1. Japanese Longbow History Godai Katsunaga
Yumi and Ya
Japanese Longbow History
Godai Katsunaga

3. Purpose
To provide basic information on the Japanese Longbow, its history and construction.

4. Early History
Early inhabitants of Japan (12, BC), the Jamon, a hunter gathering society relied heavily on a short stave-bow.
From 250 BC to 330 AD, the Yayoi culture, early iron age, were more a farming, fishing society. The bow became less used in hunting and changed to the long bow.

5. Ceremonial Archery
In the 4th to 9th centuries, Japan was strongly influenced by China.
A scholar of the time wrote that civilized men should never fight to settle differences but should resolve them through a test of shooting skills.
Archery was primarily a ceremonial and religious pastime.

6. Early Feudal Age
During the early feudal period, 1100’s, the rise of the Samurai brought the bow back to prominence.
Armies were made up of famers in mass formations using spears and Samurai as horse archers.
Combat was primarily one on one and archers used marked arrows so the victor could be know for their triumphs.

7. Peak During the 15th and 16th Centuries the bow reached its zenith.
Armies consisted of trained warriors, Ashigaru, using spears and bows. The Bowmen would have been used for mass formation shooting to rain arrows on the enemy.
Samurai were still mounted archers but more important they were fast lance armed cavalry to exploit weaknesses.

8. Decline
With the introduction of the Gun into Japan in the mid 16th Century the bow declined in warfare use.
Many of the archers were replaced with gunners and the bowmen were now regulated to providing cover fire while the gunners were reloading.

10. Asymmetrical shape
Many theories exist for the asymmetric shape of the yumi
Material
Use
Mounted Archery
Hand position

11. Material
There are few suitable trees in Japan to make a good staff bow from and in the early history, pre 900, Lamination was unknown.
The shape and asymmetric grip may have allowed the bow to be longer and still be used by an archer.

12. Use
Hunters would have used ambush as their primary way of getting game. An asymmetrical handgrip would allow a kneeling hunter to use a longbow and thus increase power.

13. Mounted Archery The early Samurai were primarily mounted archers.
The use of an Asymmetrical bow would allow a longbow to be used from horseback.

14. Hand position
The asymmetrical position allows the bow to be held with the hand at a 60 degree angle, lining up the bones in the arm and hand to produce the most strength.

15. Construction Originally a staff bow, one piece of wood.
Changed to laminated bow using the strength of bamboo and hardwoods together in the 900’s.
16th Century, three pieces of bamboo with hardwood on the sides and bamboo face and back.

16. Yumi construction

17. Shooting The Yumi uses a Mongolian or Asian draw.
The bow string is drawn back with the thumb of the right hand.
The bow is shoot off the right side like a left handed bow.

18. Competition
Competitions held at the Sanjusangendo Temple in Kyoto include
24 hour shoot
12 hour shoot
1000 arrow shoot
100 arrow shoot
The distance for the competitions was full hall or 66 ken ( yds), and half hall or 33 ken (65.34 yds). The hall or veranda was only 18 feet, ceiling to rafters.

19. Competition Records
Wasa Daihachiro, shot 13,053 arrows at a full distance in the 24 hour shoot. He averaged one shot every 6.6 seconds from a kneeling position. He scored 8,133 hits.
Katsuranishi Sonouemon, scored 960 out of 1000 arrows at full distance.
Chikurin Kichimen shot 6,110 arrows in 12 hours and scored 4,500 times at full distance.

20. Effectivness
The yumi’s effective range is about 80 meters and maximum range of 380.
Optimum range would have been about 30 meters against an armored opponent.

21. Ya
Arrow about 40 inches in length made of bamboo and tipped with various arrowheads (yajiri).
Knocks were made of horn and they had three or four feathers.

22. Yajiri

23. Types of Yajiri Hiniki: whistling Hira-ne: flat shape with sharp edges
Karimata: two pronged , rope cutter
Muto: target point
Sankaku: Armor piercing, diamond
Yanagi-bu: Wilow leaf
Watakushi: Barbed, flesh tearing

24. Kyudo
Kyudo, the way of the bow, is still practiced today. It is often associated with Zen and improves physical, moral and spiritual development and is considered one of the purest forms of martial art.

25. Kyujutsu
Kyujutsu, the art of the bow, is the samurai practice of archery, the goal is to achieve a smooth and rigorous shooting style with the goal of killing an adversary.
Often called “Hi, Ken, Chu” or fly, pierce, center.

26. Awa Kenzo
You and your bow must come together as one, that act is divine. The unity of the instrument and oneself is divine. There is no bow, no arrow, no you, yes and no are one.
Each shot can make you or break you; each shot reveals you as a living buddha or a bumbling fool.

27. One shot, one life is an offering to the gods.
The bow is in fact a gift from the gods. Right from the beginning it has been an instrument of purification.

28. Student to Sensei
Sensei, what should our highest purpose be in studying kyudo?
To perfect ourselves.
Have you achieved perfection?
Of course not, It is not humanly possible to be perfect.
If it is impossible, then why try?
Because to not try is to be less than human.