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Description
Meiji Shrine Complex
Tokyo, Japan

A young archer prepares to shoot her arrow as an older participant prepares to load another arrow.

"Kyudo, which literally means The Way of the Bow, is considered by many to be the purest of all the martial ways. In the past, the Japanese bow was used for hunting, war, court ceremonies, games, and contests of skill. The original word for Japanese archery was kyujutsu (bow technique) which encompassed the skills and techniques of the warrior archer. Some of the ancient schools, known as ryu, survive today, along with the ancient ceremonies and games, but the days where the Japanese bow was used as a weapon are long past. Modern kyudo is practiced primarily as a method of physical, moral, and spiritual development." - [link] (more info at www.kyudo.com)

I ran across an advertisement for a Kyudo tournament in the news. Thought I should go and check it out. It was quite an amazing event. Very peaceful and eloquent. The entrances of the students. The way they shuffled across the waxed floors. The fact that their shirts were so white that they could be in TV commercials (and caused problems for my light meter). The way they took their time with loading the arrows. The shooting. The silence.

Quite an amazing experience if you ask me.

*comments appreciated*

Description
Meiji Shrine Complex
Tokyo, Japan

A young archer prepares to shoot her arrow as an older participant prepares to load another arrow.

"Kyudo, which literally means The Way of the Bow, is considered by many to be the purest of all the martial ways. In the past, the Japanese bow was used for hunting, war, court ceremonies, games, and contests of skill. The original word for Japanese archery was kyujutsu (bow technique) which encompassed the skills and techniques of the warrior archer. Some of the ancient schools, known as ryu, survive today, along with the ancient ceremonies and games, but the days where the Japanese bow was used as a weapon are long past. Modern kyudo is practiced primarily as a method of physical, moral, and spiritual development." - [link] (more info at www.kyudo.com)

I ran across an advertisement for a Kyudo tournament in the news. Thought I should go and check it out. It was quite an amazing event. Very peaceful and eloquent. The entrances of the students. The way they shuffled across the waxed floors. The fact that their shirts were so white that they could be in TV commercials (and caused problems for my light meter). The way they took their time with loading the arrows. The shooting. The silence.

Quite an amazing experience if you ask me.

*comments appreciated*