Kyudo in Australia

[White Hawk]

Hi all,

yes I know its been a loooooonnnnng time since I last visited here, but I have not been idle in regards to archery, I come bearing some interesting news.
In the last few years there has been a lot of work going on from some very dedicated individuals to initiate the teaching of Kyudo in Australia. Kyudo is Japanese archery or translated to "The way of the Bow'. I have been fortunate enough to be a part of this process culminating in a 12 person Australian contingent going to Nagoya for the third annual Asia Oceania Kyudo Seminar, where we undertook 5 days of training with the highest ranked Kyudo Sensei's in Japan. This seminar included Kyudo practitioners from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and several other countries in the region. The aim being to improve our Kyudo under expert instruction and build relationships with both Japan and other participating countries in the region.
The last day of the Seminar was a Shinsa or grading and 9 of the 12 Australians successfully passed their Shodan grading.
To top this off the IKYF (international Kyudo Federation) granted Australia official status as an associate country. This was a significant step in the growth of Kyudo in this country, and now with the backing of the IKYF Australia will be assisted in its growth.
Last year the Melbourne Kyudo Kai was formed and now practice every week at our Victoria University Dojo in Footscray. The club is growing fast with many new members joining. We are fortunate to have two amazing Japanese teachers who are guiding us in our learning.
I've attached a few pictures of the beautiful Dojo we trained at in Nagoya, and also of me shooting the Yumi or Japanese longbow. Those that know me will notice that I am now a RIGHT handed archer! No left hand in Japan. This has taken some adjustment but I am slowly getting there.
All the best
Gav

[Roadie]

Well Done Gavin, another string to the Bow Ay. Cheers Roadie.

[Stickbow Hunter]

Very interesting Gavin. It must have been difficult to learn shooting right handed. I have a friend in Japan who is rather high up in the discipline I believe.

Good to see your post as it has been a long time.

Jeff

[White Hawk]

thanks Roadie, it's been an interesting journey so far.
Jeff, apologies for the long absence, going back to school and then establishing my practice has been most time consuming, but I'm finally freeing up some time! It was hard to switch hands, not so much retraining my body but the aiming part of my brain was protesting I can tell you!
Interesting you have a friend in Japan doing it, our club is starting to make links with Aussies over there doing Kyudo, in fact we have a 5th Dan Kyudo practitioner from Australia who lives in Japan coming over to do a 2 day seminar in August.
cheers
Gav

[Dennis La Varenne]

Gavin and Jeff,

Hans Stein is a 12th Dan and learnt it in Japan as he told me. Gavin, I am pretty sure I got you a copy of Hans' book in English back in the Dreamtime (or should I say Nightmaretime) when both of us were working at HWT.

[Stickbow Hunter]

Thanks Dennis I couldn't remember what number Dan he was.

Jeff

[Gringa Bows]

My Son having lessons a few years ago in Japan

[Roadie]

Ay Rod, now there is a Project for you, Building a Yumi Bow. Cheers Roadie.

[Dennis La Varenne]

Jeff and Gavin,

Hans gave it up because of boredom believe it or not . . . even after attaining 12th Dan. Western style archery was more interesting and varied he told me.

Also, the Yumis you find in Japan are mostly fibreglass composites. Very few people make the original all-wood thing and you almost need a second house mortgage to buy one apparently (according to Hans).

By-the-bye, I bought a bow for my collection which originated in Japan in the 1950s and it is made as a Western style static recurve. It has delaminated a fair length of the upper limb, but you can see its construction which is Yumi in style.

It has a back and belly of outer rind of bamboo including the nodes, and a core of a different wood specie glued together similarly to vertical bamboo. It is numbered 60 and when I flex the sound lower limb, it is very stiff indeed. The bow has a plum coloured rind which, on this particular bow has been most certainly varnished. I believe this was once called 'japanning' which is a special coloured Japanese varnish often applied to furniture and pottery.

I do have another static recurved with all-bamboo lams with only the back of outer rind and coloured in the same plum colour, but this does not seem to be varnished like the bow above. All the other lams are normal bamboo in colour on that particular bow. However, in comparing their designs, one could be tempted to think that they were made by the same maker. It has a prodigious draw weight and is barely flexible against one's foot.

[Gringa Bows]

Haha Grant,i'll knock one up in the morning

[jcm]

Rod ,
Look forward to the Youme Gringa.
Regards

John

[Gringa Bows]

I wish maybe one day

[GrahameA]

Hi Rod.

I wish maybe one day

Do it. You have the skills, I have faith. Your first attempt may not be the greatest but at least you will have done it.