Yabusame

Yabusame is the most well-known and formal form of Japanese horseback-archery.The performance of Yabusame is part of the celebrations taking place at Meji-Shrine on Oct 4th. The Takeda School has been honoured since 1932 to conduct this performance every year.

Yabusame dates back to the fith century and is a martial art, whose philosophy and action follow Bushido, the Samurai way.Over the centuries detailed rituals have been formulated to conduct Yabusame.

The ceremony starts with a procession to the course. In front a priest holding the tamagushi, the offering of a branch of the sasaki-tree, the same kind which had been offered at the ceremony of the Meji-shrine. He is followed by the Hatamochi, the flag carriers. Then follow the shoyaku (the staff helping throughout the ceremony. After them the main priest (bugyo), who will be later the judge to the competition, accompanied by the commander and the other shooter.

Once the shooter are on their horses, all of them form a half-cirle and the most senior of the ite moves his horse in a few circles. He then takes a kaburaya (a purified arrow) and draws the bow to the full, aiming both at the sky and the ground, but he does not release the arrow.

Leaving the circle the shooters head off to the first round of shooting.

The course of the shooting is 218 meters long. Two targets were posted along the course. Each Ite is supposed to run the horse at full gallop and to shoot at the two targets in less than 15 seconds. The targets are five-colored and decorated with seasonal flowers on the top.

The shooters return for a second round which gives a chance to look a closer look at their outfits.

The second round start, again not everybody having the arrow up in time.

While they return the best three of the shooters are chosen for another competition.

This time the target is changed. It it a round target of 17 centimeters in diameter, which is formed out of to clay bowls glued together. Inside the bowls the space is filled with paper. If the target is hit, the paper is released and is supposed to give the bursting target an explosive effect.

The winner of this contest is then honored through a small ritual by the bugyo.
This year the winner was: