Chikurin ha’s Kyudo

from a conversation with Kobun Chino Roshi (long-time friend of Shibata Kanjuro XX, Sendai)

It's about the essence of shahin 射品. What are the characteristics of shahin? How do practitioners achieve this shahin? ‘Sha’ means shot, “hin” means something like dignity or the noble essence that is polished through practice.
It refers to the target. The target becomes a mirror, and my understanding is that this ‘target-mirror’ is an accurate reflection of one's self, one's form, which is called shakei 射形. ‘Kei’ means form.
Our body, limbs, bow, string and arrow should all be together in a balanced harmony like a healthy family. The father is the strength of the bow, pushed from the left side; the mother is the tension of the string, pulled from the right side; the arrow is the child, released to grow. You shoot to release the arrow so that it unfolds in space and time. You shoot so that the spirit of archery receives a visible manifestation and additionally to develop the invisible quality in your life: Shashin 射心: ‘Shin’ means spirit centre and soul life, and the meanings that develop from it.
One does not attain shahin 射品. It is polished from within. It unfolds naturally by itself as a quality of one's own life, as the life of an archer himself. This quality can be seen not only during shooting.

1st level Shakei 射形 Shooting form
2nd level Shashin 射心 Shooting spirit
3rd level Shahin 射品 Shooting dignity

Daymio Takeda Shingen (1521 - 1573) from the Minamoto family promoted mounted archers (Kisha) and tried to use Chinese strategy. Shibata Kanjuro XX Sendai repeatedly emphasised the importance of these four terms.

Fu 風 swift as the wind
Rin 林 silent as in the forest
Ka 火 destructive like fire
Zan 山 immovable like a mountain

Nowadays, Kyudo is practised by thousands of people all over the world for mental training and spiritual development. The simple elegance of the movements, the beauty of the yumi 弓 (bow), the ya 矢 (arrows) and the atmosphere of calm and dignity that prevails in the dojo 道場 (practice centre) exert a great fascination on those who wish to walk the path of self-knowledge. This is because embarking on the path of Kyudo 弓道 (path of the bow) is also the start of a journey of realisation, on which one learns to see with new eyes and hear with new ears. From the outside, Kyudo appears to be archery. Drawing the bow and then shooting at the target resembles a test of skill, but Kyudo is not a sport. To discover the true essence of Kyudo, one must look inwards and cut through and transcend any preoccupation, be it worries, hopes, doubts or fears, by hitting the target. Over the centuries, the Kyudo form has been changed and refined again and again, divided into different ryu 流 (branches) and these in turn into ha 派 (subgroups) depending on the kata 形 (style) and special features of the waza 技 (technique). However, the essence of Kyudo practice always remains the same: it is Ritsu Zen 立禅 (Zen while standing).

The development of the bow
The fertile soil on which the Japanese way of the bow grew into what we know it as today is composed of various layers of the spiritual traditions of Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto and Buddhist teachings. Some of these traditions travelled from the mainland to the Japanese archipelago at different times and were integrated into the indigenous fabric of ideas in a very specific, ‘typically Japanese’ way. Of course, it was not only religious ideas, practices and models for social organisation that came to Japan from China and Korea, but also countless material cultural assets. For example, the prototype of the asymmetrical bow was probably not invented on the archipelago, but was introduced to Japan by the bearers of the Yayoi culture around the 3rd century BC.
These ethnic groups of Mongolian origin used bows and arrows primarily in military conflicts over land and water rights. They mixed to a certain extent with the local Jomon people, who in turn had brought their knowledge of pottery making, hunting with bows and arrows and other cultural achievements from the mainland (from around 10,000 BCE). The excavated Jomon and Yayoi bows and also the bows of the Ainu ethnic group, who were later pushed into northern Japan, are made from a single piece of wood, i.e. so-called stick bows - in contrast to the far more elastic and stable composite bows or reflex bows, which only gradually appeared in Japan at the beginning of the 11th century. Here too, it can be assumed that the knowledge of the composite bow came from China. The significance of the invention of the bow for the history of mankind could be compared with the utilisation of fire. It is interesting to note that the bow, whether as a weapon of war and hunting, as a fire drill, prototype of the stringed or plucked instrument or as a ritual object, was invented independently in different parts of the world.

The bow as a weapon
Mounted archers were particularly important in warfare.They could inflict devastating losses on the enemy in a matter of seconds at the start of the battle.Archers were also used in sieges and in battle at sea.Today's Japanese bow, the yumi, is not only unique because of its asymmetrical shape, it is also the longest bow in the world with an average length of 2.3 metres. Its toughness and durability on the one hand and its sensitivity and tendency to change on the other are most vividly comparable to a wooden musical instrument.

The magic bow
In Japan, the bow was not only used as a practical weapon, but also as a ritual and cult object.In fact, the plucking of the bowstring is part of the ancient ritual of shamanesses in Japan, which serves to put them in a state of receptivity to messages from the afterlife.
The magical azusa yumi is made from catalpe (azusa) or cherry and coloured with urushi (lacquer), decorated with gold leaf and silk cords.This can be traced back to an ancient Chinese magic tradition that has to do with appeasing the souls of the dead.Every 20 years, 59 azusa-yumi are offered in the great shrein of Ise. There are 29 vermilion-coloured and 30 black ones. Vermilion stands for male energy and black for female energy.The Ise shrein is Japan's most important Shinto shrein with the deity seat of Amaterasu Omi-Kami. The last time the Azusa yumi were offered was in 2013.
Around 700 years ago, a demon appeared at night in the imperial palace and caused the emperor to fall ill.The excellent archer Yorimasa Minamoto was sent to the palace.
He arrived on the night of a full moon, as the demon only made itself known at night with its call. He spotted it on the roof of the temple and fired. The bird fell to the white sand and red blood appeared in the light of the moon. To be on the safe side, Yorumasa shot a second arrow. The emperor regained his health and Yorimasa was promoted. This was the origin of the Hama Yumi. Since that legendary event, Yorimasa's family, with the clan name Shibata, has been in the service of the emperor. Furthermore, the Hama Yumi, the ‘evil-destroying bow’, is used in numerous ceremonies in Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines (e.g. Shihobarai) and, when placed in the niche of honour or on the house shrine, protects private households from evil influences.

From technique to the path of the bow
Confucianism taught archery to form the perfect personality.This teaching had already found enthusiastic favour in aristocratic circles in the 4th century AD. Although contact between Japan and China broke off for some time in the 9th century for political reasons, the influence of Chinese thinking on the world order - on the harmony to be sought between heaven, man and earth - on Japanese archery continued.The shogun Yoritomo did everything in his power to train his warriors more efficiently.He commissioned Ogasawara Nagakiyo to teach a new type of archery on horseback (yabusame).This also signalled the founding of the Ogasawara Ryu or Ogasawara School.Takeda, the founder of Takeda-Ryu, and Ogasawara were both descendants of the founding father of the first ever archery school in Japan: Henmi Kiyomitsu (his school is called Henmi-Ryu).
When the shogunate was established in the city of Kamakura (1185 - 1333), the samurai adopted the teachings of Zen Buddhism.Zen or meditation Buddhism had been introduced from China by the monks Dogen (founder of the Soto school) and Eisai (founder of the Rinzai school). The Zen monks' concept of unconditional devotion to the master and their emphasis on strict ascetic practices centred on the direct, intuitive experience of the non-dual nature of reality attracted great interest and imitation among the warriors.The new Zen practices allowed them to fulfil their duties more effectively and go into battle unmoved by hope and fear.It was only much later, however, that the Zen aspect of practising with the bow came to full maturity.
One of the most influential archers is the legendary master Heki Danjo Masatsugu (ca. 1443 - 1502).His shooting technique, which was revealed to him in the form of a flash of inspiration, was nothing short of revolutionary and quickly spread among bow warriors.Over time, many Heki-Ryu sub-groups were formed, some of which still exist today (Sekka-ha and Insai-ha).The Chikurin-ha was founded by Heki Yazaemon Noritsugu, who possibly came from the same family as Heki Danjo Masatsugu.
Although the samurai initially viewed European firearms with disgust, from the 16th century they initially replaced the bow as a weapon of war in the form of Portuguese muskets.Some efforts were made - such as the introduction of a sport-orientated archery competition (Toshiya 通し矢) at the Sanjusangendo temple in Kyoto - to preserve the bow as a weapon.Nevertheless, the days of the war bow were numbered.
This is the reason why the emphasis of archery practice was ultimately placed on spiritual training and character building, especially as the centuries under the Tokugawa shoguns were a comparatively peaceful time.
The concept of Kyujutsu continued to exist into the Edo period (1600 - 1868), although Morikawa Kozan, founder of the modern Yamato-Ryu, first mentioned the term ‘Kyudo’ as early as 1660.

The archway in the modern age
In 1868, the year Japan opened up and the Emperor (Tenno) was reinstated as an active political ruler, the imperial government attempted to abolish the ‘warrior ways’ (bushido). However, the attempt was not very successful. At the same time, the hitherto state-supporting status of the samurai was abolished.
Around 1900, another reformer appeared on the kyudo scene: Honda Toshizane (1836 - 1917). He himself learnt kyudo at the Heki ryu Bishu chikurin ha during the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration (1868), many samurai turned away from budo (martial arts) and kyudo almost died out. Honda was not satisfied with this and taught at various schools and colleges in the Tokyo area from around 1890. His new practice, which combined the warrior style (Chikurin ha) and the ceremonial style (Ogasawara ryu with Yabusame) into a single unit that included a centralised lifting of the bow (Shomen), initially met with fierce resistance from the old schools. However, in the form of a new school, Honda Ryu, it was accepted by the general public. This form quickly spread and paved the way for what is now the standard Shomen style declared by The All Nippon Kyudo Federation (ANKF). In the 1930s, the Greater Japan Association of Warrior Virtues (Dai Nippon Butoku Kai) attempted to establish practice standards for Kyudo, which succeeded in 1934.
After Japan's defeat in the Second World War, the martial arts were initially banned due to pressure from the USA. Since its re-admission in 1952, the classical martial arts, which are organised in clubs, have been open to everyone and, for the first time, every woman, regardless of their financial situation. Since 1946, most schools have belonged to the All-Japan Kyudo Federation (Zen Nihon Kyudo Renmei), which established practice standards in 1953 to which members, including those in groups outside Japan, adhere. The International Kyudo Federation (IKYF) was founded in Kyoto in May 2006.

The Heki ryu Bishu chikurin ha does not belong to any of these organisations, as the Shibata reject a ranking system in their school and meditation practice does not require a dan examination.

A spiritual path
Kyudo is not a religious practice, yet it is strongly influenced by Zen Buddhism and Shinto. The ceremonial aspects, the etiquette and the respect paid to the bow, the arrows and the dojo can be seen as reflections of Shinto thought. So while the outward forms of Kyudo are very similar to Shinto ritual, which in turn incorporates elements of courtly archery from the Chinese tradition, the heart of Kyudo is linked to Zen philosophy and the concept of Dao fused into it.
Zen teachings say that our true self is hidden under thick layers of habitual thought patterns, self-deception and ego. We live in a dream world that we have fabricated ourselves. The aim of Zen practices is to shed these layers of illusion and ego so that we can free ourselves from the dualistic attitude that prevents us from recognising our own true nature and living in a harmonious way with ourselves and others - the whole universe.
In zazen 座禅 (sitting meditation), one strives to unite body and mind by paying attention to the breath and maintaining a certain sitting posture. Kyudo as ‘active Zen’ involves the same concept of uniting mind, breath and posture. Thus, the experience of Zen can be helpful in understanding the essence and philosophy of Kyudo.

Practising Kyudo is a way of life; there is no separation between Kyudo practice and the activities of daily life. Each arrow is shot as if it were the only one, just as each moment is the real and ultimate one. The bowman (kyudoka:jin) does not look at the target to see if he has hit it, but inwards, as the target is seen as a mirror of itself. And when the heart is properly adjusted, each shot wipes away a little more of the clouds that obscure our view of our true nature.