Yabusame Archer

Yabusame (流鏑馬) is a type of Japanese archery, one that is performed while riding a horse. The archer shoots a special "turnip-headed" arrow at a wooden target. Yabusame Japanese archery, Kamakura, Kanagawa Japan I took this photograph and contribute it to the public domain. ... Yabusame Japanese archery, Kamakura, Kanagawa Japan I took this photograph and contribute it to the public domain. ... Kanjuro Shibata XX practicing Kyudo Kyudo (弓道) (The Way of the Bow) is the Japanese art of archery. ... Jump to: navigation, search Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The Horse (Equus caballus) is a sizeable ungulate mammal, one of the seven modern species of the genus Equus. ... Japanese arrow (ya) and head An arrow is a pointed projectile that is shot with a bow. ...

This style of archery has its origins at the beginning of the Kamakura period. Minamoto no Yoritomo became alarmed at the lack of archery skills his samurai had. He organized yabusame as a form of practice. History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Kamakura period 1185 to 1333 is a period... Jump to: navigation, search Minamoto no Yoritomo (May 9, 1147 – February 9, 1199) was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura dynasty of Japan, who ruled from 1192 until 1199. ...

Nowadays, yabusame is performed at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Kamakura. It is also performed in Samukawa and on the beach at Zushi, as well as other locations. View down the stairs at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine Tsurugaoka is a shrine in the city of Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. ... Crowds of visitors in Kamakura (Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine) Kamakura (Japanese: 鎌倉市; -shi) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. ... Zushi (逗子市 Zushi-shi) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. ...

History of the Japanese Bow and Mounted Archery

Japanese bows date back to prehistoric times - the Jomon Period. The long, unique asymmetrical bow style with the grip below the center emerged under the Yayoi culture (300 B.C. - 300 AD) Bows became the symbol of authority and power. The legendary first emperor of Japan, Emperor Jimmu, is always depicted carrying a bow. A bow is a weapon that shoots arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow and/or its string. ... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Jomon period (Japanese: 縄文時代 jōmon jidai) is the... The Yayoi period (Japanese: 弥生時代, Yayoi-jidai) is an era in Japan from 300 BC to AD 250. ... Meiji era print of Emperor Jimmu Emperor Jimmu, also spelled Jinmu (神武天皇 Jinmu Tennō; given name: Kamuyamato Iwarebiko, January 1, 711 BC–March 11, 585 BC)[1] was the mythical founder of Japan and its first emperor. ...

The use of the bow had been on foot until around the 4th century when elite soldiers took to fighting on horseback with bows and swords. In the 10th century, samurai would have archery duels on horseback. They would ride at each other and try to fire at least three arrows. These duels did not necessarily have to end in death, as long as honor was satisfied. One of the most famous and celebrated incidents of Japanese mounted archery occurred during the Gempei War (1180-1185), an epic struggle for power between the Heike and Genji clans that was to have a major impact on Japanese culture, society, and politics. Jump to: navigation, search Japanese samurai in armour, 1860 photograph. ... The Genpei or Gempei War (源平戦争)(1180-1185) was a war of ancient Japan, fought between the Taira and Minamoto clans. ... Taira (平) is a Japanese surname. ... This article is about the Japanese era named Genji. ...

At the Battle of Yashima, the Heike, having been defeated in battle, fled to Yashima and took to their boats. They were fiercely pursued by the Genji on horseback, but the Genji were halted by the sea. Following a long string of defeats, the Taira retreated to Yashima, todays Takamatsu, just off of Shikoku. ...

As the Heike waited for the winds to be right, they presented a fan hung from a mast as a target for any Genji archer to shoot at in a gesture of chivalrous rivarly between enemies.

One of the Genji samurai, Nasu Yoichi, accepted the challenge. He rode his horse into the sea and shot the fan cleanly through. Nasu won much fame and his feat is still celebrated to this day.

During the Kamakura Period (1192-1334), mounted archery was used as a military training exercise to keep samurai prepared for war. Those archers who did poorly might find themselves commanded to commit seppuku, or ritualistic suicide. History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Kamakura period 1185 to 1333 is a period... Jump to: navigation, search Seppuku with ritual attire and second. ...

One cruel style of mounted archery was inuoumono -- shooting at dogs. Buddhists priests were able to prevail upon the samurai to have the arrows padded so that the dogs were only annoyed and bruised rather than killed. This sport is no longer practiced, to the relief of dog-lovers and dogs everywhere, no doubt.

Yabusame - Ritual Mounted Archery

Yabusame was designed as a way to please and entertain the myriad of gods that watch over Japan, thus encouraging their blessings for the prosperity of the land, the people, and the harvest. This article is about deities or gods from a non-monotheistic perspective. ...

A yabusame archer gallops down a 255-meter-long track at high speed. The archer mainly controls his horse with his knees, as he needs both hands to draw and shoot his bow.

As he approaches a target, he brings his bow up and draws the arrow past his ear before letting the arrow fly with a deep shout. The arrow is blunt and round-shaped in order to make a louder sound when it strikes the board.

Experienced archers are allowed to used arrows with a V-shaped prong. If the board is struck, it will splinter with a confetti-like material and fall to the ground. To hit all three targets is considered an admirable accomplishment.

Yabusame is characterized as a ritual rather than a sport because of its solemn style and religious aspects, and is often performed for special ceremonies or official events, such as entertaining foreign dignitaries and heads of state. Yabusame demonstrations have been given for the formal visits of US Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. A yabusame demonstration was given in the United Kingdom for Prince Charles, who reportedly was fascinated and pleased with the performance. Jump to: navigation, search Ronald Wilson Reagan, GCB, (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... Jump to: navigation, search George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former Governor of the State of Texas. ... Prince Charles may refer to: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, current heir-apparent to the British throne Any of the previous British royals named Charles, Prince of Wales The former Belgian regent, Prince Charles of Belgium This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might...

To be selected as a yabusame archer is a great honor. In the past, they were chosen from only the best warriors. The archer who performs the best is awarded a white cloth, signifying divine favor.

Famous Schools of Archery and the Impact of Zen

There are two famous schools of mounted archery that perform yabusame. One is the Ogasawara school. The founder, Ogasawara Nagakiyo, was instructed by the shogun Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) to start a school for archery. Yoritomo wanted his warriors to be highly skilled and disciplined. Archery was seen as a good way for instilling the necessary principles for a samurai warrior. Minamoto no Yoritomo 源頼朝 (1147 - February 9, 1199) was the founder and first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan, from 1192 to 1199. ...

Zen became a major element in both foot and mounted archery as it also became popular among the samurai in every aspect of their life during the Kamakura Period. Jump to: navigation, search Bodhidharma, woodblock print by Yoshitoshi, 1887. ... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Kamakura period 1185 to 1333 is a period...

Yabusame as a martial art helped a samurai learn concentration, discipline, and refinement. Zen taught breathing techniques to stabilize the mind and body, giving clarity and focus. To be able to calmly draw one's bow, aim, and fire in the heat of battle, and then repeat, was the mark of a true samurai who had mastered his training and his fear. Jump to: navigation, search Japanese samurai in armour, 1860 photograph. ...

The other archery school was begun earlier by Minamoto Yoshiari in the 9th century at the command of Emperor Uda. This school became known as the Takeda school of archery. The Takeda style has been featured in classic samurai films such as Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" (1954) and "Kagemusha" (1980). The famed actor of many samurai films, Toshiro Mifune, was a noted student of the Takeda school. Emperor Uda (宇多天皇) (May 5, 867- July 19, 931) was the 59th imperial ruler of Japan. ... The Seven Samurai (七人の侍 Shichinin no samurai, 1954) is a movie by Akira Kurosawa starring Takashi Shimura and Toshiro Mifune. ... Jump to: navigation, search Kagemusha (影武者) is a film by Akira Kurosawa. ... Jump to: navigation, search Toshiro Mifune in Yojimbo Toshiro Mifune (三船 敏郎 Mifune Toshirō) (April 1, 1920 - December 24, 1997) was a Japanese actor who appeared in almost 170 feature films. ...

The Decline and Revival of the Bow

With the arrival of the Portuguese and their guns in the mid-16th century, the bow began to lose its importance on the battlefield. At the Battle of Nagashino in 1575 well-placed groups of musket-men firing in volleys practically annihilated the cavalry charges of the Takeda clan. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... The Battle of Nagashino in 1575 took place in Nagashino in Mikawa of Japan. ...

Mounted archery was revived in the Edo Period (1600-1867) by Ogasawara Heibei Tsuneharu (1666-1747) under the command of the shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune (1684-1751). Given that the nation was at peace, archery as well as other military martial arts became more of a method of personal development rather than military training. The Edo period (江戸時代, Edo-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1600 to 1867. ... Tokugawa Yoshimune (November 27, 1684–July 12, 1751) was the eighth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, known for his financial reform. ...

Today, Yabusame is held at various times of the year generally near Shinto shrines. Jump to: navigation, search A torii at Itsukushima Shrine Shinto (神道 Shintō) (sometimes called Shintoism) is a native religion of Japan and was once its state religion. ...

Yabusame in Kamakura

Yabusame Japanese archery Kamakura, Kanagawa Japan I took this photograph and contribute it to the public domain. ... Yabusame Japanese archery Kamakura, Kanagawa Japan I took this photograph and contribute it to the public domain. ...

External links

• Takeda school Kyubadou Yabusame