Kyudo or literally the way of the bow in Japanese is a modern martial art and is a form of archery. It is based on kyujutsu and during the ancient times, it was one of the purest form of martial art. Kyudo was commonly done during court ceremonies, games, and contests but it is also used in times of war.
In modern times, you have to be above 15 years old to learn kyudo. It requires a certain level of maturity as it is very complicated as well as dangerous. There are around 50,000 kyudo practitioners around Japan today.
Yumi
The bows used in kyudo is called yumi. It is traditionally made out of bamboo and measures two meters long. The bow is asymmetrical and the grip is placed two thirds from the top of the bow instead of the middle
Ya
Japanese arrows are relatively longer compared to Western arrow. This is to to reach greater distances at the time of release. It is also made out of bamboo and has hawk feathers at the end. There are two types of Ya: the male and female versions. Haya, or the male version, spins clockwise while the female version, otoya, spins counter clockwise when shot. Haya and otoya are shot consecutively.
Yugake
Kyudo practitioners also use gloves. There are three types of yugake: a mitsugake (three-finger glove),yotsugake (four-finger glove), and a morogake (five-finger glove). It is usually worn in the right hand for support when steadying the bow.
Kyudo is a practice of moral and spiritual development. There is also a correct form that must be followed when shooting the target. One must be really graceful when practicing kyudo.
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