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The Beauty of Yabusame
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How did their role change when Japan's imperial
government became a military dictatorship
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(shogunate)?
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What were some important aspects of their
training?
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Article Key Words (minimum of five words):
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Lesson Check How did the samurai’s role change when Japan's imperial government became a
military dictatorship (shogunate)
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As you read the article, think about Japan's samurai
warriors. What role did they play in the imperial government?
How did their status change under a shogunate? What were
some important parts of their training? Take notes, including
facts and details on your graphic organizer. You can use these
notes later, when you respond to the constructive response.
Photo credit: / Itsuo Inouye / AP
A man shoots an arrow during a yabusame ceremony.
ZUSHI, Japan (Achieve3000, February 19, 2009). A crowd watches breathlessly, waiting for
something to happen. Suddenly, a man on horseback charges down a path, dressed in warrior
regaliaregalia. As he rides, he lifts a huge bow and arrow, and when he reaches a set of three
targets, he shoots at them, one after the other, all in about 10 seconds. This stunning display, a
Japanese ceremony that dates back to the days of the samurai, is called yabusame.
Yabusame ceremonies take place once or twice a year in several towns. In Zushi, a town just
south of Tokyo, Japan, the ceremony is an annual event. Zushi held its first competition in 1199.
These days, it is like a scene out of a movie. Archers in feudalfeudal shooting gear climb atop
their decorated horses, galloping in the sand as thousands of onlookers cheer and shout.
Banners flap in the ocean wind, marking the beginning and end of the shooting runway. Little
boys in bright robes and black hats scamper about collecting the arrows and the debris from
the wooden or clay targets destroyed by each hit.
When the dull, turnip-shaped tip of an arrow strikes just right, the board explodes in a blur of
splinters. But as often as not, the arrows miss, sailing past the targets and thudding into the
canvas behind them.
In battle, hitting the target was the whole idea. It is considered important in some modern
ceremonies, as well. But in other ceremonies, hitting the target is almost an afterthought.
Spectators watch for the beauty of the run to the target and the form that the archer shows as
he releases each arrow. Yabusame is considered an art form, requiring mental and spiritual
well-being as much as physical grace.
"Many schools today see yabusame as more of a ceremonial thing," said Ietaka Kaneko, the
head of the Japan EquestrianCPR Archery Association. Although yabusame was always artistic,
it was not always just ceremonial.
Yabusame traces its origins back more than 800 years, to an era when Japanese society had a
warrior class called the samurai. Samurai existed between the 9th and 19th centuries, when
Japan had a feudal society. These warriors were originally trained to protect powerful
landowners, but eventually they gained their own wealth and power. Yabusame was developed
in the 12th century as a way of training samurai to use bows and arrows in battle.
"When people think of the samurai, they don't realize that in the old days, archery was more
important in battle than swords," said Hisashi Yoshimi, one of the featured shooters at the
competition. "Archers didn't shoot at targets close up. They kept a distance and fired upward so
that the arrows would rain down on advancing troops."
Every aspect of yabusame reflects the skills that were required of the samurai. The targets,
which are held up by small poles or scaffolding, are about seven feet (just over two meters)
high and roughly the size of a mounted opponent's chest. There are three targets along the
runway, which is only 165 yards (about 150 meters) long, giving the horseback rider just enough
time to raise his bow, load, and shoot three times.
Archers don't actually sit on their horses. They squat, using special stirrups and very light
saddles.
"The most difficult part is staying absolutely stable no matter how fast the horse is galloping,"
said Ietaka Kaneko. "The style is not like Western or European equestrian riding."
The longbows that are used in yabusame are much larger than the bows used in Western-style
archery. In fact, they are taller than the people who shoot them. To people who are unfamiliar
with them, the bows appear to be lopsided and unbalanced.
Yabusame in Japan is something like polo in England or rodeos in America. Very few people
actually participate in these activities, because few have access to horses or the time to learn all
the techniquestechnique involved.
Kaneko, whose ancestors were samurai, grew up around horses that were trained specifically
for archery competitions.
"I have been shooting since I was 17," said Kaneko. Now 87, he did not ride in the Zushi
ceremony. Instead, he started it all off, symbolically drawing his arrow toward the sky as drums
beat in the background. He was proud of his nation's tradition and pleased to play a role in its
continuation.
"There is nothing like this outside of Japan," said Kaneko.
Dig Deeper
Most people in present-day Japan view yabusame as a cultural tradition, one that honors
Japan's ancient past. But yabusame wasn't created merely to entertain crowds of spectators.
The ritual was once part of the rigorous training required of the samurai, an elite class of
warriors that ruled Japan for more than 700 years.
The samurai class traces its origins back to 9th-century Japan. At this time, an imperial
government, led by the mikado, or emperor, ruled Japan from the capital city of Kyoto.
However, several wealthy, aristocratic families owned much of the country's land and
resources. Over time, these land-owning families began to challenge the power of the central
government. For their own protection, wealthy clans began to build private armies made up of
local soldiers called samurai, which roughly translates to "those who serve."
By 1180, the imperial government in Kyoto was losing control over Japan. At the same time,
battles broke out among the dominant clans in Japan, each one trying to gain power over the
country. One of these influential families—the Minamoto—would eventually overtake the
central government. In 1192, the Minamoto established a shogunate, or military dictatorship.
At its head was the shogun, or supreme military commander. The shogunate consolidated all
political power within the military. This gave new authority to Japan's samurai warriors. Long
considered hired help, the samurai were now rising to new levels of power.
Under shogunate rule, the samurai class was a privileged group. But the strength of the
shogunate depended on the strength of its warriors. From an early age, the samurai endured
years of intense training in archery, martial arts, and sword fighting. You read that the samurai
were deadly with a bow and arrow—both on foot and on horseback. However, they were
perhaps most feared for their precision swordsmanship. Each samurai wielded a long, handcrafted steel blade called a katana.
The samurai's grueling training regimen also demanded extreme mental discipline. Throughout
their lives, samurai were held to a strict code of conduct called Bushido, or "way of the
warrior." Bushido outlined the characteristics of an ideal warrior. It stressed such qualities as
obedience, manners, modesty, and frugality. Above all, Bushido emphasized unwavering loyalty
to one's country and family. Samurai warriors were called on to practice morality and selfcontrol at all times. In battle, they were to fight to the death to preserve the dignity of their
commanders and their country. Any display of negativity—cowardice, dishonor, or defeat—
reflected poorly on their leaders and was met with a punishment of death.
For nearly seven centuries, the samurai influenced Japanese government and society, serving as
politicians, teachers, and even artists. But in the mid-19th century, after years of political unrest
in the country, Japan's once-powerful shogunate began to weaken. In 1868, the imperial
government was restored. A few years later, the samurai class was officially abolished. The
samurai were no longer afforded a privileged status in Japan. But as you learned, by celebrating
rituals like the yabusame, many people still honor the legacy of these great warriors.