Yumi / Japanese Longbow
弓
The traditional Japanese longbow with a distinctly asymmetric shape, whose grip sits roughly one-third of the way up from the bottom end rather than at the center as in Western bows.
Quick Facts
Definition
The yumi is the traditional Japanese bow used in kyudo and yabusame, reaching over two meters in length and making it one of the longest bows in the world, even though the arrows shot from it are typically shorter than one would expect from a bow of comparable length in Western tradition. Its most striking feature is its asymmetric construction, with the grip positioned not at the center but roughly one-third of the way up from the bottom, a design whose origins are debated, ranging from practicality when shooting from horseback to adapting to the uneven bending properties of bamboo. A traditional yumi is made by laminating several layers of bamboo and wood, a craft process that can take years to master, while modern versions are often reinforced with fiberglass or carbon fiber for greater durability and lower cost. Shooting the yumi involves a characteristic technique called yuri-modoshi, in which the bow rotates in the archer's hand after release, driven by the momentum of its own asymmetry. The yumi is used both in standing kyudo shooting and in mounted yabusame archery, where a rider shoots arrows at targets while the horse is at full gallop.
Related Terms
Traditional wide pleated trousers worn in certain Japanese martial arts.
Hanare / The Release離れThe moment of releasing the bowstring in kyudo, which should occur spontaneously as the natural culmination of the full draw rather than as a conscious shooting of the arrow.
Kai / Full Draw会The stage of kyudo in which the archer holds the bowstring at full draw in a moment of apparent stillness that in fact conceals ever-growing internal tension leading naturally into the release (hanare).