Mishima Taisha yabusame ritual to be held on August 17 at Mishima Taisha, Shizuoka Prefecture
Yabusame is a Shinto ritual of shooting arrows on horseback in prayer for peace in the world and people's happiness. The Japan Equestrian Archery Association preserves and passes on the Takeda School of Horseback Archery, whose history goes back 800 years. Today, the association continues to perform yabusame at key national junctures and before large-scale undertakings to wish for the safety and success of such events.
The act of shooting arrows while riding a horse is called kisha. Kasagake was originally practiced as a means of training in kisha. Unlike yabusame, in which archers only aim at shoulder-height targets to their left, kasagake additionally involves targets near the horse's feet on both the left and right sides. As such, it is technically more challenging and is rarely seen even in Japan.
The Takeda School, which the Japan Equestrian Archery Association preserves, values the Spartan spirit of austerity and fortitude of the Kamakura samurai and cultivates in its disciples the heart of the samurai. Moreover, it strives to further refine traditional techniques and master modern horses — larger and faster than Japanese horses of the past — so that it may demonstrate the splendor of Japanese horseback archery to both domestic and international audiences.
The Japan Equestrian Archery Association offers lectures and workshops (including webinars), as well as demonstrations both in Japan and overseas. For more information, please feel free to contact us.
The Japan Equestrian Archery Association
Website: https://yabusame.or.jp/english/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt0Yo5cEOhZ7Eg8j4uI2ZzKTmeJXcwjF-
E-mail: post-kyuubakai@yabusame.or.jp
© Japan Today
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