International kyudo
KYUDO ORDER PRODUCT FAQ
About Kyudo words to the Kyudo beginners
Kyudo is one of the traditional Japanese martial arts and has a long history.
Shooting the unique shape and unusual length of Japanese Yumi (bow) and elegant Ya (arrows), many people around the world practice Kyudo to establish and maintain physical and spiritual harmony and balance.
Unlike other sports, Kyudo allows practitioners to train physically and mentally at the same time.
And it is one of the most distinguishing, challenging, and inspiring characteristics of Kyudo.
Kyudo Equipment Selection Advice Choosing the right KAKE : Kyudo Glove
●In Kyudo, practitioner’s left hand holds Yumi,
right hand wears Kake and holds Ya.
In principle, Kake is only worn on right hand in modern Kyudo.
●Made with genuine leather; mostly are made with deer fawn leather
which is comparatively soft and tender.
As deer leather possesses the trait of high water-absorbing capacity,
it is commonly used in Japanese martial art equipment.
●One piece of deer fawn leather can only make one Kake.
●As Leather product is easily smeared and damaged by water, please dry your Kake in the shade and also be careful not to expose it in direct sunlight.
●For safety and water-proof protection sake, please always wears shitagake (cotton glove ) under Kyudo Kake.
●It is highly recommended to have several pieces of shitagake and to change them frequently while practicing Kyudo.
It is because dirt, stain, or sweat on shitagake could easily
transmit to leather Kake. Please also try to wash and clean shitagake every time after practicing Kyudo.
※ Since good quality Kake can be used for relatively a long time,
It is better to manage with care. And we strongly suggest using white one only as a protection.
Using white shitagake will allow practitioners to easily notice when it gets dirty.
How to purchase Yugake with suizanmiyabi internatianl Kyudo
●The best Kyudo Kake choice is custom-made.
But many beginners may consider it over their
budget.
And the alternative is to choose a fit one from the ready-made Kake.
●When choosing a new Kake, the key point is you have to make sure the Kake’s thumb size fits well the length of your finger.
That is, your thumb tip should be able to touch and feel your Kake’s thumb tip.
But please also pay attention to Kake’s overall balance.
●As ready-made Kakes are all handcrafted products, the same size Kakes do not necessarily fit identically.
Please understand.
●For customers who wish to purchase Kake fit perfectly,
we strongly suggest you to visit our store and choose the Kake in person.
●Please understand that size exchange or refund is NOT possible.
●Please refer to the diagram and Yugake size table, measure your hand and choose a size accordingly.
( Return or exchange is NOT possible)
https://suizanmiyabi.com/pict/yumi/30101a.jpg
https://suizanmiyabi.com/pict/yumi/30101b.jpg
●For customers who are not confident to follow the direction stated above and choose Yugake size on their own, please refer to the photo and procedures below, scan right hand and send the hand scan file to our store via email. Please read the instructions carefully and make sure all the requirements are met.
File type: JPEG
Data size: Above 500 KB and below 2MG
Rulers:
- Please place two rulers when scanning your hand.
Please place a white paper under the transparent rulers and do not use metal ruler - Place one ruler above the hand and one on the right side (placed like L ).
Please make sure your hand is wide open and place your middle finger in parallel to the ruler on the right.And the tip of middle finger is one the horizontal line to the 0 of ruler on the right side
※Please make sure the file is clear enough to see your finger and palm shape.
Hand scan file in color will be preferable.
※Please save the file with your name and your height. (ie. Suizanmiyabi180)
https://suizanmiyabi.com/pic-labo/ec_shopping_faq_43.png
●Made with natural hemp. Comparatively not so easy to be worn out or become longer.
●Having the trait of fabulous and clear sound that many Kyudo practitioners are aiming for.
●This string’s nature of softness puts less burden to Yumi at the instant when arrow leaves string.
It is even more obvious for TakeYumi.
For TakeYumi practitioners, asatsuru is a preferable choice.
We strongly advise TakeYumi users to practice with asatsuru.
●Generally used by glass fiber Yumi or carbon fiber Yumi users.
●Most products in the market are made with a synthetic fiber called
aramid fiber; such as Technora, Kevlar or Zylon etc.
●Wide product ranges; various kinds of synthetic fibers Tsuru perform differently.
●The major synthetic material used is Zylon and it is commonly
and widely used in Kyudo equipment industry.
●The nature of synthetic Tsuru is harder and more durable compared to natural asatsuru.
Tsurune (sound of Tsuru) tends to be more acute and high-pitched.
The Yumi's turn speed goes faster the second when hanare (arrows travels out).
Thus, arrow speed is likely to be more faster.
●Some synthetic Tsuru may cause strong impact on Yumi and such an impact could damage Takeyumi(bamboo bow).
So we suggest Takeyumi users to choose synthetic Tsusu with extreme caution.
Tsuru made with Zylon would be a good option.
Kyudo Equipment Selection Advice
Suizan-miyabi International kyudo KYUDO EQUIPMENT SIZE TABLE
Shopping Procedure
This page will help you to understand how to shop at Suizan-Miyabi.
※Please read these terms and conditions carefully before placing an order.
※You can also use PayPal.
※Credit card payment is preferable.
Kyudo Equipment Selection Advice Choosing the right KYUDOGI :Kyudo Wear
All size tables showed on our webpages are Japanese sizes. Advice of Kyudo Wear.
The criteria of sleeves length should be right around the elbow;
appropriate length should not be over or under elbow.
Same criterion applied to both man and woman.
※There are Uwagi(tops) made with different materials for all season around or for summer.
However, please note that there is no winter version of long sleeve tops in Kyudo.
It is strongly recommended to use Kakuobi(角帯).
The wear methods for man and woman are slightly different.
For man : the upper end of Obi is right on the bellybutton.
For woman : the below end of Obi is right on the bellybutton.
※The favorable Obi used in Kyudo is called kakuobi 「角帯」
In Budo, Japanese martial art, Obi(Belt) is irrespective of gender.
So there is no woman version of Obi.
※No colors specified for different Kyudo occasions.
Kyudo practitioners can choose favorite color according to your personal preference.
The wear methods should be consistent to the position of Obi.
Kyudo Equipment Selection Advice. Choosing the right YUMI : Bow
●Yumi have a long history in Japan, and the bow itself is longer than those used in other parts of the world.
●The standard length of the Yumi used to practice Kyudo is 221cm,
However it is vital that the size of the Yumi and the practioner's Yazuka
(see below) be in perfect accord.
●In Kyudo, Yazuka is the main criterion for determining the proper Yumi size.
●Yazuka is also the essential criterion for determining the length of a practitioner's arrows (Ya).
The method of measuring the Yazuka is illustratedas below.
Yazuka Measurement:
Standing upright, stretch the left arm fully out to the side, and
measure from the center of one's body to the very tip of the
middle finger of the left hand.
(One can also say this is the draw length when practicing Kyudo).
※ The diagram presents the general criteria for determining one's Yumi size,
but the practitioners height should be also taken into consideration.
●Every TakeYumi has has its own personality.
No two are alike, even when they are made by the same craftsman, and have the same size and draw weight.
●Constructed by laminating a bamboo inner layer, a core of 5-7 pieces of hardwood and bamboo, and an outer layer of bamboo.
●The symbol of Kyudo.
Fully embodies the unique features, beauty, and depth of Kyudo.
In Japanese, the first kanji of 弓道(Kyudo) means Yumi, and the importance of its role in Kyudo is obvious.
●The longer a bamboo Yumi is used to practice Kyudo, the easier it becomes for the practitioner to connect with it, and the sooner the practitioner and the Yumi become one.
●Most of contemporary bamboo Yumi are made with synthetic adhesives. So they are relatively easier to manage and maintain, and not that easy to damage or break compared to the yumi made with traditional natural adhesives.
Most contemporary bamboo Yumi are made with synthetic adhesives, so compared to Yumi made with traditional adhesives, they are easier to manage and maintain, and are not as easily damaged or broken.
●There is no rule stating that only practitioners of middle ranks(dan) and above can practice Kyudo with TakeYumi. Beginners can also find practicing Kyudo with TakeYumi very enjoyable.
●A hybrid of carbon and bamboo. Instead of the core of hardwood and bamboo, the middle layer of Yumi is the core of carbon, hardwood and bamboo.
●Combines the elegance of Kyudo with modern materials.
●Product of contemporary innovation.
Event hough it is hard to distinguish a carbon insert TakeYumi from an all-natural TakeYumi, carbon insert TakeYumi is still not viewed as a genuine bamboo Yumi.
Some characterize it as a new genre of Yumi.
●Substitute for all-natural bamboo Yumi.
●Mass production Yumi. Rather sustainable and endurable.
●Easier for a complete novice to use and hit the target make it
popular and widely used among Kyudo beginners and students.
●Most product lines are reasonably priced and easier to obtain.
●Kyudo Yumi Size: please measure your Yazuka and choose the correct size of Yumi accordingly.
●When a Yumi is too long, the arrow speed may drop.
And a shorter Yumi is more easily damaged than correct size.
It is best to choose a Yumi that is right for you.
●Draw weight of Kyudo Yumi:
use your the draw weight of the Yumi you are currently practicing with as a guide to choosing the correct draw weight. If you are not certain about what draw weight to choose, we strongly suggest that you consult your Kyudo instructor.
●Over time, the draw weight of a bamboo Yumi may drop 1-2kg, while a synthetic Yumi may drop 0.5kg.
In some cases, the draw weight may drop considerably after about ten years.
※The Yazuka is not the full length of the Ya.
> Yajaku: the full length of the ya
(especially for beginners, for safety we recommend that this be 10-15cm more than the Yazuka)
> Yazuka: the distance from the center of one’s throat to the tip of middle finger of left hand when standing upright.(see below).
Please refer to the diagram below for yajaku and yazuka : Ya
●Handcrafted with all-natural bamboo.
●Custom-made; personal touches are possible.
The favorable weight and diameter of TakeYa could be chosen and crafted to meet customer requirements.
●Normally sold in a set of 4 Ya.
●Easton shaft; comparatively durable and not so easy to break or damage.
●Normally fletched with turkey feathers.
●The shape and characteristics of duralumin ya will not be affected by temperature or humidity.
●Identical specifications: shaft weight and thickness are standardized.
●Competitive price ranges, popular among Kyudo beginners and students.
●The shaft should be chosen in accordance with the practitioner's Ya length, as well as the size and
draw weight of the Yumi.
●Normally sold in a set of 6 Ya.
●Choose your preferred material.
●Bamboo and synthetic ya will have different flight speeds.
●The best choice is to make sure the specifications of chosen ya are in accord with your yumi size and draw weight.
●For best results, we suggest choosing Ya by taking your yumi specifications into consideration rather than just choosing from personal preference.
●1913 : Duralumin Ya・7623: Carbon Ya
【Yazuka : around 85~95cm, Draw weight of Yumi : around 8Kg~12Kg】
●2015 : Duralumin Ya・8023 : Carbon Ya
【Yazuka: around 90~100cm, Draw weight of Yumi: around 12Kg~17Kg】
The advice above is for reference only.
If you have any doubts or questions, please consult your instructor.
※Advice for deciding Ya length
For experienced Kyudo practitioners, approximately : Yazuka +10 cm
For Kyudo beginners, add additional length for safety : Yazuka+10~12cm.
Kyudo Equipment Selection Advice
suizan-miyabi International kyudo
On-line purchase for international delivery is only available for products
posted in Suizan Miyabi International store.
Items not listed on Suizan Miyabi International cannot be shipped internationally.
For details on how to shop, please check the Suizan Miyabi International [Shopping Guide].