Pop Japan

During the old times, it was part of the samurai training practice, combining archery and horseback-riding. It began in the Kamakura Period, when Minamoto no Yoritomo wanted to raise the archery skills of his samurai warriors. Nowadays, Yabusame, the art of mounted horseback archery, is still practiced within each year. During May, there is the Aoi Matsuri or the Hollyhock festival in Kyoto. It has also been seen at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū in Kamakura, together with Samukawa and on the beach at Zushi.

In Yabusame, the archer aims to launch three bull's eye arrow, as his or her horse goes on a straight and narrow lane. 

Tags: sports, samurai training, archery horseback-riding, kamakura period, minamoto no yoritomo, yabusame, aoi matsuri, hollyhock festival, kyoto, tsurugaoka hachiman gu, samukawa, zushi