19th Century Woodblock of a Mounted Samurai archer - Unknown Author
Yabusame (流鏑馬) is a form of mounted archery practised in Japan. A highly ritualised and spiritual practice, Yabusame involves an archer firing three Kabura-ya (whistling arrows) towards set targets whilst riding a horse. Yabusame was popularised by Minamoto no Yoritomo at the beginning of the Kamakura Period, hoping to improve the archery skills of his warriors during peacetime.
During the Sengoku Jidai, the introduction and popularisation of firearms after the battle of Nagashino in 1575 led to a decline in horse archery. However, the following Edo Period experienced a reintroduction of traditional martial schools as cultural pursuits, including Yabusame which was popularised by Ogasawara Heibei Tsuneharu. Yabusame is still practised today in numerous locations across Japan, even being performed for US President George W. Bush.
History[]
The presence of traditional Japanese bows dates as far back as the Jōmon Period, although the asymmetrical pattern would only appear during the Yayoi Period (300 BCE - 300 CE). Bows were always a sign of power and authority, with the legendary first Emperor of Japan, Jimmu being portrayed with a bow. The Japanese military of the Yayoi and early Yamato Periods were based mostly off of the Chinese model, with emphasis on infantry and use of crossbows. However, through repeated interactions with the Emishi people, who employed mounted archers and hit-and-run tactics, the soldiers that lived on the Kantō plain began to adopt horse archery.
By the time of the late Heian Period, the emerging samurai class favoured mounted archery. The usual form of combat was highly ritualised, not even necessarily requiring the death of a participant. Having been excluded from the Imperial succession, the Minamoto and Taira clans spread out across Japan and due to their lineage often rose to positions of power. Following the Heiji Rebellion, the Minamoto were forced out of Kyoto by the Taira and towards the Kantō plain. Here they gathered together large numbers of samurai warriors and eventually pushed west, initiating the Genpei War. The war saw numerous famous clashes between mounted samurai warriors, most famously the battle of Yashima where the retreating Taira presented a flag from the prow of one of their ships, daring the Minamoto to shoot it. Nasu no Yoichi, a Minamoto warrior, waded into the water on horseback and shot the fan perfectly.
During the following Kamakura Shogunate, the Minamoto encouraged Yabusame to maintain the skills of their soldiers in case of war. Archers who were unable to perform to certain standards may even have been compelled to commit seppuku. One type of Yabusame that became popular was Inuoumono (犬追物), or "dog-shooting". Although traditionally performed with real arrows, the Emperor Go-Daigo banned the sport during his reign and following his death, the arrows were replaced with padded ones. The sport fell out of favour following the Meiji Restoration and isn't practised today.
Ritual[]
The mounted archer rides his horse along a 280 yard track at a high speed, using his knees to control the mount. As he approaches a target he draws his bow and fires, chanting In-Yo-In-Yo (darkness and light). The arrows are either rounded in order to make a louder noise upon impact, or V-shaped so that they splinter. Only the most experienced archers are allowed to use the V-shaped arrows, and hitting all three targets is considered an admirable achievement. The distances between targets and the expected distance at which the archer fires is meant to realistically replicate the optimum distance of firing upon a warrior in O-yoroi armour.
Those selected as Yabusame performers are often viewed as exceptionally talented, as only the best warriors were granted this honour. The phrase Jinba Ittai (人馬一体) literally meaning "person horse one body", reflects the skill and patience required to become a master of Yabusame.
Gallery[]
