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The bow combines wood and bamboo, while the arrow is mostly made of bamboo.
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Photos (from top): Traditional clothes worn by male archers; the yugake is a glove used to pull an arrow back; some Japanese arrows and bows. (Courtesy of Koyama Kyugu Co., Ltd.)
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There
are two types of competitions in kyudo, the close target and the far
target. The target is 28 meters (31 yards) away in the first type and
has a diameter of 36 centimeters (14 inches); archers kneel as they
place the arrow on the bow and stand up to shoot. In the second type,
the distance is 90 meters (98 yards), 70 meters (77 yards), or 60 meters
(66 yards); archers stay standing and shoot at a target measuring 1
meter (1 yard) across. Both individual and team matches are held for
each target type, and the winner is usually determined by the number
of hits.
The
sport emphasizes the balance between tranquility and action, so it's
important that the archer shifts smoothly from tranquility to action
as he or she prepares to shoot. An ancient set of principles divides
the shooting of an arrow into eight parts, explaining such points as
the state of mind an archer should strive for.
