Yabusame

Origin and rules

Yabusame was systematised in the 12th century by Minamoto no Yoritomo as a martial training ritual for Kamakura samurai. The Ogasawara and Takeda schools have preserved the practice through ceremonial demonstrations at shrines.

How it plays

A mounted archer wearing samurai dress rides at a fast canter along a 250-metre dirt track. Three small wooden targets are arrayed along the course, and the rider must draw, nock, and loose an arrow at each within seconds, scoring on accuracy.

Competition

Modern yabusame is judged demonstration rather than head-to-head sport, with major events held at the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine in Kamakura and Samukawa Shrine. Japan is the centre of the practice, with occasional displays in the United States, France, and Australia.