild Butoku Kai within the Kyudo federation left the federation. On January 18, 1957, its name was changed to "All Nippon Kyudo Federation".

Kyudo in modern society Modern Kyudo

Today, the All Nippon Kyudo Federation is leading the way in adopting the characteristics of schools.