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| Japanese yumi | |
|---|---|
| Name | Yumi |
| Caption | Traditional asymmetric bow |
| Origin | Japan |
| Type | Longbow |
| Service | As early as Nara period |
| Used by | Samurai, Kyūdōka, Imperial Japanese Army |
Japanese yumi
The Japanese yumi is a traditional asymmetrical longbow linked to samurai warfare, Shintō ritual, Kyūdō practice, and Japanese cultural identity. It has been used in contexts ranging from Nara period court archery to Genpei War battlefields and modern Kyūdō dojangs, influencing arts, ceremonies, and martial systems. Historical texts, archaeological finds, and surviving examples in collections such as the Tokyo National Museum and British Museum document its evolution alongside figures and institutions like Minamoto no Yoritomo, Taira no Kiyomori, and the Ashikaga shogunate.
The term yumi appears in classical sources including the Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, and Heian-era diaries such as the Tosa Nikki and Murasaki Shikibu's references, intersecting with courtly offices like the Daikyū-dai and ceremonial roles at the Ise Grand Shrine. Terminology for parts and techniques draws on vocabulary found in treatises associated with families like the Ogasawara and schools documented during the Muromachi period, with words echoed in military codes like the Heihō oshiki and later lexicons compiled under the Tokugawa shogunate.
Yumi development traces to archery artifacts from the Kofun period and standardized forms by the Nara period used in imperial hunts and court rituals at Nara and Kyoto. During the Heian period and conflicts such as the Hōgen Rebellion and Heiji Rebellion archery tactics evolved, reaching battlefield prominence in the Genpei War when mounted archery by clans including the Minamoto and Taira shaped samurai warfare. The Kamakura period institutionalized warrior archery; the Ashikaga shogunate and later Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu influenced training, suppression, and adaptation of yumi for matchlock-era battlefields. In the Meiji Restoration the bow's military role waned as the Imperial Japanese Army modernized, but archery persisted in imperial ceremonies, Shintō rites at Ise, and revival movements promoted by figures linked to Meiji-era modernization.
The yumi is characterized by its asymmetry—longer upper limb and shorter lower limb—accommodating use on horseback, a design reflected in accounts from Heike Monogatari and codified in archery manuals of the Ashikaga era. Craftsmanship traditions preserved by lineages like the Daikyu workshops and artisan guilds produced laminated constructions combining bamboo, timber, and lacquer techniques known to craftsmen patronized by courts in Kyoto and daimyo in domains such as Satsuma and Mito. Construction methods are referenced in manuals from schools associated with houses like the Ogasawara and archives in institutions such as the National Diet Library.
Styles of yumi correspond to uses: battlefield yumi deployed by samurai and ashigaru, ceremonial daikyu used at shrines including Ise Grand Shrine and Tsurugaoka Hachimangū, and refined target bows favored in Kyūdō dojos affiliated with organizations like the All Nippon Kyudo Federation. Regional variations emerged in domains such as Edo, Higo, and Tosa, while schools like the Ogasawara and warrior clans like the Hosokawa promoted distinctive shooting methods and bow shapes documented in archives held by families such as the Tokugawa.
Primary materials include bamboo species processed and laminated alongside hardwoods and rattan bindings, employing lacquer techniques practiced in workshops in Kyoto and Kanazawa. Master bowyers were sometimes patronized by daimyo such as those in Satsuma and Aizu, and their work is preserved in museum collections at institutions like the Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto National Museum, and private samurai repositories associated with clans like the Maeda and Date.
Yumi techniques range from mounted yabusame rituals sponsored by the Kamakura shogunate to foot-archery schools teaching taihai and nocking sequences recorded by the Ogasawara and Heki lineages. Competitive and ritual archery includes events at the Imperial Household Agency and festivals such as those organized by shrines including Ise Grand Shrine and Tsurugaoka Hachimangū. Instructional lineages continued through modern instructors tied to institutions like Nippon Budokan and dojos run by groups affiliated with the All Nippon Kyudo Federation.
Beyond warfare, the yumi features in Shintō rites at shrines like Ise Grand Shrine and Kashima Shrine, in Buddhist contexts involving temples such as Tōdai-ji, and in courtly ceremonies chronicled in Heian literature including works by Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shōnagon. Archery spectacles such as yabusame were sponsored by shogunal and imperial offices and performed for figures like the Emperor Meiji and retainers of domains such as Saga. The bow figures in performing arts associated with companies like the Nihon Buyo tradition and in visual arts preserved in collections of the Tokyo National Museum and galleries exhibiting works by artists who depicted samurai culture.
Contemporary practice is maintained by organizations including the All Nippon Kyudo Federation, dojo networks in urban centers like Tokyo and Osaka, and cultural heritage programs administered by agencies such as the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Preservation efforts involve restorers working with museums like the Kyoto National Museum and university programs at institutions including Kyoto University and Waseda University that study historical techniques documented in archives from clans like the Tokugawa and schools such as the Ogasawara. International interest has led to exhibitions at institutions including the British Museum, educational exchanges with organizations in United States and France, and scholarly studies in journals associated with universities like Harvard and Oxford.
Category:Japanese bows Category:Traditional Japanese weapons