Kyudo - Archery

Japanese: 弓道 - きゅうどう

overview

Kyudo is a unique Japanese archery culture that has developed throughout Japan's culture and history, combining various aspects such as practicality, religion, art, education, and competition. Kyudo has excellent athletic characteristics that make it accessible to anyone, regardless of age, gender, physical strength, or physique, and in Japan, the number of enthusiasts has been increasing not only among young people but also among the middle-aged and elderly in recent years.

Japan's archery culture has the following characteristics. In primitive times, short bows were used, but in ancient times, southern longbows over two meters in length came into use. In primitive times and up until the middle of ancient times, the bow was made of wood, but from the middle of ancient times it became a composite bow of wood and bamboo with a curved bow, and its structure has been improved over time to the present day. In terms of functionality, the grip is placed about one-third of the way down the length of the bow, a mechanical design that prevents any shock to the right hand when firing. The shooting method (mainly the torikake method) is based on the Mongolian style of shooting, which was widespread throughout East Asia.

In Japan, archery was used as a weapon for hunting and battle, in other words, as a practical tool, just like in other countries, but as time went on, the idea of archery as a sacred object, revered due to its power, began to take shape. Meanwhile, influenced by the idea of literal archery seen in ancient China (literal archery is an aspect of human education through ceremonial archery), ceremonial archery events began to be held as part of ancient imperial court ceremonies. Archery can be broadly divided into walking archery (hosha) and mounted archery (kisha), and in walking archery, there are various types of archery, such as matae (maeta-mae), tooyamae (tooyamae), sashiyamae (sashiyamae), and tekimae (tekimae), depending on the purpose, and in the early modern period, hall archery (also called through arrow or hall archery) became popular. Mounted archery also flourished during the Kamakura period, and various ingenuity was put into the shooting methods, techniques, and equipment to suit each purpose. After the introduction of firearms to Japan, the practical value of archery declined, but the fusion of military archery (the practical aspect of the bow and arrow as a weapon) with literary archery was attempted, and it was practiced as a tool for the education of samurai in the early modern period, and in the modern era it has become widely popular as a contribution to school education and social education, and continues to this day. In recent years, interest has also been drawn from other countries, and international activity organizations have been established.

[Kohei Irie]

history

It is unclear exactly when humans first developed a bow-shooting culture, but it is believed to have existed between the end of the Paleolithic and the beginning of the Neolithic periods, and the famous figures of people drawing bows in the Alpera and Castilon caves in Spain, which are estimated to be around 10,000 years old, are well-known. As for Japanese bows, their use is believed to date back to before the Jomon period, and the oldest bows excavated to date date back to the early Jomon period, with more and more excavated items being found as time goes on. Looking at these bows, they are round wooden bows made of Inugayaki wood and are less than 1.5 meters long, and some are lacquered or wrapped in bark to prevent damage and corrosion, and some even have grooves running through the inside of the bow. An arrow is made up of the arrowhead (the shaft, arrow shaft and arrowhead), feathers, arrowhead and nock, but currently the only way to know what primitive arrows were like is to look at the arrowheads. Many Jomon period arrowheads made from obsidian, as well as bitumen and Sanuki stone, have been excavated from all over the country. In the Yayoi period, arrowheads made from bone as well as copper and iron began to appear, and as time went on iron arrowheads became mainstream and arrowheads of various shapes were made. The arrowheads are thought to have been mainly made from bamboo, and the feathers were usually two or three feathers.

The Gishiwajinden and the Geography section of the Book of Han, which describe the manners and customs of Japan in the 3rd century, state that "wooden bows are short at the bottom and long at the top..." and indicate that the grip of Japanese bows at that time was already lower than the center. An excavated bow thought to date to the 5th century is 2 meters long, with the grip positioned approximately 7:3 from top to bottom. In the mid-Heian period, a bow was devised in which bamboo was attached to the outside of the previous round wooden bow. This was called a fuse-dake-yumi (folded bamboo bow). Furthermore, from the end of the Heian period to the beginning of the Kamakura period, bamboo was also attached to the inside of the folded bamboo bow. This bow is called a sanmai-uchiyumi (three-piece bow). In the Muromachi period, the four-sided bamboo bow (shihochikuyumi) was made, with a wood core and bamboo attached to the inside, outside and both sides, as well as the higoi bow, which had bamboo on the inside and outside, wood on both sides and several bamboo sticks as the core.

The most obvious difference in archery is how the arrow and string are held between the fingers of the right (left) hand and pulled back, i.e., the torikake method. This torikake method varies depending on the era, ethnicity, and region. The oldest and most basic torikake method is thought to be (1) the pinch method and (2) a variation of the pinch method, which later developed and spread to (3) the Mediterranean form and (4) the Mongolian form. Geographically and historically, Japan's archery culture is located in East Asia, and the torikake method of (4) the Mongolian form has been practiced to this day.

The 480 years from the Nara to the Heian period was a time when various Imperial Court events were established and held on a grand scale, and archery events on foot, such as the Jarai (Archery Ceremony) and Noriyumi (Archery Gambling) and events such as Kisha no Setsu (Archery Festival) were also influenced by Chinese culture and were actively held with a literary archery character. As these archery events were official Imperial Court events, the details were stipulated. The Tomo clan and the Ki clan were known as families that specialized in archery on foot, and it was these two families that gradually established the methods of using bows and arrows and the manner of moving forward and backward. Meanwhile, in the midst of the wars that broke out in various places from the middle and end of the Heian period through to the Kamakura period, bows and arrows were respected as the most effective battle weapons. A warrior was called "a warrior who wields bows and arrows" and his way of life was called "the way of bows and arrows." Kamakura warriors especially enthusiastically trained in the three disciplines of mounted archery: Yabusame, Kasagake, and Inuoumono. The names of the Takeda and Ogasawara families begin to appear in records of archery events around this time as families of mounted archery.

From the Northern and Southern Courts period to the early Muromachi period, ingenuity was seen in the way weapons were handled, and from the Onin War to the Sengoku period, martial arts made remarkable progress. Initially, martial arts, which are individual fighting techniques, relied solely on innate athletic ability, and it is thought that their transmission to the next generation was limited to a narrow circle of relatives or family members. However, around the 15th and 16th centuries, people with outstanding talent in various martial arts fields, such as archery, horse riding, swordsmanship, and spears, began to appear. The techniques that these masters and experts devised based on their own martial arts ideals were so excellent that even weaker people could defeat stronger opponents if they studied them continuously under a set instruction procedure, and so people began to try to learn these techniques. This gave rise to master-disciple relationships, and technical systems and methods of transmission were developed. In this way, a school was born with a specific ideal and the establishment of excellent techniques based on it. In the field of archery, Heki Danjo Masatsugu appeared at this time and created an innovative shooting style and technique for foot archery. He is considered the founder of the revival of Japanese archery, and his Heki-ryu style later branched out into the Sekka, Dosetsu, Inzai, Okura, and Chikurin schools, spreading and establishing itself all over the country, and also had a major influence on the Yamato-ryu style that was established in the Edo period.

In the Edo period, the practical value of martial arts receded, but awareness of the importance of matters of the heart led to them being linked to Zen and to the study of the mind. With the spread of Confucianism, samurai education was based on the two pillars of martial arts and Confucianism, but archery, especially archery on foot, was practiced mainly as an avocation for upper and middle-ranking samurai. Of particular note during this period was the popularity of dosha, an archery competition in which archers shoot arrows through a restricted space on the western outer edge of Sanjusangendo in Kyoto (later held in Edo as well). The record for dosha was set in 1686 (Jokyo 3), when Wasa Daihachiro (also known as Daihachi) of Kishu shot 8,133 arrows (a total of 13,053 arrows), a record that has not been broken since. At the end of the Edo period, archery and dog-hunting were temporarily adopted at the Kobusho (a military training school) established, but were soon removed.

Archery, which had temporarily declined during the Meiji period, began to show signs of revival as time went on. Interest in martial arts increased with the rise of nationalism among the people, and with the founding of the Dai-Nippon Butoku-kai in 1895 (Meiji 28), archery began to be encouraged along with judo and kendo, reaching its heyday in the early Showa period. Meanwhile, it was adopted as a formal subject of school education in 1936 (Showa 11). With the end of World War II, the Dai-Nippon Butoku-kai was forced to disband for collaborating with nationalism and militarism, and the practice of archery and other martial arts was banned in schools. After that, archery was allowed to be practiced in schools in 1951, and in 1967 it was adopted as a formal physical education subject in high schools. Meanwhile, the Japan Kyudo Federation was established in 1949 as a national organization for Kyudo (the All Japan Kyudo Federation was established in 1947, but was dissolved). In 1950, it joined the Japan Amateur Sports Association (now the Japan Sports Association), participated in the National Athletic Meet, and was re-launched as the All Japan Kyudo Federation Foundation in 1957. To promote and develop Kyudo, it has been conducting activities such as instructor training seminars, title and rank examinations, and sponsoring and supporting various competitions. As of the end of fiscal year 2017, there were approximately 138,000 registered members, but there are thought to be a considerable number of potential enthusiasts, and Kyudo is attracting attention as an old and new athletic culture. Kyudo gradually became popular overseas, mainly in Europe after the war, and the Federation of European Kyudo Federations was established in 1972, and the International Kyudo Federation (IKYF) was established in May 2006. As of January 2019, 28 countries and regions are members.

[Kohei Irie]

Modern Kyudo

Modern Kyudo is not a one-on-one format like other martial arts, but aims to accurately shoot an arrow at a fixed target using the elasticity of the bow, and aims to contribute to the development of a person through its training. Since this movement requires instantaneous dynamic movement from a very static movement, it is characterized by the need for a stable mind and strict self-control. The quality of an individual's mind and technique is directly reflected in the result, and the archer bears all responsibility for it. Therefore, Kyudo requires constant self-reflection, harmony, respect, self-control, and humility. In order to always hit a powerful arrow accurately, a healthy body, a stable mind, and well-trained techniques are necessary, and for this, calmness, composure, courage, and decisiveness are indispensable. Kyudo can be said to be a traditional sports culture rooted in the Japanese climate and history, which aims to improve one's culture as a person and enrich one's life, as well as to have moral and physical education effects.

[Kohei Irie]

Tools

(1) Bows Traditionally, Japanese bows are made of a combination of wood and bamboo. However, from around the 1960s onwards, bows made of fiberglass or carbon fiber have been produced. These have been improved over the years, and their performance has improved. Many young archers prefer these bows.

The standard length of a bow is 7 shaku 3 sun (221 cm), and depending on the length of the archer's arrow, it can be 2 sun long (227 cm) or 3 sun short (212 cm). The strength of a bow has been expressed since ancient times as "a bow with a string of XX people" or "a bow with a string of XX minutes" by measuring the thickness of the bow at the top of the grip, but today it is common to express the strength of a bow when it is drawn 85 cm (for a normal size) using a spring scale, and express it as "a bow with a string of XX kilograms". The shape of a strung bow seen from the side is called a "harigao", but Japanese bows are characterized by five curves that are not the same in any part, and the grip is located about one-third of the way down the length. The beauty of the shape and excellent functionality that has no room for improvement in terms of mechanics are highly valued. Strings have been made from thin hemp since ancient times and are expressed in weight. In recent years, strong synthetic fiber strings have become popular. These strings come in three different thicknesses: thin, medium, and thick.

(2) Arrows An arrow is made up of the shaft, feathers, arrowhead, and nock. The shafts are made from arrow bamboo (Mashino) through a variety of processes. Recently, shafts made from duralumin or carbon have also become popular. The feathers are mainly from eagles or hawks. A pair of arrows that meet the same criteria in terms of the position of the joints in the shaft, thickness, weight, balance, and feather patterns (called fu, fu, or spot) are called a "one-te," but they are often used in sets of four or six.

(3) Yugake: A glove-shaped archery tool made of deerskin that is used to protect the base of the right thumb when shooting. Yugake used in archery on foot can be broadly divided into three types of yugake, four types of yugake, and various types of yugake, based on their shape. They can also be classified as soft hats or hard hats based on their structure. Yugake vary depending on the purpose of use, but in front of the target, three types of yugake are considered the official type.

[Kohei Irie]

Shooting

Since ancient times, the sequence of physical and mental states required for firing an arrow has been divided into five, seven, or twelve, and these were called the "five tastes," "seven paths," "twelve rules," etc.; however, in the early Showa period, zanshin (mind) was added to the "seven paths," and these are now described as the "eight principles of archery," which are explained as follows:

(1) Stepping: The movement and form of stepping your feet to the left and right to stabilize your lower body. The width of your feet should be about half your height (the length of the arrow's length), the angle of your feet should be about 60 degrees, and your big toes should be in a straight line with the target. There are two steps: "one foot" and "two feet."

(2) Torso formation: This means properly positioning the upper body at the hips, stretching the spine, regulating breathing, and storing the mind and energy in the abdomen.

(3) Bow preparation: This refers to the three actions of preparing for shooting: torigake (how to hold the nocked arrow and string), monomi (how to hold the left hand fingers to make the bow work efficiently when firing), and monomi (how to turn the face to look at the target correctly), and the completed form of the bow. There are two ways to prepare for the bow: after torigake, you adjust the tsubo in front of your body while keeping it at about the height of the ha (the distance between the grip and the string), and after torigake, you move the bow to the left front of your body, push the bow open a little, and adjust the tsubo.

(4) Uchiokoshi This refers to the action of raising the bow to an appropriate height to make it easier to draw the bow, and the completed form of the action. There are roughly categorized methods of uchiokoshi, including one in which the bow is held in front of the body, raised above and in front of the body while keeping both fists balanced, then moving both fists diagonally forward to the left and transitioning to daisan (one of the teachings of the Takebayashi school, an abbreviation of oshidaimokuhikesanbuichi (push daimokuhike sanbuichi). It is also called fubodaisan or churiki. In the case of uchiokoshi from the front, after uchiokoshi the bow hand is sent and extended diagonally to the left in preparation for moving to draw wake, and meteo (hand position) is the movement and form in which the forearm is bent to correspond to the force of the string being pulled toward the bow hand, maintaining a balance of left and right forces. It corresponds to the kiwami (end of the uchiokoshi) in slanted uchiokoshi shooting), one in which the bow is raised above and in front of the body and transitioning to daisan without stopping midway, and one in which the bow is held in front of the left of the body during the bow stance, and then uchiokoshi is raised diagonally above and in front of the body while maintaining a balance of both fists.

(5) Hikiwake (pulling the bow) This refers to the action of pulling the bow to the left and right. While keeping the arrow horizontal, the force of the upper arms is balanced, pushing it open, and the process of drawing the arrow into the "kai" position.

(6)Ai: This refers to the completed form of Hikiwake. It is the stage when preparations for firing are complete, i.e. the correct aim, the arrow's draw, the chest bow, and the cheek rest are all in order. This is called "Tsumeai". Furthermore, the expansion and extension of energy from this form in all directions is called "Nobiai", and the state of mind and spirit just before firing at the peak of "Nobiai" is called "Yagoro".

(7) Hanare: Formally speaking, this refers to the movement when the string leaves the bowstring rest on the right hand's gauntlet and the arrow is sent out as the bow returns to its original position. The ideal is for the bow and the bowman to consciously release the string at the perfect moment when the bowstring reaches the "tai" position from the "shinai" position, and for this to become a reflex movement and result in the "hanare" movement. In archery, this "hanare" is considered the most difficult.

(8) Zanshin (mind): This refers to the state of mind and form after the shot is released. It is the final stage of the shot, and it is said that the quality of the series of movements up to the release is reflected in Zanshin (mind).

[Kohei Irie]

Facilities of Hotel Continental

A Kyudo field consists of (1) the shooting range, (2) the target area, and (3) the arrow path. It is desirable to place the shooting range on the north side of the field (facing south) in a north-south orientation. (1) The shooting range is a facility where archery is practiced. The ceiling should be at least 4 meters high and made of horizontal boards, and the shooting position should be 28 meters from the target (the center of the archer's body). Ancillary facilities such as the umpire's seat, waiting seats, and changing rooms should be installed on the shooting range side. (2) A facility with a roof over an azuchi (a pile of soil or river sand mixed with sawdust for setting up targets and receiving arrows) is called a matoba. (3) The yamichi is the area between the shooting range and the target area. Laying grass creates a calm atmosphere.

For close-range targets, a thin cypress board about 10 centimeters wide is rounded to a diameter of 36 centimeters (1 shaku 2 sun) to create a target frame. The front of the target frame can have a design of three concentric white and three black stripes, called a haze target, or a star target with a black circle in the center. For long-range targets, a target paper with a diameter of 100 centimeters is usually used.

[Kohei Irie]

Overview of Competition Law

(1) There are two competitions: close-range and long-range. In close-range competitions, the shooting distance is 28 meters (from the center of the body to the target surface), and the target is usually a kasumi target with a diameter of 36 centimeters. The center of the target is set 27 centimeters above the ground (the height of the mat and the floor of the archery range is the same), and the target surface is tilted at 5 degrees. In some competitions, a 24-centimeter (8-sun) star target is used. In long-range competitions, the target is set in a stand with a shooting distance of 60 meters, the center of the target is 97 centimeters above the ground, and the target surface is tilted at 15 degrees.

(2) There are two types of competitions: individual competitions and team competitions (consisting of three or more people).

(3) The standard length of the bow is 221 centimeters (7 shaku 3 sun), with slight variations allowed (2 sun length = 227 centimeters, 3 sun length = 212 centimeters). The grip must be about two-thirds of the length of the bow, and there are some regulations regarding arrows and bows.

(4) There are three methods for determining the winner: the hit system, the scoring system, and the score system. The hit system is the most common method, in which a predetermined number of shots are taken and the winner is decided by the number of hits. In individual competitions, if there is a tie, an izume contest or a long-distance contest may be used. In team competitions, the competitors shoot one shot or one hand again, and the ranking is decided by the total number of hits. The scoring system is a method in which a set number of shots are taken and a judge scores them to determine the ranking. This method is currently used in the preliminaries of the All Japan Championships, and the title and rank examinations can also be considered a type of this. The scoring system is a method in which the highest points are assigned to the parts closest to the center of the colored target, and the ranking is decided by the total points scored for the set number of shots.

(5) A hit is judged based on the surface of the target. If the broken end of the arrow is on the inside of the target, if the arrow hits the target and the target rolls, or if the arrow is on the ground, it is a hit. If the arrow hits the target and slides along the ground, or if the arrow hits an arrow that is on the surface of the target and bounces off, it is a miss. In addition, an arrow that is knocked off the nock after being reloaded or that is reloaded after being fired is invalid. In addition, once an archer is in position, it is prohibited to leave the position without permission, make unnecessary noise, or ask for or receive advice.

[Kohei Irie]

"Modern Kyudo Lectures Vol. 1" edited by Yozaburo Uno (1970, Yuzankaku Publishing)" ▽ "The Development of Early Modern Japanese Archery" by Hisao Ishioka (1993, Tamagawa University Press) ▽ "Theory and Practice of Kyudo Instruction" edited by Kohei Irie and Toshio Mori (1998, Fumaido Publishing)

Kyudo shooting technique
©Tomita Hyakushu ">

Kyudo shooting technique

Kyudo target
©Shogakukan ">

Kyudo target

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

概要

弓道とは、日本の風土と歴史のなかで実利性、宗教性、芸道性、教育性、競技性など多様な性格が絡み合いながら発展してきた日本固有の世界に誇れる弓射文化である。弓道は、年齢、性別、体力、体格にあまり左右されずだれもが親しむことのできる優れた運動特性をもっており、日本では若い人々をはじめ、近年中高年層にも愛好者が増加している。

　日本の弓射文化は次のような特徴がみられる。原始時代は短弓であったが、古代には2メートルを超える南方系の長弓が使用されるようになった。弓材は原始、古代中期までは木弓であったが、古代中期以降裏反(うらぞ)りを施した木・竹合成弓となり、その構造も時代が下るにつれ改良され今日に至っている。また機能的には握り部を全長の約3分の1下のところに置き、発射時の右手に対する衝撃がないように力学的にくふうされている。射法（主として取懸(とりか)け法）は広く東アジアに普及した蒙古(もうこ)式射法が採用されている。

　日本の弓射の目的が狩猟や戦いの武器、すなわち実利の具として使用されたことは諸外国と同様であるが、時代が下るにつれその威力から神器、聖器として尊崇される思想が形成されるようになる。一方中国古代にみられる文射思想（文射とは儀礼射による人間教育としての側面）の影響を受け、古代朝廷儀式のなかに儀礼射行事が行われるようになった。射は歩射(ほしゃ)と騎射(きしゃ)に大別できるが、歩射ではその目的によって的前(まとまえ)、遠矢前(とおやまえ)、差矢前(さしやまえ)、敵前(てきまえ)などがあり、さらに近世になると堂射（通し矢、堂前とも）が盛行した。また騎射も鎌倉時代に隆盛し、それぞれの目的に応じた射法や射術、用具などにくふうが凝らされた。鉄砲伝来後日本の弓射はその実利的価値を後退させるが、武射（弓矢の武器としての実利的側面）と文射の融合が図られ、近世武士教育の具として実践され、近代になってからは学校教育や社会教育に資するものとして広く親しまれ今日に至っている。また近年は諸外国からも関心が寄せられ、国際的な活動組織も発足している。

［入江康平］

歴史

人類がいつごろ弓射文化をもつようになったかについて正確には不明であるが、旧石器時代末期から新石器時代の初期には弓射文化をもっていたとされ、いまから約1万年前のものと推定されるスペインのアルペラ洞窟やカスチロン洞窟に描かれた弓を引く人物像は有名である。日本の弓についてみると、その使用は縄文時代以前にさかのぼるとされており、現在発掘されているもっとも古い弓としては縄文時代前期のものが発掘されており、時代が下るにつれしだいに発掘品が多くなっていく。それらをみると長さが1.5メートル以下のイヌガヤ材でつくられた丸木弓であり、なかには破損や腐食防止のため漆塗りや樹皮巻、さらには弓腹(ゆばら)（弓の内側）に樋(ひ)（溝）を通したりしている弓もみられる。矢は箆(の)（矢幹(やがら)、矢柄(やがら)、矢箆(やがら)）、羽、鏃(やじり)、筈(はず)で構成されているが、原始時代の矢がどのようなものであったかについては現在のところ鏃にみるしかない。縄文時代の鏃として黒曜石を中心に瀝青(れきせい)石や讃岐(さぬき)石でつくられた鏃が全国各地から数多く発掘されている。弥生時代になると骨製とともに銅や鉄製の鏃がみられるようになり、時代が下るにしたがい鉄鏃が主流となってさまざまな形の鏃がつくられるようになる。箆は竹材が中心であったと考えられ、矢羽として二枚羽や三枚羽がつけられていた。

　日本の3世紀ごろの風俗、習慣について述べた『魏志倭人伝(ぎしわじんでん)』や『前漢書』地理志のなかに、「木弓は下は短く上を長くし……」とあるように、すでにこのころの日本の弓の握り部が中央より下にあることが記されており、5世紀ごろのものと考えられる発掘品の弓は長さ2メートルもあり、おそよ上下7対3の位置に握り部がある。平安時代中ごろになるとこれまでの丸木弓の外側に竹を貼り付けた弓が考案された。これを伏竹弓(ふせだけゆみ)という。さらに平安時代末期から鎌倉時代初期になると伏竹弓の内側にも竹を貼り付けた。この弓を三枚打弓(さんまいうちゆみ)という。また室町時代になると芯(しん)に木を入れ、内、外、両側面に竹を貼り付けた四方竹弓(しほうちくゆみ)、さらには内外を竹、両側面を木、芯に何本かの竹籤(ひご)を用いた弓胎入(ひごい)り弓がつくられるようになった。

　射法でもっとも顕著な相違として現れるのは、右（左）手指でつがえられた矢と弦(つる)をどのように持って引くか、すなわち取懸け法の相違である。この取懸け法は時代や民族、地域によって相違がある。もっとも古く素朴な取懸け法は(1)つまみ型Pinch Method、(2)つまみ型の変形であったと考えられるが、その後、(3)地中海型Mediterranean Form、(4)蒙古(もうこ)型Mongolian Formへとそれぞれ発展、伝播(でんぱ)していった。日本の弓射文化は地理的、歴史的にみて東アジア圏にあり、(4)蒙古型Mongolian Formの取懸け法が行われ今日に至っている。

　奈良時代から平安時代の約480年はさまざまな朝廷行事が制定され盛大に行われた時代であるが、射礼(じゃらい)や賭弓(のりゆみ)などの歩射行事や騎射節(きしゃのせつ)の行事も中国文化の影響を受け、文射的性格のもとに盛んに行われた。これらの弓射行事は朝廷の公式行事であったため委細が定められた。歩射に携わる専門の家柄としては伴氏や紀氏が知られており、この両家を中心にしてしだいに弓矢の操法や所作進退の法が定まっていった。一方平安時代中・末期から鎌倉時代にかけて各地に起こった戦乱のなかで、弓矢は有効な戦闘武器の最右翼として尊重された。武士を「弓矢とる身」、その在り方を「弓矢の道」などと称し、とくに鎌倉武士は騎射の三物(みつもの)といわれる流鏑馬(やぶさめ)、笠懸(かさがけ)、犬追物(いぬおうもの)の訓練を盛んに行った。このころの弓射行事の記録のなかに騎射の家柄として武田・小笠原両家の名がみえるようになる。

　南北朝時代から室町時代初期にかけて武器の操作法にくふうがみられ、応仁(おうにん)の乱から戦国時代にかけて武術の進歩が目覚ましい。個人の戦いの技術である武術は、当初は生まれもった運動能力のみに頼るものであり、次代への継承も血族、同族など狭い範囲にとどまっていたと考えられるが、15～16世紀ごろになると、弓術をはじめ馬・剣・槍(やり)など各武術分野に優れた才能をもつ人物が出現する。この名人・達人たちがそれぞれにたてた武術理念のもとに編み出した技術は、非力な者でも一定の指導手順のもとに継続的に学べば、強い相手にも勝つことができる優秀なものであったため、その技術を学ぼうとする者が現れるようになる。ここに師弟関係が生まれ、技術体系や伝達方式が整備されていく。このように特定の理念とそれを背景にした優れた技術の確立をもって流派が誕生するのである。弓術においてはこの時代歩射射術に革新的な射法、射術を創始した日置弾正正次(へきだんじょうまさつぐ)が現れた。日本弓術の中興の祖とされる彼の標榜(ひょうぼう)する日置流は後に雪荷(せっか)派、道雪(どうせつ)派、印西(いんさい)派、大蔵(おおくら)派、竹林(ちくりん)派などに分派し全国各地に広まり定着し、江戸時代になって成立した大和(やまと)流にも大きな影響を与えた。

　江戸時代になり武術はその実利性が後退する一方、心の問題の重要性に対する気づきから禅と結び付き心法に意が払われるようになる。また儒教の普及により武士教育は武術と儒教の二本柱により行われるようになるが、弓射は歩射、とくに小的前(こまとまえ)を中心に主として上・中武士のたしなみとして実践された。この時代特筆すべきは堂射が盛行したことである。堂射は京都三十三間堂（後には江戸でも行われた）の西側外縁の制限された空間を一昼夜かけて射通す競技であり、その最高記録は1686年（貞享3）紀州の和佐大八郎(わさだいはちろう)（大八とも）が出した8133本（惣矢数13053射）であり、この記録はその後破られていない。幕末になり設置された講武所で一時弓術や犬追物が採用されたが、まもなく除外された。

　明治時代一時衰退していた弓術も時代が下るにつれ復興の兆しがみられるようになる。国民のナショナリズムの高揚とともに武術に対する関心が高まり、1895年（明治28）大日本武徳会の設立により弓術も柔道、剣道などとともに奨励されるようになり、昭和前期には全盛期を迎えた。一方学校教育の場でも1936年（昭和11）に正科教材として採用された。第二次世界大戦が終わりを告げることにより大日本武徳会は国家主義、軍国主義に協力したという理由で解散を余儀なくされ、学校では弓道をはじめ各武道の実施が禁止された。その後弓道は1951年には学校での実施が認められ、1967年には高校の正科体育教材として採用された。一方弓道の全国組織として1949年（1947年全日本弓道連盟を設立したが解散）日本弓道連盟が設立され、1950年日本体育協会（現、日本スポーツ協会）加盟、国民体育大会への参加などを経て1957年財団法人全日本弓道連盟として新たに発足した。そして弓道の普及、発展のため指導者養成の講習会や称号段位審査、各種競技会の主催、後援などの事業を行い今日に至っている。2017年度末時点で登録会員は約13万8000人とされているが、潜在的な愛好者は相当数いると考えられ、古くて新しい運動文化として関心が寄せられている。海外における弓道は戦後ヨーロッパを中心に徐々にではあるが普及し、1972年欧州弓道連盟連合会が設立され、2006年（平成18）5月に国際弓道連盟（IKYF）が発足した。2019年1月時点で28か国・地域が加盟している。

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現代弓道

現代弓道は他武道のように対人形式でなく固定された標的に対して弓の弾性を利用して矢を正確に射当てることを目的とするもので、その修練を通して人間形成に寄与しようとするものである。その運動はきわめて静的な動きのなかから瞬間的な動的運動が要求されるため、心気の安定と厳しい自己統制が求められるという特性をもっている。個人の心・技の善悪が直接結果に反映し、その責任のすべてが射手自身にある。したがって弓道ではつねに反省、和敬、克己、謙虚さが求められる、つねに威力ある矢を正確に的中させるためには、健全な身体と安定した心気、修練を重ねた技術が必要であり、そのためには冷静、沈着、勇気、果断などが不可欠となる。弓道は徳育的・体育的効果とともに人間として教養を高め生活を豊かにすることをねらいとしている日本の風土と歴史に根ざした伝統的な運動文化であるといえよう。

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用具

(1)弓　日本弓の材質は木や竹を組み合わせた弓が伝統的であるが、昭和40年代以降グラスファイバー材やカーボンファイバー材の弓がつくられるようになり、年を追うごとに改良が加えられ性能がよくなっており、若い射手の多くはこれを愛用している。

　弓の長さは7尺3寸（221センチメートル）を基準として射手の矢束(やつか)の長短により2寸伸（227センチメートル）、3寸詰り（212センチメートル）などが使用される。弓の強さを表す方法としては古来から「○人張りの弓」とか、握り部上辺の弓の厚さを測定し「○分(ぶ)の弓」などということがあるが、今日ではばね秤(ばかり)を使用し85センチメートル（並寸の場合）引いたときの強さをさし、「○キログラムの弓」と表示するのが一般的である。また弦を張った弓を側面からみた形状を張顔(はりがお)というが、日本弓はいずれの部分をみても同じ曲線をもたない五つの曲線で構成されており、握り部が全長の約3分の1下に位置している点に特徴がみられ、その形状の美しさと力学的に改良の余地のない優れた機能性は高く評価されている。弦は古来より細い麻を撚(よ)り合わせてつくられ重さで表示する。また近年強力な合成繊維の弦が普及している。この弦は太さによって細・中・太の3種類がある。

(2)矢　矢は箆(の)（矢幹）、羽、矢尻（根）、筈から構成されている。箆は矢竹（真篠(ましの)）という竹を使用し、さまざまな工程を経てつくる。最近ではジュラルミンやカーボン材のシャフトも普及している。羽は主として鷲(わし)や鷹(たか)の羽が用いられる。また矢は箆の節の位置、太さ、重さ、バランス、羽の模様（これを符(ふ)、文(ふ)、斑(ふ)という）などの条件をそろえた2本を「一手」というが、4本あるいは6本1組として使用する場合が多い。

(3)弽(ゆがけ)　弓を引く際右拇指(ぼし)根を保護するために使用する鹿革(しかがわ)材の手袋状の弓具である。歩射における弽はその形状から三つ弽、四つ弽、諸弽(もろゆがけ)に大別できる。またその構造から柔帽子(やわらかぼうし)、堅帽子(かたぼうし)などがある。弽はその使用目的によって相違するが、的前では三つ弽が正式のものとされている。

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射法

古来より的前では1本の矢を発射するための心身の一連のありようを五つ、七つ、あるいは12に区分しこれを「五味」、「七道」、「十二の掟(おきて)」などと称していたが、今日では昭和前期なって「七道」に残身(ざんしん)（心）を加えた「射法八節」として次のように説明している。

(1)足踏み　下半身を安定させるため足を左右に踏み開く動作およびその形で、両足の広さは身長の約2分の1（矢束の長さ）、両足の角度は約60度、的と両足拇指が一直線になることを基本とする。踏み開き方には「一足」と「二足」の2方法がある。

(2)胴造り　上体を正しく腰に据え、背筋をまっすぐに伸ばし、呼吸を整え、心気を丹田に納めることをいう。

(3)弓構(ゆがま)え　射に入る準備動作で、取懸け（つがえられた矢と弦の持ち方）、手の内（発射に際し合理的に弓を働かせるための左手指の握り方）、物見(ものみ)（標的を正しく見込むための顔の向け方）の3動作とその完了した形をいう。弓構えには、取懸けをした後ほぼ弝(は)（握り部と弦との間隔のこと）の高さのままで体正面で手の内を整える方法と、取懸け後弓を体左前方に移行し、少し弓を押し開き手の内をつくる方法とがある。

(4)打起(うちおこ)し　弓を引き分けやすくするため、弓を適当な高さまであげる動作とその完了した形をいう。打起しの方法には大別して、両拳の平衡を保ちながら体正面に構えた弓を体前上方にあげた後左斜め前に両拳を運び大三(だいさん)（竹林派の教えの一つで押大目引三分一(おしだいもくひけさんぶいち)の略。父母大三(ふぼだいさん)・肘力(ちゅうりき)ともいう。正面打起しの場合、打起しの後引分けに移る準備として弓手を左斜めに送り差し伸ばし、馬手(めて)は前腕を曲げ弓手(ゆんで)の方に弦が引かれる力に対応し、左右の力の均衡を保つ動作およびその形をいう。斜面打起し射法における打起しの極に相当する）に移行する方法、体前上方に弓をあげ、途中で止めないで大三に移行する方法、弓構えの段階で体左前方に構えた形から両拳の均衡を保ちながら体斜め前上方に打ち起す方法とがある。

(5)引分(ひきわ)け　弓を左右に引き分ける動作をいう。矢をつねに水平に保ちながら左右上腕の力を均衡にして押し開き、「会(かい)」の形まで引き込む過程をいう。

(6)会　引分けの完了した形をいう。形上発射の準備、すなわち正しいねらい、引くべき矢束(やつか)、胸弦(むなづる)、頬付(ほおづ)けが整った段階で、これを「詰合(つめあ)い」という。さらにこの形から上下左右に気力を充実、伸展させることを「伸合(のびあ)い」というが、この「伸合い」の極で発射の直前の心気の状態を「彀(やごろ)」という。

(7)離れ　形式的にいえば馬手（右手）弽の弦枕(つるまくら)から弦が離れ、弓の復原につれて矢を送り出す動きをいう。「伸合い」から「彀」に達した絶好の瞬間馬手・弓手相応じ意識して放すことの鍛錬を通して、これが反射運動となって「離れ」の動作をおこすことを理想とする。射術上この離れはもっともむずかしいものとされている。

(8)残身（心）　発射した後の緊張がもとに戻るまでの形と心の状態をいう。射の総決算であり、離れまでの一連の動きの良否はこの残身（心）に表れるとされている。

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施設・設備

弓道場は(1)射場(しゃじょう)、(2)的場(まとば)、(3)矢道(やみち)からなり、南北方向で北側に射場を置くこと（南向き）が望ましい。(1)射場は射を行う施設である。天井は4メートル以上の高さで横方向の板張りとし、的面から28メートルの位置（射手の体中心）に射位を設ける。なお射場側には審判席、控え席、更衣室など付帯施設を設置する。(2)垜(あずち)（的を立て、矢を受けるためにおがくずを混ぜた土や川砂を盛ったところ）に屋根をつけた施設を的場という。(3)矢道は射場と的場の間をいう。芝生を張ることにより落ち着いた雰囲気が出る。

　近的(きんてき)用の的は幅約10センチメートルの檜(ひのき)の薄板を直径36センチメートル（1尺2寸）に丸くして的枠をつくる。この的枠の表の絵には白三条、黒三条の同心円を描いた霞的(かすみまと)や、中心に黒い円を描いた星的(ほしまと)などがある。なお遠的(えんてき)用の的は通常直径100センチメートルの的紙を使用する。

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競技法の概要

(1)競技には近的競技と遠的競技の2種目がある。近的競技は射距離28メートル（体中心から的面まで）とし、的は通常直径36センチメートルの霞的を使用する。的は的中心が地上27センチメートル（垜敷(あずちしき)と射場床面を同じ高さとする）、的面を5度傾斜させて設置する。また競技会によっては24センチメートル（8寸）の星的を使う場合もある。遠的競技は射距離60メートルで的中心が地上97センチメートル、傾斜角度15度とした的をスタンドに設置する。

(2)競技の種類には個人競技と団体競技（3名以上で構成）がある。

(3)使用する弓の長さは221センチメートル（7尺3寸）を基準とし、若干の長短（2寸伸＝227センチメートル、3寸詰り＝212センチメートル）が認められている。また握り部が全長の約3分の2下にある和弓であること、さらに矢や弽にも若干の規定がある。

(4)勝敗の決め方には的中制、採点制、得点制の3方法がある。的中制はあらかじめ決められた射数を行いその的中数によって決める方法で、これがもっとも一般的な方法である。なお個人競技で同中の場合射詰(いづ)め競射や遠近競射が採用されることがある。また団体競技の場合は再度一射または一手行射し、その総的中数で順位を決める。採点制は一定の射数を行い、これに対し審判員が採点し順位を決める方法である。現在では全日本選手権大会予選でこの方法が採用されている、称号段位審査もこの一種といえよう。得点制は色的の中心に近い部分に高得点を配し、決められた射数の総得点で順位を決める方法である。

(5)的中の判定は的表面主義とし、的中した矢が折れ根のほうが的内側にある場合、矢が当たって的が転びその矢が的についている場合、当たった矢が地面についている場合などは「当たり」、掃(は)き当たり（矢が地面を滑って当たる）の場合や矢が的面にある矢を射て跳ね返った場合などは「はずれ」と規定している。その他矢つがえ後の筈こぼれや打起し後に引直しした矢は無効となる。またいったん射位についた射手が無断で射位を離れたり、不必要な発声、助言を求めたり受けるなどの行為は禁止されている。

［入江康平］

『宇野要三郎監修『現代弓道講座　第1巻』（1970・雄山閣出版）』▽『石岡久夫著『近世日本弓術の発展』（1993・玉川大学出版部）』▽『入江康平・森俊男編著『弓道指導の理論と実際』（1998・不昧堂出版）』