Martial Arts Styles – Yabusame

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It is a little known fact that before the samurai of ancient Japan incorporated the sword into their martial arts training, the samurai practiced the classical fighting arts of the bow. The Japanese martial art of shooting a bow with incredible accuracy while on horseback became known among the samurai as “The Way of the Horse and Bow”. In the true fashion of the Japanese culture, they no doubt took a cue from the Mongolians and improved what another culture had to offer.

The classical fighting arts of the bow have evolved into more of a ritual than a Japanese martial art, but this particular martial art training didn’t start out that way. The Japanese bow came into existence around 300 BC to 300 AD. The unique placement of the handgrip makes this particular bow different from it’s European cousins. Instead of having a grip centered between either tip of the bow, the Japanese bow is asymmetrical. The grip is just below center, making the top limb of the bow longer than the bottom.

Up until the 4th Century, archers were considered infantry and traveled on foot. It wasn’t until much later, during the 10th Century, that the bowmen took to horseback and martial arts training in the bow became an elite sport of the samurai. From 1192 to 1334, the Kamukura Period, archery on horseback was used as a part of the samurai’s martial arts training to keep them in shape during peacetime.

Over time, this form of archery went from a form of martial arts training to a highly ritualized Japanese martial art: the art of Yabusame. It was believed that each time the arrow struck its target, the energy of the hit and the courage of the rider would be transferred to the audience, and most of all, the gods.

Yabusame today is a very serious ritual among the Japanese. The classical fighting arts of Japan all have something to do with ritual. In fact, there is not one aspect of Japanese culture not bound to tradition or ritual. Yabusame takes the Japanese martial art of archery and sets it above all others, even that of the sword. This ritual is so sacred it is frequently performed on special occasions reserved for visiting dignitaries, royalty or presidents. At one time only the most skilled warriors were chosen to be Yabusame archers. This was, and still remains, a great honor.

The classical fighting arts of Yabusame has survived in Japan — but just barely. Only two schools currently teach this style of classical fighting arts. The Ogasawara School and the Takeda School of Archery continue Japanese martial arts training involving the bow. The well-known Toshiro Mifune emerged from the Takeda School. Currently, the Yabusame has an entertaining appeal for audiences at a variety of festivals and celebrations in Japan. Using the bow as an integral aspect of Japanese martial arts training has withstood the test of time and will continue to be an important aspect of Japanese culture.