Shooting on foot - Busha

Originally, it was a general term for archery on foot (kachi-yumi) as opposed to archery on horseback (uma-yumi), that is, shooting while standing on foot (kachi-dachi), but it has been used interchangeably with busha, shooting at a large target in front of a shrine, from a fairly early time. The former was essentially performed with the emergence of bows and arrows, and includes the Imperial Court's Jarai (archery ceremonies) and Yuba-hajime (the first archery field ceremonies), which are said to have begun in 670 (the 9th year of Emperor Tenchi's reign), and the term busha appears early on in the Ryo no Gige. There are also many types of archery on foot, such as dai-teki (large target), ko-teki (small target), kusa-jishi (grass deer), and enmono (round object). The latter is a Shinto ritual mainly performed during the New Year, and has the meaning of fortune-telling for the year and warding off evil spirits. The rituals at Kamo Shrine and Atsuta Shrine were well-known from early times. Even today, it is known all over the country and is called "bisha," "hosha," "hosha," etc., but in some places it has lost its original form and is only associated with drinking parties and dinner parties.

[Takayoshi Miyazaki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

本来は騎射(うまゆみ)に対する歩射(かちゆみ)、すなわち歩立(かちだち)で弓を射ることの総称であるが、一方でかなり早くから、神前で大的を射る奉射(ぶしゃ)と混用されている。前者は実質的には弓矢の発生とともに行われ、670年（天智天皇9）に始まるという朝廷の射礼(じゃらい)や弓場始(ゆばはじめ)なども含まれ、歩射の用語も早く『令義解(りょうのぎげ)』にみえる。また的によって大的、小的、草鹿(くさじし)、円物など多くの種類がある。後者はおもに正月に行われる神事で、年占(としうら)や魔除(まよ)けの意味をもつ。賀茂(かも)社や熱田(あつた)神宮などの神事は早くから著名であった。今日でも「びしゃ」「ほうしゃ」「ほしゃ」などともよんで全国各地に伝わっているが、本来の姿を失って、酒宴や会食だけにおもかげをとどめている所もある。

［宮崎隆旨］

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