Kyudo Page 1
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| Kyudo continued | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kyudo ranks consist of ten kyu levels (progressing from ten) and ten dan levels (know in other arts as the black belts, progressing from one). The simple practice uniform, described above, is worn for all below third dan after which for formal appearances kimono must be worn. When shooting in a kimono, men remove the left arm from its sleeve and tuck the cloth into the waist cords of the divided skirt. Women tie their sleeves up and back with a length of cloth looped under their arms and around their neck. While rank is not obviously displayed, people do know where you stand in the hierarchy of a given school. Usually there is a large board with the names and ranks of all who practice there. Teachers certainly are not treated like the average student, but respect flows between all levels. |
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| Moving up in the rank system is contingent upon passing a written and practical exam. What will be tested at each level is fairly clear so as long as one studies well, there are no surprises come test day. The practical test can be much more nerve racking as an archer can fail even if he shoots very well. Without going into a lot of detail, there are set movements and timings to entering the shooting area, shooting, and leaving the shooting area. All five people who form one group must be in time with each other and work as a unit. While passing the practical test does not depend on everyone working as a team, you as an individual must be sensitive to the timing and actions of the other four in your group. If you mess up the group, others probably will pass, but you will fail even if your shots were well executed. Successful candidates receive notification of their achievement and a certificate of merit a few months later from the national Kyudo body. |
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| Archer wearing kimono for the opening of a tournament. Note the sleeve has been removed on his left arm. This man is a seventh dan. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This young lady is in the normal practice uniform. She will wear this until she tests and passes third dan. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Now for some of the mechanics of shooting that make the Kyudo bow special. Because of the draw length required, the archer stands with feet, hips, shoulders, essentially the body, parallel to the flight of the arrow and perpendicular to the target. Drawing the bow is done from above the head with a down and backwards motion bringing the hand back by the archers ear until the arrow shaft is level with the mouth. This also means that when viewed from behind, the archer is partially inside the vertical plane formed by the string and the bow. The motion of the bow on release, if done well, ensures that the string does not hit the archer. No arm protector is worn on the left forearm. In other archery systems the bow string will hit the archer on the arm after release. The Kyudo bow is designed with the string laying on a plane with the right side of the bow as opposed to down the center. When the string is released the bow wants to spin, bringing the string around and away from the left arm. If done correctly the string will tap the archer on the outside of the left arm. The arrow also rests on the right edge of the bow as opposed to the left edge or through a cut out with other bows. The spinning action of the bow helps to propel the arrow in a straight line. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Click target to go back to Kyudo Page 1 |
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