When you shoot at the target, sometimes there is too much hope. Your shooting style is full of hope, hope, hope. It's like people in business who are hoping, hoping, hoping to make lots of money. My one hope is that you can relax. You are hoping, hoping, too much. Meditation is no thinking, all no thinking. I say, heart only should be strong. You should work only on making your heart beautiful. Understand? Kyudo is the same.
-- Kanjuro Shibata XX, Sensei
1989, Boulder, Colo., U.S.A.
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Western archery is based on the idea of hitting the target. There is no other reason for doing it. Western bows are made very scientifically for that purpose. However, Japanese bows are made from bamboo, which is cut by people. Since they are made in a natural way, no two are the same, each one is different. To make a yumi is very difficult, and drawing a yumi is also difficult. In Western archery, there are also steps to drawing the bow, but the goal is completely different. Kyudo is very difficult, but it makes no difference whether you hit the target or not.
-- Kanjuro Shibata XX, Sensei
1985, Kyoto, Japan
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All of these hopes and desires and thinking while you are drawing the yumi, such as "I want to hit the target, I want to have beautiful style," will cause the ya to fly off somewhere else. Know yourself. Know your mind first, and then you can practice Kyudo. If your mind is right, you will hit the target naturally. It is the same in your whole life, not only in Kyudo.
-- Kanjuro Shibata XX, Sensei
1985, Kyoto, Japan
Who releases the arrow? When is it released? When body and consciousness are one and perfectly detached; then the arrow flies freely to its target. The shooting stance is also important; it must be beautiful, harmonious -- both inside and outside the body. In Japan the great Kyudo masters were treated with as much respect as the roshis, the great masters of Zen.
-- Taisen Deshimaru
The Zen Way to the Martial Arts, 1982
Nine main schools of Kyudo exist in Japan today. Shibata Sensei heads the Bishu Chikurin branch of the Heki school (ryu).
Photos taken by Mindy McAdams
in Montreal, June 2002.
Copyright © 2002.
All rights reserved.
Parent Organization
Zenko International
Boulder, Colo., U.S.A.
Pages at Zenko.org:
Other Kyudo Groups and Dojos with Web Sites
United States
- Byakko Kyudojo
(White Tiger)
Boston, Mass. - Miyako Kyudojo
(Capital Tiger)
Washington, D.C. - Ryuko Kyudojo
(Dragon Tiger)
Boulder, Colo. - Shoko
Kyudojo (Bell Tiger)
Philadelphia, Pa. - Toko Kyudojo (East Tiger)
New York, N.Y.
Canada
- Suiko Kyudojo (Water Tiger)
Montreal, Québec, Canada
In French and English. To read about Shibata Sensei: Click the link to "K. Shibata."
Europe
- Oko Kyudojo
European Kyudo organization
Check this site for a list of Kyudojos in Europe.
