Yumi (弓, ゆみ) is the Japanese term for bows (which includes the longbow, Daikyu and the shortbow, hankyu) used in the practice of Kyudo (弓道, Japanese archery). Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0. ... The word bow has several meanings and two pronunciations, depending on meaning: Rhymes with low A kind of weapon; see bow (weapon). ... The longbow (or English longbow, or Welsh longbow, see below) was a type of bow about 6 feet long used in the Middle Ages both for hunting and as a weapon of war. ... Kanjuro Shibata XX practicing Kyudo Kyudo (弓道) (The Way of the Bow) is the Japanese art of archery. ... Archers in Competition Archery is the practice of using a bow to shoot arrows. ...

The yumi is exceptionally tall (standing over two meters), surpassing the height of the archer (kyudoka). They are traditionally made of bamboo, wood and leather, using techniques which have not changed for centuries, although some archers (particularly beginners) may use a synthetic yumi. The yumi is asymmetric; the upper and lower curves differ and the grip is positioned at about one-third the distance from the lower tip. It is believed the asymmetric shape was designed for use on a horse, where the yumi could be moved from one side of the horse to the other with ease. The Japaneese Yumi Bow File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Genera Many, see text Bamboos are a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae. ... This article describes the wood that comprises trees and boards. ... Modern leather-making tools Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides, pelts and skins of animals, primarily cows. ... Symmetry is a characteristic of geometrical shapes, equations and other objects; we say that such an object is symmetric with respect to a given operation if this operation, when applied to the object, does not appear to change it. ... Binomial name Equus caballus The Horse (Equus caballus) is a large ungulate mammal, one of the seven modern species of the genus Equus. ...

The string (tsuru) of a yumi is traditionally made of hemp, although most modern archers will use strings made of synthetic materials such as Kevlar, which will last longer (around one thousand shots). Strings are usually not replaced until they break; this results in the yumi flexing in the direction opposite to the way it is drawn, and is considered beneficial to the health of the yumi. The nocking point on the string is built up through the application of hemp and glue to protect the string and to provide a thickness which helps hold the nock of the arrow in place while drawing the yumi. Hemp is the common English name for the annual herb cannabis, (marijuana), which can be and is grown for numerous non-drug purposes, including fiber (e. ... Chemical structure of Kevlar. ... This is an article about the projectile; see Arrow (disambiguation) for other meanings. ...

Serious kyudo archers treat the yumi with reverence, as pieces of great power, and as teachers with much to impart to the student (a yumi is said to hold within it part of the spirit of the person who made the yumi). A kyudo student will never step over a yumi which lies on the ground (that would be considered disrespectful), and will typically treat a yumi as they themselves would wish to be treated (e.g. kept away from excessive heat or cold, kept dry, kept away from excesses of humidity or dryness, carried upright). It is also considered disrespectful to so much as touch another person's yumi without his permission; yumishi (yumi-maker) Kanjuro Shibata, Sensei has said this is like touching someone's spouse. Onyumishi Kanjuro Shibata XX, Sensei (born 1921) is twentieth in a line of master bowmakers and a Kyudo teacher of the Heki Ryu Bishu Chikurin-ha tradition. ...

A bamboo yumi requires careful attention. Left unattended, the yumi can become out-of-shape and may eventually become unusable. The shape of a yumi will change through normal use and can be re-formed when needed through manual application of pressure, through shaping blocks, or by leaving it strung or unstrung when not in use.

The shape of the curves of a yumi is greatly affected by whether it is left strung or unstrung when not in use. The decision to leave a yumi strung or unstrung depends upon the current shape of the yumi. A yumi that is relatively flat when unstrung will usually be left unstrung when not in use (a yumi in this state is sometimes referred to as being 'tired'). A yumi that has excessive curvature when unstrung is typically left strung for a period of time in order to 'tame' the yumi.

A well cared-for yumi can last many generations, while the usable life of a mistreated yumi can be very short.

References

• Eugen Herrigel: Zen in the Art of Archery ISBN 0375705090

External links

• Takeda school Kyubadou Yabusame (http://www.yabusame.com/) - Official horseback archery (combined with archery and horseback riding)