Kyudo − The Way of the Bow

web-japan.org
Kyudo is a martial art using the bow, but unlike other kinds of archery, the real aim is far more than merely hitting a target, and the bows have no sights. Focused on achieving correct posture and stance, with total awareness of oneself, the spirit of Kyudo is expressed by the term mushin - pure mind free from all distracting thoughts. To enter this state requires long and continuous training, and in Kyudo competitions, although points are scored by hitting the target, judges place more emphasis on good stance and calmness of spirit. Kyudo is the Japanese martial art most often compared to Zen.
#budo
#zen
#puremind
#posture

[@nabeshin7218]

I am Japanese. Kyudo is now practiced more like a form of meditation than a battle. This slow movement trains the mind by unifying the mind and emptying the mind. It may be similar to yoga or something. When there was still warfare, Kyudo was practiced as a form of archery, but as warfare ended, it took on the form it has today. Kyudo is valued as much as hitting the target with your actions. At the pinnacle of competitions, the ranking is determined by hitting the target and the beauty of the movement.

[@aishi_rei]

How about you try combining mushin with all weapons you wield? Axe, sword, lance and any types of weapons you must master.

[@n0madfernan257]

thank you for explanation. its philosophy of "putting all of your being, both mind and body, into a single shot" entrance me to try this to enhance my focus in life.

[@StarsWithScars]

Often practised by women these days I heard

[@MattCantSpeakIt]

Too many mind... Noooo mind.

[@jjcc3017]

Its pointless, if the point of the Kyudo culture Is missing the target. LOL

[@user-FM1]

"Pure presence of mind " is the key also for life goals and targets

[@benji280792]

It's the same for western archery. It's just that many poeple dont like archery but like to compete archery... I teach the exact same things to my students (mainly with trad bow).

[@maapaa2010]

I started learning Kyudo in a regional centre. I live in Osaka, Japan. It is hard to describe the pureness of heart and mind that washes over you when you pick up the bow, or put on the sacred kyudo glove 🙏

[@himanshuarora8547]

Help me to learn

[@honestreviewer3283]

It's gorgeous. I mean, it's a martial art, and I suspect it originated as a way of making archers more disciplined and effective (and therefore deadlier), but the ceremony of it is artful and meditative. I've been many places, but never to Japan, and would love to go someday.

[@KyossWasHere]

the view is absolutely beautiful. i mean, the martial art ofc

[@Eagle-eye-pie]

@@KyossWasHere the high cheek bones and slender form are achingly beautiful, and by that I mean the culture. Naturally.

[@lemonstrangler]

this is why sports are so helpful in many ways

[@godzilla964]

Except 🏈

[@tylergrove]

Using a weapon of war in a state of harmony… The philosophy hidden in such is profound

[@apostatepaul]

Zen and the art of archery springs to mind. A wonderful book which gives a westerners account of his encounter with this form of practice and the difficulty for a westerner to understand.

[@TopReasons]

Had the bow set up at a pro shop. It performed just fine kzbin.infoUgkxQEKUoxLWwayEDZR0NKB-5limn4MBU-2L . And I would say this is a good starting now that I could pass down to my son when he is older.But the package was missing the release and a nock was missing from one arrow.Dealing with customer support was terrible. They suggested I buy a new release rather than correct their own quality control issue because it’s to expensive for the. to ship it out from China.Update: manufacturer got back to me and resolved the issue. I retract the above statement.

[@lightartis228]

Fun fact: bows were actually main weapons of choice for samurais cuzz in a sword fight you are almost always guaranteed to get injured even if you win a fight. Katana's was only when they got in a really bad spot and there was no option to use bows.

[@code066funkinbird3]

A backup weapon eh

[@Ronin.Samurai]

Clearly you know nothing about the Samurai warrior class. Samurai used a katana 99% of the time, and rarely used a bow. Do your homework and stop embarrassing yourself.

[@greatBLT]

@@Ronin.Samurai I know you are trolling and just want real life to be just like your Japanese animes -_-

[@Ronin.Samurai]

@@greatBLT no, you’re just another snowflake who clearly is butthurt over facts. If you knew anything about the samurai, you wouldn’t be embarrassing yourself. Please do your homework.

[@Ronin.Samurai]

@@greatBLT no, you’re just another snowflake who is butthurt over facts. If you knew anything about the samurai, you wouldn’t be embarrassing yourself. Please do your homework.

[@johnhorton9637]

Shooting a bow requires concentration and focus. So many things to be in tuned with one another. Oh how I miss shooting a bow. But the principal is the same I think. Concentration, focus, undisturbed mind. Calmness

[@williamburroughs9686]

So Kyudo is used as a focus discipline. I have never heard of the bow being used in such a way. It reminds me of meditation. Hmm... I am beginning to see why this is used. Through action, focus. Ah! I see, it allows you to learn how to focus so you can do it in everyday life.

[@vipassana72]

this is a wonderful art. very good training for achieving high standards of control over disobedience. very beautiful.

[@m.moonsie]

We can get a lot of info here in the comment section as there are so many Japanese culture experts here. Thank you so much! Can't describe how grateful I am now.

[@brettbarager9101]

I have watched quite a few of these vids. None of them showed the person hitting the target. This one did and now I have a greater appreciation for their skills!

[@vladtepes97]

the target is not the goal. it's mainly a token.

[@fatcat1250]

This is one sport I probably would have participated in school if it was a thing as wide spread as, say, basketball. It doesn't look tiring which is what I hated with the usual "sports" stuff and hitting targets with a bow looks satisfying.

[@ΑναστάσιοςΠαπαζαχαρίου]

Name checks out

[@northcliffe4lyfe]

As an archer, one thing I never understand but this explains, is when I focus too much on the target, I miss. When I allow the flow of my natural actions to control the shot and clear my mind, I make far better shots. I'd like to take up this form and try, but their ain't no dojos in Yorkshire 😂

[@whitneylee8703]

Tsurene is what introduced me to Kyodu .

[@lynnettetorres7338]

Same!

[@fabulousgoat8561]

Who's that

[@Thorml]

@@fabulousgoat8561 It's an anime by Kyoto Animation, about a high school kyodo club. There are two series that aired in 2018/2019 and 2023.

[@NaYoungSeung]

Impressive.... I have tinnitus. I wonder if I can concentrate and get pure presence of mind by practicing Kyudo.

[@traderjoss]

Wish I could get a copy of this clip of the woman aiming and shooting without the narration/music. Just the birds chirping in the back. The scene is a great philosophical lesson.

[@CrochetIsLife54]

I am impressed with the size of both the bows and the arrows. I wonder how much strength it takes to pull?

[@yueshijoorya601]

Don't be fooled. Straight bows are rudimentary. Recurve bows gather more power, on top of being lighter and smaller. Then there are modern recurve bows, the kind we see in the Olympics. And further yet, we have compound bows, the current peak of archery power, the kind you'd use to hunt bears. Technology is great.

[@CrochetIsLife54]

@@yueshijoorya601 I remember reading that the English longbow required a lot of strength, making it a specialty weapon back in its day. So I am curious how other bows compare. So do the modern bows give more power with less effort?

[@lemagicbaguette1917]

I was inspired by watching a competition a little while ago, and modified kūdō for myself, in which the target is the goal, but, instead of simply striking it down with an arrow, I treat these arrows as vessels with which to seal my malice and sorrow, and the target as the void into which to send them off. I see it as a way to purify a tainted spirit, and typically use my modified kūdō when I do feel rather negatively, to rid myself of fury before I become its vessel. Otherwise, I just shoot like normal, with speed and the simple intent for accuracy. I don't have a ūmē bow, so I just stand it in with a Tatar bow.

[@ethan8650]

It's the way of the Japanese bow. Japanese master bow craftsmen make them very specific. They differ greatly from other countries and their bows. It takes about as long to master the craft as it does to master the art of the Japanese bow.

[@선인장씨-k4o]

But you guys are worse at shooting arrows than in Korea wwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[@ethan8650]

@@선인장씨-k4o I'm not Japanese, Jong-un worshipper. Not to mention I'm pretty sure the Japanese could beat Korea at just about anything. The only thing that Korea has, is nukes because that's all Jong-un cares about.

[@-antares_]

@@선인장씨-k4o atleast they ain't as racist as Korean

[@Illuminat-ve5ue]

@@선인장씨-k4o lmao average south korean virgin

[@darthlaurel]

Beautiful.

[@DianaKazimiera-]

Beautiful and very interesting...🏹🇯🇵👏🕊️ 🕊️🇵🇱🤝

[@Spirit451]

Wow, 28 meters, that is insane!

[@Thephantomofthreerivers]

They would demolish our Whitetail overpopulation problem.

[@owensmith7530]

In western target archery, 28 metres is insanely short. I can't work out if you think 28 metres is short or long.

[@paulevans2153]

I get the same sense when I shoot my English long, recurve or compound bow. Practicing to the point of instincts to draw aim n fire in the seconds of action without thought n always improving ur consistency on ur target

[@SebHaarfagre]

It's about a meditative process. Few other words to describe it will circumvent the paradox of all the stress confining yourself to strict processes of movement, then claim it's the opposite... Sorry can't help myself when there's a logical flaw in wording.

[@allgood6760]

Beautiful.. aim at the inner self it is a meditation ⛩️🏹

[@АлексейЛысюк-ь4я]

Потрясающе. У дядечки тремор руки, а попал в самый центр!

[@clay2889]

This is so cool. I wish Kyudo classes were in America

[@Vinnay94]

I love Japanese culture. Just like Karate, Kyudo's main goal is to have a stable Mind, Body and Spirit.

[@kweej23]

"they look for calmness and spirit" - judge at @3:17 with eyes closed

[@nparsona]

It's pretty clear that he is listening to the rhythm of their heartbeats to check how calm they really are 🙂

[@Rekaert]

Leave it to the Japanese to take a relatively simple process of war, where hitting the target is absolutely the point, and turn it into a form of meditation where hitting the target is an afterthought.

[@cesarcanete3402]

So was this the type of archery that Kikyo did in the Inuyasha series?

[@nicholascauton9648]

Yep. As much as I would say Kikyo is waifu, she’s technically undead. 😛

[@code066funkinbird3]

Wait really?

[@Be0wu1f]

i was thinking the same when i started Kyudo. but after investing her bow is a Saigū-Yumi a symetric ceremonial bow.

[@adlirez]

Little question here. I've noticed in slow-motion videos that the arrow turns downwards upon being released. Does anyone know if that happens with the different types of Japanese bows besides the yumi (the hankyu and the daikyu), and why that downward turn happens?

[@piccalillipit9211]

Im guessing - But I believe the bow is aysemetic, longer at the top than the bottom.

[@dheerajchidambaranathan]

All arrows tend to go downwards due to gravity. Olympic and target archery tends to compensate for it by aligning the tip with the target to compensate for the downward movement. With a long bow like this, I believe it tends to be more prevalent since the draw length and the force exerted is less compared to recurve and compound bows. Note that the archers open both eyes and aim at the target without looking at the tip of the arrow in this case making the angle more steeper along with the lesser force exertion. The longer top compared to the bottom (asymmetry) is deliberate to reduce vibrations in the string and the arrow path. There is a video that explains why Japanese long bows are asymmetrical for this specific reason.

[@alonzocalvillo6702]

Leave it to the Japanese t turn everything into a spiritual experience.

[@ronniechong314]

Kinda reminds me of white death, precision long range sniping without a scope even under extreme weather conditions, near inhuman rifle skills, pure presence of mind & concentration.

[@hyenasami8481]

👍

[@atsushi369jp7]

she in the opening video is so beautiful. she is proper lady to express Kyudou.

[@umeshgangwar3263]

its meditation. Yoga at its best.

[@sipioc]

The Elegance.

[@mr-bz8xn]

El sonido que hace es único y suena tan genial

[@jackychick]

This used to be a Confucius practice in ancient China as well as one of the six arts, but sadly the ancient culture was lost.

[@eagle162]

Not exactly,kyudo is a relatively new art born during the Meiji era actually, ritual archery in what is now China would have been different.

[@jackjhmc820]

no I meant archery competition was practised between "great men" as one of the six arts in ancient China like a sporting event. I never said archery in China is the same as Japan, but there s rich confucian philosophy from practising archery as well which were written in ancient books. But after Mongols conquest, I think the emphasis shifted to shooting arrows on horseback on moving targets. So practice like shooting a still target was mainly for beginners.

[@Parasiteart]

Just finished watching "TSURUNE" and im here

[@Brascofarian]

Bowing is just what everyone does all the time in Japan. Yes, it is a sign of respect, but it's just Japanese culture and had nothing specifically to do with Kyudo.

[@jacksparow25]

Japanese archers:- be calm, patience, focus Mongols:- ☠️💀💀💀☠️

[@tarkusd7534]

seems more like a meditation/yoga exercise and a dance performance than a sport

[@類固醇麻酢尾]

Kyudo is definitely my type ❤

[@razgrizadler]

She is so elegant

[@Guiguiwan]

0:30 "Daddy daddy doo! hoshii no sa ..." sorry enjoy the rest of the video >

[@nancygarcia-nh2hm]

Como me gustaría visitar Japón

[@morganconklin8849]

I’m try I’m trying to get the stance down, much more difficult to shoot a recurve this way but it looks nice when it works.

[@peteredwards2318]

At the begining of this video, the lack of a sighting system is suggested to be related to the idea that hitting the target is not the aim of this art. However, there are many simple bows, both in history and in the modern era, that lack sighting systems, but are still built for the purpose, the express purpose, of hitting targets. Without something to aim at, all a bowman of ANY discipline has, is a stick with some cord tied to it, and a pouch of shorter, pointier sticks😊 A sighting system is wholly unnecessary to accurate use of a bow. Time spent training, no matter whether it is in a spiritual way, as depicted here, hunting for food, or shooting at targets as a pure physical discipline with no spirituality involved, is what is required to be capable of hitting targets.

[@regaridaB]

I am here because of Kikyo 🥰

[@jwgoon]

Search Heki Ryu kyujutsu for an older battlefield archery style of Japan. Kyudo is a modern art more for sport and meditation.

[@user-ej8ph8xt6l]

I am here for watching girl

[@gj1234567899999]

3:37 this girl is like on of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Beauty and grace 🥰

[@Burboss]

So, this is a meditation technique that involves bow and arrow. This is it.

[@JewelFornillas]

I came just to perfect my Starfall and Dance of the Death skill combo for Ran Online

[@allenalphonse4962]

Who is the girl at the start of the video? Credits?

[@honndawakenomikoto]

Perhaps she doesn't really exist. I think this is computer graphics.

[@allenalphonse4962]

@@honndawakenomikoto idk if ur serious or not, but there’s no way in the universe for that to be the case.

[@honndawakenomikoto]

@@allenalphonse4962 If you look at her carefully, you will notice it.

[@marcugolus6645]

@@honndawakenomikoto nice joke

[@anonymousstout4759]

She's property of Sony Entertainment Industry, their latest A.I her name is Kyoko

[@LeeshaHaneef]

I would like to find a Kyodo Practitioner or Dojo or Teacher

[@stalreja5900]

God of archery bagwan Ram from bharatwarsh India

[@lingquan4263]

I like the first girl's beauty and elegance!

[@matthewwallace5188]

could you do kyudo with like an english/welsh long bow ?

[@blairmornay6779]

Beautiful

[@francejapon7173]

それは本当に焦点です

[@willynillylive]

I am confident in my archery skills

[@saltsea9499]

That is the loudest bow I have ever heard, cool oneness going on though. Gonna go shoot my bow tomorrow when I wake up.

[@KevTarot]

Wow

[@yuanyue8370]

I would ❤ to learn Kyudo

[@CrimsonDiex]

Nice

[@TiamatGamingPH]

Who is she in the first scene btw?

[@edwardteach342]

Same here

[@josefinahuertalopez4153]

México regresando , Carlos

[@MiNHHNIM]

Friends ,,There is a concept that the japanese call Unagi!"

[@bourdon845]

Cool

[@RikyPerdana]

That beautiful stare killed me before the arrow reach my body

[@videogun3970]

What is the song that starts at 0:38 ??

[@JerryThain]

Why all the extra sound effects on the bow? It's silent when you draw, not creaking like someone twisting a giant wet rope. It also doesn't make a sound on release like someone slapping the deck with a bamboo stick. That was added in only for the video.

[@yooniiverse]

Those bows were created to make sounds

[@IKEMENOsakaman]

My image of Kyudo is that beautiful girls are practicing this sports!

[@josephinebennington7247]

What if the Dojo has a war to be getting on with?

[@tomorai8056]

the first girl so pretty so like a living princess

[@nazariarchery]

Best👍👍👍

[@831.]

My dream😞😞

[@jadeblack7979]

superbness :

[@learnwsail]

The loud background noise misses the target

[@고현우-j8x]

원시 활로 체조하는 느낌이네 격식과 형을 만들어서 도를 만드는 느낌 일본이 잘하는 것.

[@pongpong123able4]

She is so pretty 😢😢😢

[@sithchenda429]

Name sound pls.

[@Sunflare-vq2uy]

Interesting

[@marcosprates205]

Que hermosa mujer!!!! que impresionante!!!!!

[@giancarlomaster2535]

Kyudo tienes que escuchar el aire antes de disparar

[@eugeneson8618]

only I can see the formality and mold of archery

[@mouse...7736]

Amazing 😲✨

[@DarenLee]

I want one. I mean the bow and arrow.

[@AdellAdvanture]

Name of girl please

[@snakey934Snakeybakey]

Question: does the longer bow make the string easier to pull back?

[@yakyakl3058]

nope

[@ConfusedGeriatric]

Depends on the string and bow. You can have shorter bows with much higher tension. Similarly English longbows famously needed a ridiculous amount of strength to use, I think the draw weight was something like 40kg. Edit: Google says it was 50kg.

[@willynillylive]

No

[@Thomasnmi]

Such discipline and grace

[@marcusbines7965]

So beautiful and so much passion power and love am Marcus and am wishing to find out more about Japanese wemen and you history and how you live

[@lil----lil]

Inuyasha! Kikyo!

[@R3TR0J4N]

here cause people saying how diff it sounds ICANT.

[@snoopysnuffy3716]

why they look so attractive