Test your strength and accuracy with this beautiful martial art form in a real dojo

Details

• Group experience

• Location: Suginami, Tokyo

• 2 hours

• 4 people max.

• Offered in Japanese, with friendly Deeper Japan guide interpreting in English
  (French/German/Spanish interpretation may be available upon request)

Majestic sport

Kyudou (弓道), Japanese archery, translates to “the way of the bow” and has two main pieces of equipment: the yumi (弓), a tall, asymmetrical bow; and the ya (矢), an arrow measuring about 1 meter, made from bamboo and eagle or hawk feather. The origins date all the way to prehistoric times (c. 500 BC- 300 AD), indicated by images drawn during this time. Kyudou was traditionally taught in schools and was a mandatory part of samurai education that became an important martial art in war. Upon the arrival of Europeans and their weapons, kyudou diminished in its importance, as comparatively it was a less effective form of attack. However, it was still valued as a ceremonial skill, representative of the samurai ethic. Today, kyudou still follows a strict set of disciplines and has a strong focus on spiritual training. Even today, kyudou is included in school curriculums and is widely practiced in martial art classes.  Experience a class in a kyudou dojo with Japanese students and discover more about yourself through “the way of the bow”.

What you’ll do

Change into “hakama” (traditional martial arts uniform) and learn about the basics and history of kyudou. Then try your hand at target practice (short distance and long distance) with the traditional Japanese bow and arrow, and top things off with a photo session.

Who can attend

Children must be 13+
Participants must be taller than 155cm.

Availability

Saturday and Sunday only
Session 1 (11:00 - 13:00)
Session 2 (14:00 - 16:00)

Access

45 minutes from Tokyo Station.

Cancellation Policy

Please make your booking at least 7 days in advance (with shoe size and height information). See cancellation policy here.
* A detailed itinerary will be emailed to you once your booking has been confirmed.