Article

“Yabusame is a traditional Japanese archery performed while riding a horse in dedication to the deities and praying for universal peace, a rich harvest and people’s health.”
Source: The Japan Equestrian Archery Association website
https://yabusame.or.jp/english/

This time, I had the opportunity to watch a traditional Yabusame demonstration held by the Japan Equestrian Archery Association. As described in the quote above, the Yabusame presented by the Japan Equestrian Archery Association is performed as a Shinto ritual, but also has elements of competition, combining horsemanship and archery.

After the representatives offered a prayer to the deity (Kami), the Ite (meaning a licensed archer of Yabusame) rides the horse at full gallop and shoots arrows at three targets set up alongside the course. Yabusame is a ritual in which the showcase of skills is a prayer in itself.

The solemn ritual, the sound of the hooves hitting the ground, the dust flying up, the flowing manes, the steady movements. I was able to experience firsthand the powerful spirit of samurai that still lives on today.

◇The Roots

The Japan Equestrian Archery Association’s Yabusame inherits the style of Takeda School and strives to preserve and promote its legacy. Takeda School is one of the two oldest Yabusame schools in Japan. The rules of Yabusame were codified in the 12th century, so what we can see today is samurai martial arts with more than 800 years of history.

◇The Spirituality

Some may wonder why samurai martial arts have been incorporated into a religious ritual.
One reason is that in Shinto rituals great importance is placed on appeasing and entertaining the Kami. Martial arts are the pride of a samurai. After witnessing this impressive display, there is no doubt that Yabusame is something worth showing to the Kami.

I think another reason can be found in the influence of the Japanese traditional philosophy of Mitate, which can be interpreted as the abstraction of a concept, the creation of an image for something that does not exist. In Yabusame, the target symbolizes the concept of bad luck, and by wearing a demon ornament the Ite themselves are invested with spiritual powers.
The spirit of Mitate can be also seen in various aspects of Japanese culture, from Haiku poems to Noh performances and Karesansui gardens.

◇The Spirit of Yabusame

The outstanding technique of Takeda School can be summarized in the following words:
鞍上無人、鞍下無馬 (anjo hito naku, anka uma nashi)
Literally meaning "No one above the saddle, no horse under the saddle," this idiom indicates the perfect union of the rider with the horse.

If you have actually seen a Yabusame performance, you will understand what it means.
The horse runs as fast as if there were no one on its back, and the Ite stays in the saddle without swaying at all, as though they were not on a running horse. In the Takeda School, this riding technique is called Tachi-sukashi. The word sukashi has a close meaning to the English word "through" and describes a deflected impact. Unlike Western horsemanship, the Ite does not touch their legs on the body of the horse. Instead of sitting on the saddle, the Ite puts all the weight on the stirrups and raises their hips in the air. They hold the bow and shoot without disturbing the horse's movement or swaying their body. It sounds easy in words, but just standing still on the horse is a difficult technique, and even more so when it comes to shooting an arrow and hitting the target.

In this image, the Ite wearing samurai armor demonstrated shooting arrows from horseback. This was a special sight. This is because this armor is not normally worn in Yabusame. And in this image, the Ite appears to be sitting down, but in fact they are maintaining a slight distance between their hips and the saddle. Watching Yabusame was a truly valuable experience, something you don't get to see every day.

◇Final Remarks

You can watch many stunning videos of Yabusame at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/@yabusame.or.jp-2936

The Japan Equestrian Archery Association regularly holds Yabusame events throughout the year. You can find the detailed schedule and more information on Yabusame at the website below:
https://yabusame.or.jp/yabusame-schedule/

During the Yabusame performance I attended, an accurate commentary and announcements at the venue were provided in both Japanese and English. Come and feel for yourself the vibrations of the horses’ hooves hitting the ground and the sound of the arrows hitting the target!

Finally, I would like to say a special thank you to Mr. Sebata, who kindly took the time out of his busy day as an Ite to give me detailed explanations and even allowed me to take photos. Thank you very much!