Hey everybody, and fellow kyudoka! I have a bit of a complex situation, so I figured I'd explain as best I could. I want to get back into training, but due to a lot of extenuating circumstances am unable to, and my form has almost completely been lost. I want to revive it before I lose it completely.

Before the pandemic hit, I was training with my sensei and two other students in our tiny club here in the middle of the Canadian prairies. I had just gotten to do my first real shot at the makiwara - it was a big deal! However, a few days after practice the pandemic hit and our community space completely shut its doors. It's been four years since that day.

My sensei lives just outside of our city, and we've recently been trying to to re-secure our same space we occupied, but it is no longer available. We're not a large group; between sensei and senpai who teach it, it's just me and two other students. As such, we can't easily secure space that complies with insurance regulations, as we're considered a ratified, standard archery club. Without access to any dojos specifically for kyudo, our options are limited.

My other issue is that I live in a basement suite with not very high ceilings. I still have my yumi and my arrows, but I wouldn't be able to raise my bow for uchiokoshi onward nor do I have moveable room for even just ashibumi. I'm not knowledgeable enough to completely lead my own lessons - I'd need sensei to guide me back to everything, but it feels wrong to rent a space just for myself to use.

Right now my only option is to create my own gomu yumi just like sensei used to teach me for the first year leading up to using my own yumi when it arrived. It's not ideal - I need to build my strength back up to stay up to par with the draw weight of my yumi, and I really do need to get my yumi back into proper use so it doesn't compromise its structure and strength.

Especially in the West, how could one navigate securing a space for the club to come back again, and how do you get back into a proper training routine/regimen after not having done any kyudo for a while? I'm a bit of a worrywart with this, so any advice and support is sincerely appreciated. At the very least, I'm trying to create a small routine where I meditate just like sensei had us do during lessons, and to be able to wear my hakama again. It was an honor to get to start kyudo in the first place, and I can't let sensei's teachings go to waste no matter what.

Hello fellow practitioners!

I have been practicing Kyudo for about 5 months now at a small local dojo that has 2 Senseis. I have been very curious about how other dojos handle beginners.

In our dojo, the Senseis will teach the basic 8 steps in front of a Makiwara directly, however beginners are often left alone to practice for an entire session, even if they only have a very basic understanding of the correct techniques.

I have been struggling a bit recently with that, as it seems easy to get used to a wrong technique when no more experienced Kyudoka check how you shoot and it usually ends in the situation that a Sensei will come over once per Session perhaps, point out a lot of errors among the beginners and then leave again. This way, you can't always be sure if you are applying the feedback correctly.

Is this common practice in other dojos or do other Senseis give more guidance to beginners? I'm well aware that Kyudo is a practice that takes many years to properly learn and a lot of learning has to come from you as the practitioner yourself, but i would have expected more teaching in the first 2-3 months.

Hey!

I'm a beginner and I've been trying to get better at sitting in kiza. I've been practicing kiza for 3 weeks, 2-3 times every day, but I just can't seem to sit longer than 2 minutes.

Any tips on what stretches to do? Am I missing something? I'm a fairly small woman so my weight isn't a problem.

Thanks! :)

I’m very interested in learning kyudo and I’m willing to travel several hours to get to a dojo. After some research, I’ve found a non-federation dojo that is relatively close to me (~1.5 hours away, easy trip) and a dojo affiliated with the American Kyudo Renmei that is twice as far (~3 hours away, more intensive trip).

How important is it to attend an affiliated dojo? Are there any key differences? And for those with more kyudo experience, would you consider the extra effort and travel worth it and why (or why not)?

Thanks for any and all advice!

I'm quite new to Kyudo and have recently joined a club for it. At our dojo, we wear the white tabi, but I've noticed a practitioner wearing black ones. Is there a specific reason for this, or is it simply a personal choice made by the practitioner? (We don't have a very strict dress code.) When I tried to look up my question, I found a source mentioning darker tabi historically being used while traveling to minimize the appearance of dirt, so I was wondering if that might be why. Does anyone have any insight into this? Perhaps I'm just overthinking, but I wanted to know whether I've missed a cultural detail pertaining to this martial art.

How important is it to have a custom made yugake, in your opinion? Is it a lot more different than the basic sizes? Thanks :)

Hello fellow kyudoka,

I have been lucky to be able to practice kyudo with a shogosha sensei for a few months now, but unfortunately I'll no longer be able to practice at the dojo. My sensei said I could still practice if I had adequate space/facilities like an archery range (which is my plan) and would lend me the equipment to continue doing so. He's aware that taihai practice will not be possible in an outdoors range but said that many kyudoka globally have to make compromises since dojos (especially for kyudo) are incredibly rare.

That being said, have any of you practiced outdoors? What are a few things I should be aware of and what kind of setups did you have when doing so? I'll be allowed to use the 30m archery range bays but should I ask to set up a separate mato?

Thanks!

Essentially asking why is Kyudo absent from the Olympics and what are its perspectives in these terms, if anyone knows about it.

i am fairly new to archery and i have a turkish horse bow that i shoot regularly with mediterranean and thumb draw. im interested in buying a yumi because i find bows as a great way to learn history of a culture. i know there are dojos recognized by the federation but i was wondering what the difference is in recognition vs non reconditioned dojos. and im trying to find somone around the frederick county area in MD that would offer classes or atleast be relatively close by to speak to

I've practiced Chinese archery for about 7 years using the Gao Ying manual and a fellow Gao Ying practitioner recommended the anime Tsurune. I watched it twice and saw a kyudo practitioner shoot at the range where I practice. The movements and equipment were fascinating and I decided that I will learn kyudo.

I've only had one class so far and I went in with a "cup empty" mentality so I can learn all that I can, but I think I'm getting a bit too excited. I'm already window-shopping for equipment online. I have a friend who's a prominent and respected yumi builder who's encouraging me to start with a 17-18kg takeyumi since I already have a lot of experience with bows. My main bow in Chinese archery is about 55# and is made of fiberglass/bamboo. I also have a 70# strength training bow I use for conditioning. I own a couple of all-bamboo/wood bows too. I don't shoot them as much because they shoot well for about an hour then lose their cast until they rest again. My fiberglass/wood bow is much more consistent.

However, despite my experience with bows I can't help but feel like the wisest thing to do is to get a lighter carbon or fiberglass yumi. I don't want to come off someone who's getting way ahead of herself in class. I don't want to come across as someone who's reckless. I don't want to be "that student." We all know someone who's overconfident when they start archery. As a result, I'm keeping my previous archery experience on the down low. At the same time, I don't want a yumi that I'll outgrow quickly.

My gut tells me the best move is to start with a well-fitting yugake. Everything else will fall in place later. What do you folks think? Should I be forthcoming with my sensei about my previous experience? Again, I really don't want to seem like I'm overconfident.

I emailed them expressing interest in registering for their beginners courses. I was wondering if they would email me back, letting me know that I am registered. Also, if anyone has experience with them, what is practice like there and how are the people?

Hi, everyone!

I've been practicing kyudo for almost 2 years, shodan soon testing for nidan, and I'm about to buy my first yumi.

I've been talking to my sensei about this, who approves of me getting a bow. I'm buying a 4sunnobi, based on my Yazuka.

It's been really hard finding reliable information about bows, but I had my eye fixed on a Tokusei Sui. I understand it's a good entry point bow but I wanted to know if anyone had more information about it.

Being a carbon fiber bow, I was curious about the differences between fiberglass and carbon. The Tokusei Sui says super carbon ceramic and I don't understand what the ceramic stands for.

I understand that carbon is more fragile than fiber glass, and I am concerned I might break the bow, is that a possibility with these bows, or does it refer to improper use of the bow or wear and tear?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Bought an old bamboo kyudo bow and some arrows off an estate sale. The seller had no idea how old it was or what it's past has been.

That was fine with me as I was planning to use it for display only.

However it would be cool to shoot it someday. Is there a serious safety concern with shooting it assuming it has no cracks? Like, is there an age beyond which it's just better to retire a bow?

Assume I would get all new arrows.

Hey everyone.

I live in Hiroshima and have been wanting to find a kyudojo at which I can study, but I can find is a kyudo shooting range. Would any of you be able to help with figuring out how to find a dojo around the city? Thanks, I'm looking forward to giving it a go!

Hello everybody,

I want to buy a new hakama but the price buying directly from Japan is quite expensive to me. There is a local shop in my place that make and sale hakamas for Kendo practioners. I asked the shop owner about the possible differences between the clothes for Kyudo and Kendo but she don't know.

So I would like to ask you guys here if you know about that? Can I use the hakama of other budos to practice Kyudo?

Thank you in advance.

I'd love to learn Kyudo, I have been looking for a yumi, all my Google searches seem to lean on Tozando. Since I am new to the art, I'd love to know what everyone thinks of Tozando. Especially if you own one. The yumi that has caught my eye is the Aoi. Anyone have one of these bows? If so, let me know what you think? Will it stand up to misuse if I foul up my form? Or worse yet, dry fire from someone with know knowledge of archery? Thank you all for your time.

Hi everyone! I'm planning to start with Kyudo in about 2 months as a complete beginner.

Since I have some time left, I wonder if there is something I can do to prepare before my first class?

My name is Felipe, I'm 31 years old, and I'm Brazilian. The nearest kyudo dojo is an hour and a half away from my home, with Sunday training sessions. I already practice kendo and iaido. Additionally, I am a philosophy teacher, focusing on research in philosophy of art and ADHD. What tips do you have for me to start?

Note: I don't intend to abandon kendo and iaido

Hello everyone, I just wanted to know if there were any Kyudo equipment shops that sell uniforms and/or practice Yumi in Taiwan?

A friend of mine is traveling there in March and I was hoping that they had equipment in Taiwan that are equal to the shops in Japan. preferably shops that you could walk into that have equipment on the shelves for sale.

We were at the Florda National Cemetery among family and friends, reflecting about our loved one who lived a life of training, teaching, love and great patience. I will forever be grateful for your wisdom and kindness.

Thank you Garrasi, Sensei

Hi, I had just started practicing kyudo. I have a gomuyumi and we have loaner bows at the dojo. However I would like to practice at home more realistically before I get my own yumi. Where can I buy a yumitarou in the US?

Thanks in advance!

It's all of a sudden happened, even when I use my gomi yumi. The gomi yumi string hits my face, while the bow string catches my ear upon release...every time. It's painful and scary, so much that instinctively, I'm no longer doing full draw or doing other strange adjustments to try to prevent an injury. I'm looking to know who has experienced this before and what are some corrections you've implemented that prevented further injury?

I was doing dry exercises to properly draw the bow and the string slipped out of my hand. The Bow Inverted itself. Will my bow be okay?

I'm looking into possibly buying/making a gomuyumi to practice at home since I have low cielings and (as of now) no makiwara. I want to use it mainly for 2 things, 1 is practicing my draw into kai keeping my wrist relaxed and 2 is yugaeri practice. Is it possible to get yugaeri with a gomuyumi or is it something unique to the full size yumi? I was able to semi consistantly achieve yugaeri on a 15k bow before moving up in draw weight to an 18k. The new bow has a different grip padding and with the added weight im having to relearn my tenouchi and holding kai for long periods gets pretty tiring.

Hello Everyone,

So I might be going to Japan for a few years, and I would like to continue my training there.

Does anyone know of a website or place I can go to find all the kyudo dojos in Japan or in certain areas?

I attended a workshop with Shibata-San in Kyoto where we built a 35KG yumi. I have one tsuru on it but it’s used and I am worried About it breaking soon. I am wondering where to find tsuru strong enough to suit the yumi. Can anyone link a website where I can order online? Thank you