The sport of Kyudo is a traditional form of Japanese archery that emphasizes technique, mental discipline, and spiritual growth. Practitioners aim to hit a 36cm-wide target at a distance of 28 meters, relying solely on their own technique and without the aid of modern equipment like sights or stabilizers. Japanese bows are uniquely long, ranging from 212 to 233cm in length, and are held a third of the way up from the bottom, which reduces vibration and increases stability. The arrow used is also important, with traditional bamboo arrows said to fly most true. The sport is steeped in history and tradition, with roots in Japan's medieval period, and is still practiced today in various forms, including horseback archery and long-distance tournaments.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The target in the sport of Kyudo is 36 centimeters wide and 28 meters away.
2. The sport of Kyudo is a traditional Japanese martial art that involves archery.
3. In Kyudo, archers face only a target, not an opponent.
4. The aim in Kyudo is to hit the target as frequently as possible.
5. Kyudo archers believe that the arrow will always find its target if the archer's body, mind, and technique come together as one.
6. The standard Japanese bow is 2 meters 21 centimeters in length.
7. Japanese bows are the longest in the world.
8. The bows used in Kyudo are made using a combination of bamboo and Japanese wax tree.
9. The bows range in length from 212 to 233 centimeters.
10. Kyudo bows are not equipped with aids such as sights or stabilizers.
11. Kyudo archers are required to sight the target with their eyes only and stabilize the bow and arrow with their own technique.
12. In Kyudo, the bow is held about a third of the way up from the bottom, not in the middle like in modern archery.
13. Holding the bow lower down produces less vibration and more force is transferred to the arrow.
14. The node is a point on the bow where the vibrations are relatively still, and it's where Kyudo archers hold the bow.
15. Bows and arrows were used in warfare in Japan between the 13th and 16th centuries.
16. The Toshiya archery festival is held every January in Kyoto and features a long-distance tournament with targets 60 meters away.
17. Traditional bamboo arrows are said to fly most true and are used in important occasions like examinations or tournaments.
18. When making an arrow, it's important for the shaft to be as straight as possible.
19. The fletching on an arrow has a huge impact on how straight it flies.
20. Kyudo arrows have three pieces of fletching and rotate as they fly, increasing stability and keeping them going straight.