The Roving Ronin Report

Culture Day (Bunka no Hi) is a National holiday in Japan on November 3rd. Culture Day as the name implies is a celebration of culture. It's actually three commemorations at once. Besides culture, November 3rd marks the date when the post-war constitution was publicly announced in 1948. The real roots of the holiday though is the birthday of Emperor Meiji (1852-1912). Meiji oversaw the modernization of Japan and a return of governing power to the Imperial Court which had not ruled since the 12th Century. At Meiji Shrine in Tokyo there are a number of cultural activities as a result. Behind the main shrine, a number of martial arts demonstrations are held. One can a variety of weapons like katana, naginata, and spear. Also you can see yabusame - mounted archery - and old fashion matchlock guns including a small cannon.

Yabusame is Japanese horseback archery, a tradition that goes back well over 1000 years. The first samurai referred to their profession as "The Way of the Horse and Bow" - the sword as a principle weapon coming much much later. This Yabusame event took place in Nikko which is 2 hours north of Tokyo. It's the resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), the first shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1867). The Ogasawara Ryu (school of archery) conducted the event. They do Yabusame there in May and October. Early Samurai excelled more in the use of the bow and horse than the sword Yabusame Archers wear medieval hunting clothes Striking the board brings good luck and prosperity to all

Yabusame is a Japanese Shinto ritual involving mounted archery. Archers ride at a full gallop and shoot at three targets set up at certain intervals. To hit all three, an archer is considered to be very skillful. The ritual's purpose is to bring prosperity and peace. This video is a complilation of Yabusame events I have been to over the last two years. There are two different schools of Yabusame - Ogasawara Ryu who perform at Asakusa (here 2007&2008) and Takeda Ryu who perform at Meiji Shrine (2006), Miura (2007), and Kamakura (Spring 2007 & Fall 2008) The song is called " Gunslinger Man " and it fits with the old tradition of samurai on horseback using bows rather than spears and swords as they did in later times. The Yabusame costume looks rather cowboy-ish. The music is by the Exotic Ones: The Exotic Ones This is a short clip of Yabusame being performed at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo

YABUSAME - JAPANESE MOUNTED ARCHERY BEFORE THE SWORD CAME THE BOW A yabusame archer wearing formal hunting clothes from the 13th century It has often been said:  The sword is the soul of the samurai.  Much has been written in Japan and around the world about the Japanese samurai sword and its nigh-mystical aspects. The sword was an indispensable weapon of the samurai warrior, even when guns began to steadily come into use during the 16th century. A sword was a mark of samurais status and honor. They were heirlooms to be passed down generation after generation. Swords of exceptional make were often given as gifts of great honor. Yabusame depicted on a folding screen And yet in the early history of the samurai, it was the bow, not the sword, that was praised. Early samurai warriors referred to their profession as the  Way of the Horse and Bow. Stories about a heros prowess with the bow abound in the folklore and military legends of this time period. Enemies both mortal and monstrous were...