The form
Yumi is an asymmetrical bow, with the hilt approximately one third of the length of the bow from below. There are several hypotheses for the origin of this form. The main hypothesis is that this form is necessary for shooting from a horse with the possibility of free aiming in any direction. According to another hypothesis, this form is needed for shooting from a sitting position. There is also a hypothesis that this form arose at a time before the invention of the composite bow to compensate for differences in the properties of wood at a distance from the root. Without a bowstring, the bow bends in the opposite direction
bowstring
Tsuru (jap. 弦, "string") yumi are traditionally made from hemp, but most modern archers use synthetic bowstrings made from materials such as Kevlar for greater durability. Usually the bowstring is not changed until the very break. The point of contact with the arrow is reinforced with an additional thread with glue, which allows you to protect the bowstring and hold the arrow more securely.
Relation to onions
Serious kyudo practitioners treat the bow with respect as an object of great power, they say that the bow contains part of the soul of the person who made it. The student must never step over a bow lying on the ground, which is considered disrespectful. Typically, onions are treated the way you would like to be treated, such as keeping away from heat or cold, in a dry, but not too dry place. It is also considered disrespectful to touch a bow without the permission of its owner.
Care
Bamboo bow requires careful care. Without this, the bow can lose its shape and become useless. The shape of the bow may change for the worse, and the correction may require the application of pressure through special blanks, or leaving it with a taut bowstring or, conversely, without a bowstring for a while. If the bow has taken an approximately flat shape, then it is left without a bowstring. With excessive arching, the bow is left with a bowstring. With good care, the bow can last for many generations, otherwise its life will be short.
Bow length
The choice of bow depends on the height of the owner.
| Growth | Arrow length | Recommended Bow |
|---|---|---|
| < 150 см | < 85 см | Sansun-zume (212 cm) |
| 150-165 cm | 85 - 90 cm | Namisun (221 cm) |
| 165-180 cm | 90 - 100 cm | Nisun-nobi (227 cm) |
| 180 - 195 cm | 100-105 cm | Youngsun-nobi (233 cm) |
| 195-205 cm | 105-110 cm | Rokusun nobi (239 cm) |
| > 205 cm | > 110 cm | Hassun-nobi (245 cm) |
Story
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An excerpt characterizing the Japanese longbow
Did the French leave the left bank?- As the scouts reported, the last ones crossed on rafts at night.
– Is there enough forage in Krems?
- The forage was not delivered in that quantity ...
The emperor interrupted him.
“At what time was General Schmit killed?”
“Seven o’clock, I think.
- At 7:00. Very sad! Very sad!
The emperor said that he was grateful and bowed. Prince Andrei went out and was immediately surrounded on all sides by courtiers. Affectionate eyes looked at him from all sides and affectionate words were heard. Yesterday's adjutant wing reproached him for not stopping at the palace, and offered him his house. The Minister of War approached him, congratulating him on the Order of Maria Theresa of the 3rd degree, which the Emperor had bestowed upon him. The chamberlain of the empress invited him to her majesty. The Archduchess also wanted to see him. He did not know whom to answer, and for a few seconds he collected his thoughts. The Russian envoy took him by the shoulder, led him to the window and began to talk to him.
Contrary to the words of Bilibin, the news brought by him was received joyfully. A thanksgiving service was scheduled. Kutuzov was awarded the Grand Cross by Maria Theresa and the entire army received decorations. Bolkonsky received invitations from all sides and had to make visits to the main dignitaries of Austria all morning. Having finished his visits at five o'clock in the evening, mentally composing a letter to his father about the battle and about his trip to Brunn, Prince Andrei returned home to Bilibin. At the porch of the house occupied by Bilibin, there was a britzka half-stowed with things, and Franz, Bilibin's servant, dragging the suitcase with difficulty, went out of the door.
Before going to Bilibin, Prince Andrei went to a bookstore to stock up on books for the campaign and sat up in the shop.
- What? Bolkonsky asked.
- Ah, Erlaucht? said Franz, heaving the suitcase into the britzka with difficulty. – Wir ziehen noch weiter. Der Bosewicht ist schon wieder hinter uns her! [Ah, Your Excellency! We're going even further. The villain is on our heels again.]
- What? What? asked Prince Andrew.
Bilibin went out to meet Bolkonsky. There was excitement on Bilibin's always calm face.
- Non, non, avouez que c "est charmant," he said, "cette histoire du pont de Thabor (bridge in Vienna). Ils l" ont passe sans coup ferir. [No, no, admit that this is a charm, this story with the Taborsky bridge. They crossed it without resistance.]
Prince Andrew did not understand anything.
“But where are you from that you don’t know what all the coachmen in the city already know?”
“I'm from the Archduchess. I didn't hear anything there.
“And didn’t you see that they were stacked everywhere?”
- I didn’t see ... But what’s the matter? Prince Andrew asked impatiently.
- What's the matter? The fact is that the French have crossed the bridge that is defended by Auesperg, and the bridge has not been blown up, so Murat is now running along the road to Brunn, and today they will be here tomorrow.
- Like here? Why didn't they blow up the bridge when it was mined?
- And I'm asking you. Nobody, not even Bonaparte himself, knows this.
Bolkonsky shrugged.
“But if the bridge is crossed, then the army is dead: it will be cut off,” he said.
"That's the point," answered Bilibin. - Listen. The French are entering Vienna, as I told you. Everything is very good. The next day, that is, yesterday, gentlemen marshals: Murat Lannes and Belliard, sit on horseback and set off for the bridge. (Note that all three are Gascons.) Gentlemen, one says, you know that the Taborsky bridge is mined and contramined, and that in front of him is a formidable tete de pont and fifteen thousand troops who were ordered to blow up the bridge and not let us in. But our sovereign Emperor Napoleon will be pleased if we take this bridge. Let's go three of us and take this bridge. - Let's go, others say; and they set off and take the bridge, cross it, and now, with the whole army on this side of the Danube, they are heading for us, for you, and for your messages.
“It’s enough to joke,” Prince Andrei said sadly and seriously.
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An archer dressed as a samurai warrior shoots a target with a bow at Sumida Park in Tokyo
The art of archery in medieval Japan was known under the general term shagei ("the art of archery"), although nowadays it is more commonly known as kyu-jutsu ("the art or technique of the bow") or kyu-do ("the way of the bow" ). For the medieval Japanese warrior, the meaning of the words "war" and "bow and arrow" (yumi-ya) were synonymous. People spoke of the god of war Hachiman as yumi-ya-no-hachiman; the left hand in Japanese is yunde (yumi-no-te - "the hand in which the bow is held"). In general, the Japanese have always considered the left hand to be more important than the right. Interestingly, if a person did not have a little finger on his left hand, then it was assumed that he would no longer be able to wield a sword well. Apparently, this is the origin of the custom of cutting off one's own little finger on the left hand as atonement for a serious offense. This tradition has been preserved among the Japanese yakuza mafia to this day.
A sharp rise in interest in the bow among the ancient Japanese is observed in the second half of the Yamato period (300-710), which was caused by the appearance of horses brought from the continent at the end of the 4th - beginning of the 5th centuries. This caused a revolution in tactics and weaponry. Infantry armed with axes, spears and short swords are replaced by horsemen with bows and long swords. However, the ite archer, also called yumi-tori ("bow holder") or uma-yumi ("mounted archer"), was indispensably a noble warrior in ancient Japan. The bushi military aristocracy and the kuge court nobility were trained in the use of the bow from childhood. The size of the army in ancient Japan was also measured by the number of bows, that is, the number of noble well-armed horsemen. For comparison - in medieval Europe, the army was calculated by the number of spears, that is, the number of knights whose main weapon was a spear. During the 10th and early 11th centuries, the growing availability of horses led to further changes in combat tactics, which were now largely determined by the ability of warriors to shoot arrows at full gallop, and at the last moment change course to regroup. The ability to wield a bow has become so important that the term kyusen-no-ie has come to mean "family of the samurai", although it literally means "family of the bow and arrow."
Daikyu bow details:
- juhatsu - thinning at the ends of the shoulders of the bow in front of the horns on which the bowstring rests
- kata - shoulder of the bow
- yuzuka - bow handle
- yu-hadzu - the ends of the bow
- otokane - bow horns
- tsuru - string
The ancient yumi bows were simple, that is, they were made from a single piece of wood. However, even then that unique asymmetric shape developed that cannot be found anywhere else in the world: about two thirds of the length of the bow is above the handle, and only one third is below. This allowed the mounted archer to hold the longbow in vertical position and do not touch the neck of the horse.
The large daikyū combat bow had an average length of 2.2 m, but some known specimens reached 2.5-2.8 m. lay on the floor, and the other was raised above the ground by about 0.5 m.
Yudame wooden block for bow making
The string of the tsuru bow was made by specialized tsura-sashi makers from plant tissue, usually hemp, Chinese nettle, or silk (silk was typically used for ceremonial bows), and waxed to make the surface hard and smooth. Strings varied greatly in quality, from strong, strong bowstrings for combat bows to soft and flexible strings (kusune) used primarily for sporting and hunting bows. At the ends, the shoulders of the bow (kata) thinned out, forming horns (otokane), to which the bowstring was attached. The horns were sometimes covered with metal; when fired, the string struck them, making a sound often used to give a signal. For example, when the emperor needed water for washing in the morning, three of his servants signaled this by making a ringing sound on their bows.
It was possible to estimate the strength of a bow by counting how many people it takes to pull it. A bow that could only be drawn after being bent by two people was called a sannin-bari. A spare gen string was worn in a quiver or on a special reed or leather tsurumaki reel, often richly decorated. Nearly all traditional bows were varnished to protect the glued parts from moisture so that they would not weaken. Outside of battle, on the road or during storage, for protection, the bow was placed in a cloth bow tied at the ends. Undoubtedly, composite bows Asian nomads were also known in Japan, but the Japanese rarely used them. According to this design, only short bows were made. The probable reason for this fact is that the horns and tendons needed for such bows came from the slaughter of cattle, and few cattle were kept, because most of the Japanese were Buddhists and it was disgusting for them to eat meat and generally touch anything, which comes from dead animals.
Like most Asians, the Japanese pulled back the string thumb right hand, holding it bent under the arrow; index and middle fingers rested on the nail of the thumb. This requires that the arrow be with right side bow from the point of view of the archer, and not from the left, as when pulling the bowstring with the index and middle fingers. Unlike the Chinese, the Japanese apparently did not use rings made of stone or ivory for protection. thumb, instead they wore a yugake leather glove. Gloves worn during training often covered only the index and middle fingers, and had an enlarged thumb reinforced with cornea or skin where it meets the bowstring. During the fight, when such a glove would interfere with the handling of a sword or even arrows, a pair of more ordinary gloves was worn, again reinforced, but only with a small piece of a second layer of leather with inside right thumb. The two middle fingers of the glove, the middle and ring fingers, often for some reason differed in color from the others.
Yugake gloves. Edo period
In order to draw the string, the archer raised the bow above his head so as not to hit the horse, then, lowering the bow, he spread both arms so that in the end the left arm was extended straight, and the right hand was near the ear. Another style, used by foot soldiers, was reminiscent of European style - when the bowstring began, the bow was held horizontally at waist level.
Actions of the rider in archery
Actions of an infantryman during archery
The angle of effective archery of a rider in armor o-yoroi
Existed in Japan and various options a short bow known by the general term ko-yumi or shokyū ("small bow"). The most widespread of the short bows was the hankyu. It was a complex symmetrical bow, 50-90 cm long, made using wood, whalebone and tendons. Hankyu probably comes from the Korean bow, which in turn is a variation of the Mongolian bow. Despite its modest size, it provided high initial speed arrow flight and was a very effective weapon at close range. Hankyu, along with small arrows (approximately equal in length to the length of a bow), was usually stored in a lacquered leather case. For their small size and high efficiency, hankyu was also loved by spies-saboteurs of shinobi. Kago-hankyu was often taken on the road by daimyos, as he allowed them to shoot without leaving the palanquin.
Contrary to popular belief, the Japanese knew and used the crossbow, although it was not widely used. The Japanese first got acquainted with the crossbow in 618, when the Korean state of Goguryeo handed over to Japan two Chinese captives and several samples of new weapons. By 672, crossbows were already actively used in military operations. In the 860s, the Japanese government, fearing a possible invasion from the Korean state of Silla, ordered to supply crossbows to a number of strategic posts on the coast, where the enemy's landing was most likely. In 894, crossbows were used in a naval battle between the Korean and Japanese fleets. The Japanese also used a crossbow that fired stones.
Ishiumi crossbows. Designed for shooting stones
doku shop crossbow
The options for both shooting arrows (bolts) and shooting stones were very compact: the span of the bow, as well as the length of the bed, was about 60 cm. The bed was finished with bone or whalebone and often richly decorated. It is very rare to find examples of a doku shop crossbow, probably copied from Chinese models. An interesting camouflaged weapon is the crossbow fan. When folded, it was an ordinary fan, and when it was opened, the bowstring was pulled and a shot was fired. Of course, such a crossbow did not differ in range, but it had an element of surprise.
Ya arrows were made by ya-khaki arrow makers. The jagar shaft was usually made of bamboo. It was cut in November or December when the bamboo was in at its best, and for the manufacture of the shaft, the bark and growths were cleaned from it. An eyelet for the bowstring was cut just above one of the growths, for strength at the end remote from the root of the growing plant. Thus, the shaft narrowed somewhat from the tip to the heel of the arrow. Each shaft was softened in hot sand and then painstakingly straightened using a serrated stick as a lever. On the best kits arrows of the Edo period (1603-1868) it can be seen that the shafts were sorted so that the growths were at the same level when the arrows were placed in the quiver. Above the heel and under the arrowhead, the arrows were trimmed with cloth or thread, varnished on top to prevent splitting of the shaft at these vulnerable points, and in many cases the master's signature was put on the winding of the heel of the arrow with red varnish.
Details of the arrow "I":
- kutsumaki - winding the shaft of an arrow under the tip
- i-hadzu - an eye for a bowstring
- jagara - shaft
- i-but-ne - tip
- yabane - plumage
- i-saki - point
All types of feathers were used in the plumage, but for the most part they were feathers of eagles, hawks, cranes and pheasants.
The arrowheads of the ya-no-ne (or yajiri) were made by special blacksmiths. Sometimes the latter put their signature either on the blade itself, or in the smallest hieroglyphs on the shank.
The tips were of a wide variety of shapes, sizes and were made of various materials depending on the purpose. Arrows with bone or horn tips were called tsunogi and were used for hunting. The tips of the combat arrows, of course, were steel. Many arrowheads were of enormous size and often with many openwork decorations; obviously, they were not intended for shooting, but were used in various ceremonies.
Hikime whistling arrowheads of kabura-ya. Arrows with such tips made a whistling sound and were used for signaling in battle and yabusame equestrian competitions.
In addition to combat arrows, each samurai wore one “ancestral arrow” in his quiver with his name indicated. It was not intended for combat - this arrow was used to recognize the dead after the battle. Arrows were carried in quivers attached to the side or behind the back. The whole variety of quivers - military, hunting and decorative - can be divided into two groups: open and closed. In the first, the arrows were separated from one another; in this way their feathers were preserved and the shooter could use them at any time. These open quivers could hold up to 50 arrows, although there were usually 24.
Ebir quiver. A reel for a spare bowstring (tsurumaki) is spun to it.
Open, richly decorated heikoroku quivers were worn by the zuijin palace guards; in them the arrows were lined up behind the back like a peacock's tail.
In closed quivers, the arrows were reliably protected from the vagaries of the weather, but they were very inconvenient when it was necessary to quickly shoot one arrow after another. However, although the feathers could be somewhat dented if the arrows were not securely fastened inside, closed quivers were still preferred by horse archers, because they better protected the arrows when riding fast (often over rough terrain) in any, even the worst weather.
Yazutsu quivers
Three utsubo quivers
Location of arrows in utsubo quiver
Boxes for arrows ya-bako and stands for bows and arrows (chado-kake) always stood in prominent places in the house of a noble bushi.
Horse archery contests were especially admired by pampered courtiers throughout the Heian period (794-1185). Riding horse training was more aristocratic in both nature and tradition. This art required good coordination in the management of a galloping horse and the simultaneous release of arrows one after another at a variety of targets, which could be either stationary or moving. Among the popular forms of archery were: three-target shooting, bamboo hat target shooting, dog shooting, dog hunting, bird hunting, and big deer, bear hunting.
Inuoumono competition. Image on a screen from the Edo period.
Shooting at dogs consisted in letting dogs into a fenced area and then driving them in a circle, shooting at them from a horse. 36 horse archers were divided into three groups of 12 horsemen each. Each group in turn was allowed to enter the circle, where 50 dogs for each group were then launched. The disgust that arose from this senseless slaughter, deepened by the spread of Buddhism in Japanese society, led to edicts according to which archers in this dog shooting were to use non-lethal arrows with large wooden round tips, while dogs were to wear special armor on soft lining. In this modified form, with only occasional minor deviations, training and competition continued for centuries.
Japanese archers were distinguished not only by accuracy, but also by their rate of fire and endurance. It is known that in 1686, a certain Wada Daihachi sent 8133 arrows from one end of the Sanjusangen-do (Hall of 33 pillars and arches) to the other in 24 hours of continuous shooting from sunset to sunset. The rate of fire averaged 5 arrows per minute. However, in 1852 this record was broken. Tsuruta Masatoki in the same hall fired 10,050 arrows in 20 hours of continuous shooting, of which 5383 hit the center of the target, and the average rate of fire was 9 arrows per minute. Archery is still practiced in Japan today. The highly ritualized art of kyudo archery is practiced in many schools and universities. It is believed that it develops coordination, endurance and educates character. On September 15-16 of each year, horseback archery competitions are held in the city of Kamakura.
KYUDO- archery. Of all those transformed in the middle of the twentieth century. in sports, kyudo to the greatest extent retained its original form.
Kyu-jutsu (Japanese art of archery)
Connoisseurs of Japanese weapons know that Japan has long been called the Land of Longbows. The bow is the oldest Japanese weapon., and taking into account the natural conditions of the country - the most profitable. Combat on ships, in hard-to-reach mountain ranges, defense of steep banks, forest ambushes - the bow is everywhere the most important weapon. A horse archer could deal with a group of attacking infantry, or run away from a group of pursuers not armed with bows, while firing from a roundabout back. Under the rule of the shoguns horse riding and possession of a bow were allowed only to high-born samurai.
At a time when the bow was of military importance, good archers were noted. The best were taken as the guards of the imperial gardens (in fact, the palace guards), or in the personal protection of the shogun.
After the Mongol invasion was repulsed, “marathon tournaments” began to be held among archers, where it was necessary to shoot quickly and for a long time, while maintaining accuracy. The chronicles note many achievements of Japanese archers in these competitions. In 1686, in Kyoto, the archer Wada Deihachi fired 8,000 arrows within 24 hours, hitting the target over and over again at a distance of one hundred meters. In 1852, the archer Masatoki repeated this achievement. Within twenty hours, he fired 10,000 arrows at the target, hitting 8,000 times. The Japanese used bows of various types. Women used small bows Azusa Yumi. compete with bows auzume-yumi, used bows in battle hankyu and yokyu, less often - a bow of the Mongolian type yoko-yumi. Archers-snipers used huge bows daikyū. For shooting, different types of arrows were used. In fact, each major genus used a different tip shape. The manufacture of quivers was a special art; the decoration of the quiver showed the rank of the samurai.
The Mongol invasion showed the Japanese an unusual tactic of using bows - group shooting of mounted archers. Although the typhoon helped to avoid danger, it became clear that it was necessary to think about the defense of the country in the event of a massive invasion. A bet was made on improving the individual skills of horse archers of individual samurai families, when each of the genera was responsible for the defense of its own section of the coast. Warriors who survived fifty days of battle emphasized two aspects of archery: the archer's physical endurance, and his mental toughness. In search of training methods, the eyes turned to. It was necessary to teach the warriors how to quickly draw the bow technically (without any extra effort) and how to shoot without aiming (and, consequently, without shifting the line of fire), because it is almost impossible to aim in a battle. However, over time, the combat value of the bow came to naught. Kyujutsu (art of archery) turned into (the path of archery) - not, but a system of spiritual self-improvement, where the bow and arrows are just a tool for self-knowledge.
Inuoumono
Exercise in archery (kyu: jutsu) from a horse, a sport of bushi. INUOUMONO was shooting dogs with blunt arrows. In the center of the riding arena, a circle with a diameter of about 14.3 m was surrounded by a rope. Inside it, a circle of a smaller diameter stood out ...
Kasagake
In practice KASAGAKE the shooters galloped the horses along a special path towards the target, and from the middle of it they began to shoot arrows at a leather-covered wooden target with a diameter of about 50 cm, installed at a distance of about 15 m away from the path ...
Yabusame
A Shinto ceremony held to scare away evil spirits and divination, and an exercise in archery (kyu: jutsu) from a horse at targets. YABUSAME includes 4 elements: first, the leader of a group of shooters, which can be 7, 10 or 16, shoots an arrow into the sky and into the earth to establish eternal peace between them ...
Heavy yumi were commonly used in naval battles. Huge arrows hit enemy boats. This bow has a two thousand year history. Currently, it is used for kyudo and various rituals.
Yumi Features
The traditional Japanese bow is made from wood, bamboo and leather. Modern analogues are made of carbon and fiberglass. The Japanese bow is an asymmetric weapon. According to one version, this form is more convenient for shooting from a horse. Yumi can also be fired from the knee and standing.
archery technique
The peculiarity of the Japanese bow is that the shooter uses longer arrows by pulling the string by the ear. In this case, the arrow is held motionless with one hand, and the other pulls the bowstring with a bow. The European technique involves pulling the arrow with the hand in which the archer holds the arrow. The rider lifted the Japanese Yumi bow up and turned it vertically.
Foot soldiers during the campaign held the bow on the side. When firing, yumi was also raised and turned around. The capture of the arrow was carried out with the help of a special bone ring. Sometimes gloves with leather overlays were used instead. After the shot, the bow rotated freely in the hand. This technique is the least traumatic, but requires long workouts. Arrowheads are hollow. Therefore, when flying, they emit a characteristic whistle. It is believed that in this way the shooter scares away evil spirits and frightens his enemies. The whistle of an arrow was also a signal for the start of the battle.
Archers and their weapons
Japanese archers were distinguished by endurance and rate of fire. An experienced master hits a target from a distance. The bowstring for yumi was made from hemp. Modern archers prefer various synthetic materials to it. The bowstring is not changed until it breaks. The place where the arrow comes into contact with the bowstring is reinforced with a thread with glue.
Attitude towards yumi
People doing kyudo japanese art archery) believe that yumi contains a part of the soul of the master who made it. Therefore, he is treated as a living person, protected from heat and cold. The bow must not be touched without the permission of its owner. Also, you can not step over a bow lying on the ground. Yumi needs to be stored in a room with a certain humidity so that it does not lose its shape. In this case, you can adjust the shape of the bow by tightening and loosening the bowstring. Also, special devices are used for this. With proper care, a yumi can serve its owner for several decades.
The art of archery
Kyudo is considered a traditional martial art. In the middle of the twentieth century, it was transformed into a sport. Kyudo appeared during the Mongol invasion of Japan. Then the first shooting schools began to be created. Much attention was paid to the education of the spiritual personality of a warrior. Therefore, kyudo for the Japanese is also a way of life. This art was greatly influenced by Zen Buddhism.
Shooting from a Japanese bow has become a special ritual. It differs significantly from traditional European technology. When shooting, most of the bow is under the palm holding it. The target's diameter is 36 cm. The distance to it is 28 m. The master must follow all the forms and rules of kyudo. This is much more important than hitting the target with an arrow. In Japan, this martial art is practiced by 500 thousand people. This state has been called the Land of Long Bows since ancient times.
Shooting was taught from childhood. The future archer held a heavy staff in his outstretched hand, gradually increasing the time. Yumi was made from cheap natural materials. Therefore, the Japanese longbow was the most affordable weapon.
Use in combat
Yumi is irreplaceable in any natural conditions. It was used in naval battles, for the defense of coasts, mountain ranges, forest ambushes. An experienced archer on horseback easily coped with a group of foot soldiers. The convenient shape of the bow allowed him to shoot in any direction, sharply turning the body. Such an occupation was common for noble samurai. To neutralize the war with a bow, it was necessary to kill his horse. Less wealthy Japanese became foot archers. They were used to storm castles and other fortifications. Wars lined up in several rows. Each line fired arrows in turn while the other archers prepared. This made it possible to bring down a continuous hail of arrows on the enemy. With the invention of muskets, the efficiency of using mounted archers became minimal. But the samurai did not stop practicing this art. Huge shooting ranges were created in their residences, where competitions were held. Yumi was also used for hunting. The killing of a deer by a mounted archer was a rare event. In this case, a messenger was sent to the samurai family with a message.
Tournaments
The best archers recruited for the protection of the shoguns and in the palace guards of the emperor. Tournaments were held among them, at which not only the accuracy of the shooter was evaluated, but also his speed and endurance. Archer Wadi Deihati in 1686 fired 8 thousand arrows per day, each of which hit the target. Only 150 years later, another shooter, Masatoki, repeated his achievement. Japanese women used small bows - ajusa-yumi.
Hanku, ekyu, eco-yumi, daikyū are the names of combat types of bows. Tabi-yumi is a folding bow. Ko-yumi is a ninja bow. Each kind of samurai used arrows with a special shape of the tips. By finishing the quivers it was possible to determine the rank of a warrior. Kyujuzu was originally considered the art of archery. Its main goal was to increase the physical endurance and psychological stability of the war. Kyujuzu masters defended the borders of the coast from the Mongol invasion. Gradually, the martial art turned into a system for the spiritual development of kyudo.
materials
The bow was made from Japanese yew and reinforced with bamboo plates. All parts of the onion were smeared with fish glue and pulled together. Then the product was covered with hemp threads and varnished. The bows of the generals were wrapped along the entire length. The string was made separately by special craftsmen. After all, she was considered the most important part weapons. Animal tendons, leather, silk and other materials were used for its manufacture. The bowstring was also wrapped with thread. While pulling the bowstring on the bow, the master clamped an additional loop on it in his teeth. Onions were stored in a special case made of leather or fabric. A wooden case with a spare bowstring wound on a special coil was attached to the war quiver. Arrows were made from strong and light woods. Some arrows were glued together from four fragments and wrapped with palm bast. Then the arrow was dried, checked and balanced with the help of plumage. The feathers of the owl and eagle were most often used. On the back of the arrow, a notch was made for the bowstring.
The tips were made of stone, animal horns. Then they were changed to bronze and iron. The tips were driven into the arrow and secured with a winding. Their form depended on the destination. There were "generic" tips. They featured the family coat of arms. Such arrows remained in the quiver and were not used in battle. They were used to identify the samurai in case of death. Quivers were of two types - open and closed. In the first, the arrows were separated from each other by partitions. So their plumage was not damaged. The arrow could be easily removed from the quiver. Special cords kept them from falling out. Closed quivers securely held arrows and protected them from rain. They were fastened on the back or belt of the warrior with two leather belts. The bow and quiver were kept in the house on special stands. Usually the length of the arrow did not exceed 1 m, the average diameter was 14 mm, and the weight was 80 g.
Left hand
Warriors considered their left hand, in which they held a bow and sword, more necessary than their right. A samurai who injured his left limb was considered useless in battle. The Japanese yakuza retained the custom of cutting off their finger on their left hand in recognition of their guilt. Until now, the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun respect archers and the Japanese bow. Photos with arrows are loved by tourists traveling around this country.
Some terms
Inounomo is an exercise in which a mounted archer fires blunt arrows at dogs. At the same time, the space was limited by ropes. Kasagake is another exercise. Mounted arrows had to overcome a certain distance and hit the target.
Yabusame is a special ceremony that includes exorcism, divination and archery. At its beginning, one of the shooters shoots an arrow into the sky as a sign of eternal peace.