Why I hate Kyudo

[MEGA JESUS-SAMA]

Or, at least, douchebag white boys.

From Daily Yomiuri Online:

"Kyudo is not just a matter of hitting the target," the 30-year-old native of Sydney said. "People say the end justifies the means, but this is completely opposite in kyudo. The process is more important. I find it the most interesting thing in kyudo, but at the same time, it's the most difficult part."

In kyudo, archers must develop physical, moral and spiritual traits. Compared with Western archery, the emphasis is on form and etiquette. Americans Dan and Jackie DeProspero wrote in their book "Kyudo: The Essence and Practice of Japanese Archery" that it is only when the three elements of attitude, movement and technique are united in harmony that archers can loose a "real" shot.

"In archery, if you hit a target, you get points. But in kyudo, even if you hit a target, you might not pass the test," Bullock said.

"In archery, if you hit a target, you get points. But in kyudo, even if you hit a target, you might not pass the test," Bullock said.

In the short-range classification, examinees shoot just two arrows at a 36-centimeter-diameter target 28 meters away. As they usually have to wait several hours for their turn, maintaining concentration is a key to passing.

From some Kyudo FAQ:

Kyudo is a highly meditative martial art whose ultimate goals are Shin (Truth i.e. the ultimate reality), Zen (Goodness) and Bi (Beauty). When asked the question "What is Truth?" a master archer would pick up a bow and arrow and shoot it, without saying a word, allowing the level of mastery of the bow to serve as the gauge of the archer's progress along the "way" thereby showing the archer's knowledge of reality i.e. "Truth" itself.

Whoever sees a demonstration of kyudo ('the way of the bow') for the first time understands right away that it is not a sport. Neither is it a martial art that you would practice in order to obtain degrees or black belt ranks. "In kyudo you don't try to hit the target," explains Japanese Master Kanjuro Shibata. "It's a matter of precision and discipline: the relationship you have with the bow, the arrow, your body, and your mind. Kyudo is like zazen, but it is standing meditation. When you shoot, you can see the reflection of your mind, as in a mirror. The target is the mirror. When you release, you cut ego. You can see your own mind."

More than half of Kyudo is learning different ceremonies done in tandem with a number of other archers. This is perhaps a leftover from working together in armies. In a normal tournament, groups of six shoot together in perfect coordination, step by step, each archer a half step behind the archer in front of him. Shooting from horseback is still an active practice (although I did not learn this!) and is shown at certain public events like festivals at shrines. When archers turn twenty-one they travel to Kyoto and shoot at the great Buddhist temple Sanjusangendo, in a huge coming of age ceremony. The girls who participate wear incredibly beautiful, brightly colored, ornate formal dresses called kimono, and the boys wear simple yet elegant traditional clothes that bring tuxedos to mind. In 1992 there were (as I remember) fifteen thousand participants. Kyudo is never used to hunt with.

etc. etc. etc.

I don't have any problem with people who want to do something as a relaxing past-time, but this holier-than-thou Zen thinking has got to stop if kyudo wants to appeal to anyone other than boring nerds. The differences between competitive Western (or even competitive kyudo) and holy Zen master kyudo are exactly the difference between Judo and ?ng ?un, painting a picture and tracing from manga, or joining a sport and joining the anime club; one is a pursuit of objective results where process is only considered in how effectively it allows you to produce results, and one is done for the sake of being so goddamn Asian that your eyes become slitty and you shrink five inches.

http://web-japan.org/factsheet/m_arts/kyudo.html

In a contest, each competitor usually shoots arrows at a target 28 or 60 meters away. The bow, which is about 2.21 meters long, is made of wood and bamboo glued together. As in other forms of archery, the competitor who hits the target with the greatest number of arrows wins the match. The difference between Western archery and kyudo is that the latter emphasizes the importance of form. In some contests, the competitor's form is taken into account.

What a silly and subjective method of choosing the best archer. Who decides what is perfect form, and how do you explain the odd guy with "imperfect" form that shoots scores heads and shoulders above his competitors?

Effective range? A practiced expert is effective at 120 meters, 60 meters is considered the regular long distance event, and 28 meters is the normal practice range. 5 feet (varies according to height of student) is the distance that people stand from the Makiwara--at this range even beginners are *very* effective!!! (Makiwara are targets for developing and maintaining proper style and form.) Effectiveness, however, in Kyudo is not measured by in terms of deadliness. It is, rather, measured in terms of progress.

Can anyone explain to me how you measure progress in a sport that doesn't emphasize hitting the target? What do you have to gauge against?

[Joe Karate]

What do you have to gauge against?

Penis size?

[Joe Karate]

Sorry, couldn't resist

[Mr. Jones]

I would hope they were kidding about grading on imperfect form.

[Ke?poFist]

LARP Archery? The introduction of asianphile pseudo-philosophy into weapons sports??? Are you fucking kidding me!?

"Kyudo is not just a matter of hitting the target,"

In kyudo, archers must develop physical, moral and spiritual traits. Compared with Western archery, the emphasis is on form and etiquette.

So archery is no longer about....archery? This is nearly verbatim the crap spewed by martial larpists, that it took DerAuslander to finally say the greatest quote of: "To be a martial artist you don't have to just be a fighter...but you have to be at least one"

Now we need a "to be an archer" quote!?

[Mr. Jones]

MegaJesusSan look at this clip then look at the commments below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY_vUCNpw6E&NR

[black mariah]

MegaJesusSan look at this clip then look at the commments below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY_vUCNpw6E&NR

Good sweet **** on a stick that's boring.

[Mr. Jones]

I think Kyudo is just a martial art for Japonphiles almost like Aikido.


This is how they see Kyudo.



This is reality.

[MEGA JESUS-SAMA]

Good sweet **** on a stick that's boring.

If archery is like watching paint dry, kyudo is like watching the History Channel.

[Ke?poFist]

If archery is like watching paint dry, kyudo is like watching the History Channel.

I love the history channel. Your analogy is poorly executed anyway, and can almost be described as a non sequitur