Learn about Kyudo - Japanese Archery Martial Arts

Kyudo is a Japanese martial arts focused on archery. Unlike Kyujutsu (which is more focused on the traditional Samurai combat usage of a bow), Kyudo is the Japanese sports form of archery.

According to the International Kyudo Federation, "After guns were introduced into Japan, the age of warfare using bows and arrows ended and archery became a form of training of the body and mind. This lead the art of archery to become more refined through this transition… During the warless Edo Period, archery was pursued as an art and developed into Kyudo meaning "the Way of the Bow"… During the Taisho Era and the beginning of Showa Era, Kyudo was adopted in high schools as an extra-curricular activity, if not a regular subject. But when World War 2 broke out, the Ministry of Education changed their policy and once again Kyudo was excluded as it did not link directly to actual combat. After the war, all martial arts were banned from schools. In 1951, Kyudo was permitted to be practiced at schools again. In 1967, Kyudo was adopted as a regular high school curriculum. The educational and athletic aspect of Kyudo was recognized and revaluated. Modern Kyudo launched thereafter as part of schools' physical education. The mission of modern Kyudo is to pursue how Kyudo can contribute educationally under the new spiritual concept by taking any possible scientific approach available and to spread the art."

References

1. International Kyudo Federation, The History of Kyudo, http://www.ikyf.org/history.html, Added-03/05/14

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