Practice

Yo i 用意 – gaining the right heart

The left hand holds the Yumi (弓 bow), the right hand holds the Ya (矢 arrow) in a relaxed and upright manner, creating three straight lines: Yumi, body and Ya. Think of these three as a unit. The feet are straight and parallel to each other from toe to heel at a distance of one fist width. The eyes look slightly downwards without focussing on anything. The body is completely ready and ‘listening’. It is open and relaxed. Just as the body can open and relax, so can the mind (and vice versa). You are like an empty vessel, ready and awake, but without content.

YUMI DAOSHI, also YUDAOSHI 弓倒し – lowering the Yumi to the hip

Slowly, breathing naturally, bring your right hand to the tip of the Ya. Then lift Yumi and Ya slightly and tilt both towards your hips at the same time so that your arms form a circle in a vertical plane. The tip of the Yumi points downwards and almost touches the floor in the centre in front of you. Yumi and Ya lie in one plane and form a V-shape.

I: ASHIBUMI 足踏み – setting the feet

The goal invites you, just as you hear the sound of a temple bell, and you feel drawn towards it. Your head turns mindfully and slowly towards the target, your eyes catch sight of the target and concentrate on one point. From there, draw a line downwards to the ground, as if you were watching a spider descend by its silk thread or a snowflake fall to earth. Extend this straight line towards you, stretch out your left foot and place your big toe on this line. Continue the line and place your right foot at the same distance from your centre. The feet are turned outwards by about 45 degrees (as shown in the picture on the right). Now turn your head forwards again and make sure that the Yumi is exactly in the centre in front of you. The legs only bend slightly during this movement and then straighten again.

for the advanced
Place the left foot almost 90° to the outside and place the right foot at right angles to it
Oi-Mato 背的: stand in front of the line with the mato behind you. Conditional and requires a strong hanare. Good when you are tired.
Daki-mato 抱的: standing behind the line. Triggers a limp and dull hanare.

II: DOZUKURI 胴造り– strengthening the body

Firm your stance from the hara downwards like a tree whose roots are firmly planted in the earth and whose branches spread upwards towards the sky. Tighten the muscles in your buttocks and thighs. Turn the knees slightly inwards so that the calves are turned slightly outwards. The feet are firmly anchored like roots or like tiger claws holding a prey. The upper body is upright, as if a thread is pulling your head slightly towards the sky. Relax your shoulders. Feel your surroundings undisturbed. Feet, hips and shoulders form three parallel lines in a horizontal plane (San ju ju mon ji 三重十文字).
When you have reached this ‘connection of heaven and earth’, lift the yumi and place it outside or in the centre of the left leg so that the yumi hand is at heart level. Feel your elbows gently supported and do not lower them. Hold the yumi loosely with the left hand and grasp the tsuru 弦 (tendon) with the little finger of the right hand and rotate the yumi. Insert the ya and stroke its feathers twice from below and once from above (meaning: upper feather → ‘sky’, feather facing away from the yumi → ‘earth’, feather facing towards the kyudojin → ‘yourself’ are united in the arrow shaft). Now lock the ya with the hazu 筈 (nock) at the nakashikake 中仕掛 (tendon winding) in the tsuru (yahazu). Return to the original position at the hip with the right hand. For formal demonstrations, a mato wari can be performed here.

Yatsugai 矢番い – iserting the arrow
 

 

III: YUMI GAMAE, auch YUGAMAE 弓構え – positioning the Yumi

Torikake 取懸け (tendon grip): Bring the right hand to the tsuru, with the little finger and ring finger curled firmly into the palm, and guide the thumb of the kake かけ (glove) over the tsuru until it clicks into place. The tip of the thumb presses into the throat of the foremost joint of the middle finger. The index finger rests on the top of the middle finger. Tilt the kake hand slightly towards you. The arms are spread out in a round shape, as if they were encircling the trunk of a large tree.
The head slowly turns towards the target so that the face comes into profile.
Next, the arms swing about 45 degrees towards the target, always maintaining the shape of the tree hug, which now becomes oval. The grip of the left hand is loose so that the yumi can turn easily while the arms swing towards the target. During this movement, the thumb and index finger of the left hand are positioned under the ya. The Ya now lies freely on the left thumb and is only pressed against the Yumi by the index finger of the right hand.

IV: UCHI OKOSHI 打起し – set up for shooting

Slowly raise the Yumi straight up with the Kake hand like rising mist - feeling as if your embraced tree is moving towards the sky - until the Ya is at crown height and pointing towards the target. The head remains pointed directly at the target and does not tilt up or down. The eyes look over the left forearm, which is pointed upwards at approx. 45 degrees like a tsuru no kubi 鶴の首 (crane's neck). The eyes fix on the target like a tiger about to strike its prey.
The front (left) shoulder is low, the back (right) shoulder is high → Zen ken hikuku - Kou ken takaku 前肩 低 後肩 高. Both shoulders are relaxed.

V: HIKI TORI 引き取り – tension the Yumi
 

There are two different movements here: The left arm pushes straight out from the shoulder, while the right arm maintains its position. In Te no uchi 手の内 (‘the secret in the hand’, bow grip), the point of contact with the yumi is the skin tissue between the thumb and index finger, called koko 虎口 (tiger's mouth). Do not press with the ball of your thumb. The movement continues smoothly and roundly, the right arm pulls the tsuru in a large arc over the tip of the ear, with the origin of the force in the elbow and shoulders, but not in the wrist. The left arm continues to push, but does not stretch completely. When the pulling movement is complete, the Ya is at the height of your mouth. The ratio of force exerted is around 70 per cent push to 30 per cent pull. The left hand is horizontal, not pointing upwards. The little finger of the left hand holds the Yumi firmly; the other fingers are relaxed. The grip of the right hand remains slightly turned inwards, partly to prevent the tsuru from releasing prematurely and partly to hold the ya in position. Chin slightly tucked, look with the right eye at the point of the target, but keep both eyes open. The target point is visible on the left side of the yumi and above the handle.

VI: KAI 会 – the encounter

Feel the five crosses in the Kai to bring your body into full balance. Breathe evenly and naturally. The moment of letting go ‘matures’. The arms are outstretched with the feeling of being stretched horizontally.
The legs are firmly anchored. The upper body and head are erect in a circle of balance that continues to expand - also internally, until the moment of letting go occurs. It is like a pressure that inflates the entire surface of a balloon until the skin of the balloon bursts.

Go ju ju mon ji 五重十文字 – the fivefold cross
When a carpenter builds a house, he must ensure that every beam is straight and every intersection is perpendicular. In Kyudo, Ya and Yumi, Kake and Tsuru, Yumi and grip hand, upper body and shoulders, as well as neck and Ya should be at right angles and perpendicular to each other.

1. Yumi and ya: The yumi forms a cross with the ya, which is neither inclined upwards nor downwards.
2. Yumi and left hand grip: The yumi forms a cross with the grip. The back of the hand is horizontal and not inclined.
3. Tsuru and right hand grip: The thumb (not the kake) forms a cross with the string and points in the direction of the target.
4. Shoulders and upper body: The symmetry line of the upper body (navel to crown) forms a cross with the shoulders. The target lies in the plane of this cross.
5. Ya and cervical spine: The cervical spine forms a cross with the Ya. The neck should not be bent, the chin is turned towards the target.

VII: HANARE 離れ – let go

When the moment of release has matured, the kake hand strikes outwards to the right like a sword pivoted in the elbow or like snow falling heavily from a bamboo leaf. Your gaze follows the ya to the target. The energy in your body must not be lost in the process.

E sha jo ri 会者定離
Kai and Hanare come from the Buddhist teaching: e sha jo ri.
E and Kai are synonyms, as are Ri and Hanare.
- e means encounter
- sha means person
- jo means to decide
- ri means to detach
Kai and hanare are one. The encounter is the parting, the unity is the separation, birth and death, receiving and letting go.

for advanced students
Three forms of hanare (more forms are described in Shi Kan no sho)
- setsu (cutting)
- butsu (short and sharp)
- futsu (stretch)
Mistake: Flat hanare: Tanemaki 種蒔き (‘sowing’)

ZANSHIN 残心 – linger with mind and body
After the hanare, hold your head and arms in this position and follow the path of ya. Allow your mind to linger in this space.

YUMI DAOSHI, also YUDAOSHI 弓倒し – lowering the Yumi to the hip

First, slowly turn your head forwards. Bring the yumi and your right hand back to your hips at the same time in an arching motion. Close your legs, first the left, then the right leg. Maintain a distance the size of a fist in between.

Retrieve the ya in an appropriate manner
Make a quarter turn to the left towards the makiwara 巻藁 (bundle of straw). Advance to the makiwara by holding the yumi vertically after the first step. Turn a quarter circle to the right again so that you have the ya in front of your face. Lift the yumi against the makiwara until the yumi hand is close to the sticking ya. Press against the makiwara with the yumihand and pull the ya out of the makiwara with the kakehand. ‘Heal’ the “wound” in the makiwara with the index finger of the kakehand. Turn 90° to the right again and hold the yumi and ya vertically at chest height. With the first step, lower the yumi and ya back to your hips and return to the shooting position.

Makiwara-Renshu Practising on the straw roll	Distance: ca. 2 m Target Ø: 30 – 50cm, made of straw Arrow: without feathers or with narrow feathers (Hane 羽) Arrowhead
Mato-Renshu KINTEKI 近的  Hitote 一 手 (one hand) a pair of arrows in the hand	Distance: 28 m Target Ø: 36 cm Hoshi mato (star target) Kasumi mato (fog target) special targets Ogi no mato (fan target) Kinmato (gold target Ø 8cm) Ginmato (silver target Ø 8cm) Arrows: 2, with feathers above: Haya (1st) below: Otoya (2nd) Arrowhead
Mato-Renshu KINTEKI 近的 – Hitote (synchronised)
Mato-Renshu KINTEKI 近的 – Hitote Iro ha Hitote Iro ha there are different forms with three or more people and alternate shooting
Tsukubai つくばい Shooting while kneeling
Enteki 遠的 In the Kai, the yunde (bow hand) is raised slightly and the right elbow bends slightly	Distance: 60 m Target Ø: 158 cm Arrows: 2, with feathers Arrowhead
Inagashi 射流し (castle shooting, fluent shooting) Inagashi was originally a test for archers. The aim was to shoot a ‘hail of arrows’ at a target in order to severely weaken an enemy.	Distance: as far as the arrow flies Target: imaginary Arrows: with feathers May only be practised in safe terrain practised in safe terrain.
Ceremonial form Reisha 礼射	Shooting at the makiwara or mato. Sometimes the shooters use special arrows, e.g. with white feathers or one white and one red arrow. These ceremonies are only performed by kyudojin with many years of practice.
Ceremonial form Shihobarai 四方払	Shinto purification ceremony of the four cardinal points, performed in traditional court garb. Two arrows are shot: the first destroys all evil influences, the second attracts auspicious forces. This ceremony is only practised by practised by authorised persons.

 

Ritsu rey (Honza)	go to Shai	Ashibumi	Sumi
put the feet together	kneel down	position the Yumi so that it touches the left knee	turn the Yumi with the right little finger
insert arrows: first Haya (nocking in)	then insert Otoya (feathers to the destination)	pause, then stand up with a straight back	Ashibumi (hold on Tsuru)
Mato wari (cut up the mato) or Sumashi	lean otoya against the leg	Torikake	Yumigamae
Uchiokoshi	Hikitori / Kai	Hanare / Zanshin	Yumidaoshi