Glossary
A standalone, comprehensive encyclopedia of Kyudo terminology.
ateru
(中てる)
–
a hit after incorrect shooting form, a meaningless hit
bōshikazari
(帽子飾)
–
decorative stitching along the seam between koshi and bōshi on a kake, also called ichimonjikazari
bushakei
(武射系)
–
the ’traditional’ form of shooting, using nisoku ashibumi and holding ya at the yajiri in toriyumi no shisei (cf. reishakei)
dōhai
(同輩)
–
a person who has trained for the same amount of time/has the same rank as oneself (cf. kōhai, sempai)
dōjō
(道場)
–
training hall
enbu
(演武)
–
demonstration
fukuro
(袋)
–
bag/pouch
furoshiki
(風呂敷)
–
cloth for wrapping and storage
fushi
(節)
–
node on a bamboo stalk
gassaibukuro
(合切袋)
–
bag for training equipment
gasshuku
(合宿)
–
training camp
gensoku no maai
(原則の間合い)
–
the slowest timing in a mochimato sharei, also called tsurube (cf. monomigaeshi no maai and torikake no maai)
gobu no tsume
(五部の詰)
–
making the five points firm in the correct way - left hand, left shoulder, chest, right shoulder, right hand
godō
(五胴)
–
the five postures, also called goshin - (see chūdō, soridō, fushidō/kagamudō, kakarudō/totsudō, hikidō/nokidō)
gōshurei
(合手礼)
–
deepest zarei, where the palms are placed on the floor and fingertips and thumbs meet in a triangle in front of the knees (cf. sesshurei, shikenrei, sōshurei, takushurei)
hachibu no tsume
(八部の詰)
–
making the eight points firm in the correct way - gobu no tsume plus the feet, lower back, and tanden
hajime
(始め)
–
command to start
hakama
(袴)
–
wide trousers
hanakabushi
(羽中節)
–
the node on a takeya shaft located in the middle of the feathers, the fourth node from the yajiri
hanatsu
(放つ)
–
intentional, unnatural release
hane
(羽)
–
feather
hansoku
(半足)
–
a half footstep
haragawa
(腹皮)
–
the (white) leather piece on the inside of the thumb on a kake (called tsutsumigawa in Kyōhon)
haraubanare
(払う離れ)
–
hanare that looks as if one is trying to brush something away in front of oneself
hari
(張り)
–
tension
hassetsu
(八節)
–
the eight steps of the shooting ritual
hazu
(筈)
–
nock
heijōshin
(平常心)
–
a calm, steady mind
hikagami
(ひかがみ)
–
the back of the knee
hikuyazuka
(引く矢束)
–
drawing too far
hirakiashi
(開き足)
–
turning while kneeling
hitote
(一手)
–
a pair of arrows
ikiai
(息合い)
–
way of breathing
issha zetsumei
(一射絶命)
–
kyudo expression - ‘one shot and then death’; shoot each arrow as if it were your last
jundachi
(順立)
–
group shooting, in order from no. 1, one arrow at a time
kake/yugake
(弽)
–
shooting glove
kamikiritsumedō
(上切詰籐)
–
rattan wrapping at the upper end of a takeyumi that holds the todake, uchidake and uwasekiita together
kashinjōtai
(下進上退)
–
a principle of moving - when moving forward, start with the foot closest to the shimoza; when moving backwards, start with the foot closest to the kamiza (cf. sashinutai)
kazugeiko
(数稽古)
–
practice by repetition
keiko
(稽古)
–
practice
ki
(気)
–
mental energy
kihondōsa
(基本動作)
–
the eight basic movements
kihonshisei
(基本姿勢)
–
the four basic postures
kihontai
(基本体)
–
the four basic postures and eight basic movements
kiryoku
(気力)
–
willpower
kiza
(跪坐)
–
kneeling on knees and toes
kokō
(虎口)
–
the skin between the thumb and forefinger on the left hand
koshi
(腰)
–
the piece of leather that covers the outside of the root of the thumb on the kake, also called ni no koshi
kufūgeiko
(工夫稽古)
–
mental practice
kyōgi
(競技)
–
competition
kyōgi no maai
(競技の間合い)
–
competition timing
maai
(間合い)
–
correct timing and distance
makiwara
(巻藁)
–
straw bale for shooting practice
mangetsu no nerai
(満月の狙い)
–
aiming by seeing the whole mato to the left of the yazuridō, also called mochizuki no nerai
mato
(的)
–
target
matogami
(的紙)
–
target face
matowaku
(的枠)
–
target frame
medōri
(目通り)
–
eye level
meibo
(名簿)
–
list with names stating the shooting order
mitorigeiko
(見取り稽古)
–
learning by watching
monomigaeshi no maai
(物見返しの間合い)
–
the middle timing in a mochimato sharei (cf. gensoku no maai and torikake no maai)
motohagi
(本矧)
–
the binding of the fletching on a ya on the side closest to the yajiri, also called shitahagi
mukō
(無効)
–
an invalid arrow during competition
muneate
(胸当て)
–
chest protector for women
myakudokoro
(脈所)
–
the point on the wrist where you can feel the pulse
nakajikake
(中仕掛け)
–
nocking point on the tsuru, also used of the hemp fibers used to build this point
nakaoshi
(中押し)
–
correct tenouchi, pushing with a straight wrist through the thumb and middle finger (cf. betaoshi, shitaoshi)
nisun/nisunnobi
(二寸 / 二寸伸)
–
a yumi that is 2 sun (6cm) longer than a standard yumi, also called nobisun
no
(箆)
–
arrow shaft
obi
(帯)
–
belt
oshidegake
(押手弽)
–
protector for the left hand
rei
(礼)
–
deep bow; etiquette
reishakei
(礼射系)
–
the “modern” form of shooting, using issoku ashibumi and holding the ya by the shaft 10cm from the yajiri in toriyumi no shisei (cf. bushakei)
rissha
(立射)
–
shooting in standing form
saiten-sei
(採点制)
–
competition where points are awarded according to style (cf. tekichū-sei and tokuten-sei)
sashinutai
(左進右退)
–
a principle of moving - when moving forward, always start with the left foot; when moving backwards, always start with the right foot (cf. kashinjōtai)
sayukintō
(左右均等)
–
the left and right sides are equal
seiki
(精気)
–
spiritual energy
seishahitchū
(正射必中)
–
kyudo saying - “correct shooting makes for true hitting”
seiza
(正坐)
–
sitting on the knees
seki-ita/sekitomeita
(関板 / 関止め板)
–
pieces of wood on the inside of a yumi at either end that protects the yumi from wear from the tsuru
sensei
(先生)
–
teacher, instructor
sesshurei
(折手礼)
–
a slightly deeper zarei, where the palms touch the floor and the fingertips start pointing inward, in line with the knees (cf. gōshurei, shikenrei, sōshurei, takushurei)
setta
(雪駄)
–
sandals
shaheki
(射癖)
–
bad habit in your shooting
shahin
(射品)
–
shooting with elegance and refinement
shahō
(射法)
–
the principles of shooting
shajutsu
(射術)
–
the shooting technique
shakei
(射型)
–
the shooting form
shamen uchiokoshi
(斜面打起し)
–
a “classical” form of shooting, with a slanting yugamae and oblique uchiokoshi (cf. shōmen uchiokoshi)
shibe no hanare
(四部の離れ)
–
ideal hanare where the four points - left and right hand and left and right shoulder - separate all at the same time
shikenrei
(指建礼)
–
a shallow zarei, where only the fingertips touch the floor (cf. gōshurei, sesshurei, sōshurei, takushurei)
shimpan
(審判)
–
judge/referee at examinations/competitions
shin zen bi
(真善美)
–
truth, goodness, beauty - the basic tenet of kyudo
shinsa
(審査)
–
examination
shinsa no maai
(審査の間合い)
–
examination timing
shitakirizumedō
(下切詰籐)
–
rattan wrapping at the lower end of a takeyumi that holds the todake, uchidake and uwasekiita together
shitaoshi
(下押し)
–
incorrect tenouchi, with a bent wrist with the fist pushing upwards from below (cf. betaoshi, nakaoshi)
shitsu
(失)
–
an error during shooting, most often dropping the ya or yumi, or breaking the tsuru during the hassetsu
shizentai
(自然体)
–
natural body position
shōkon
(掌根)
–
the base of the palm
shōmen
(正面)
–
front
shōmen uchiokoshi
(正面打起し)
–
a “modern” form of shooting, with a centred yugamae and vertical uchiokoshi (cf. shamen uchiokoshi)
sokushin
(足心)
–
a feeling of stability in the body
sonkyo
(蹲踞)
–
squatting position on the toes, without the knees touching the floor
sōshurei
(双手礼)
–
the next to deepest zarei, where the palms touch the floor and the fingertips almost meet in front of the knees, also called fukairei (cf. gōshurei, sesshurei, shikenrei, takushurei)
suki ga nai
(隙がない)
–
posture and movements where nothing is wasted
sumashi
(澄し)
–
clearing wordly thoughts and calming the mind
tabi
(足袋)
–
Japanese toed socks
tachi
(立ち)
–
shooting in a group, usually five persons
tachifuda
(立札)
–
shooting place marker
taguri
(手繰)
–
overdrawing the bow, so that the right wrist becomes too bent
taikai
(大会)
–
grand meeting
taikei
(体型)
–
one’s physique
take
(竹)
–
bamboo
takeya
(竹矢)
–
bamboo arrow
takeyumi
(竹弓)
–
bamboo bow
takushurei
(拓手礼)
–
a medium-deep zarei, where the palms touch the floor with the hands slightly in front of the knees (cf. gōshurei, sesshurei, shikenrei, sōshurei)
tanden
(丹田)
–
centre of the body, just below the navel
tatesen
(縦線)
–
the vertical line through the center of the body
tateyokojūmonji
(縦横十文字)
–
the relationship of the vertical and horizontal lines formed by the spine, neck and shoulders
tekichū-sei
(的中制)
–
competition where a hit gives one point, regardless of where in the target (cf. tokuten-sei and saiten-sei)
tekichūjōgi
(的中定規)
–
string ruler
tenmonsuji
(天文筋)
–
the line formed in the palm when folding the knuckles
tokuten-sei
(得点制)
–
scoring system sometimes used at enteki competitions, where a hit closer to the centre of the target gives more points (cf. tekichū-sei and saiten-sei)
torikake no maai
(取懸けの間合い)
–
the fastest timing in a mochimato sharei (cf. gensoku no maai and monomigaeshi no maai)
tsumasoroe
(爪揃え)
–
lining up the tips of the middle, ring, and little fingers on the left hand in tenouchi
tsunomi
(角見)
–
the base of the thumb
tsuru
(弦)
–
string
tsurumakura
(弦枕)
–
a built-up area on the thumb of the kake that creates a groove for the tsuru (see tsurumizo)
tsurumizo
(弦溝)
–
the groove for the tsuru on the thumb of the kake that is formed by the tsurumakura
ya
(矢)
–
arrow
yabusame
(流鏑馬)
–
a form of horseback archery
yakobore
(矢零れ)
–
a nocked ya that comes loose from the tsuru before hanare, and falls down; also called hazukobore
yamakura ochiru
(矢枕落ちる)
–
the ya falls off the thumb joint on the yunde during the draw, but is still attached to the tsuru
yame
(止め)
–
command to stop
yami no nerai
(闇の狙い)
–
aiming by covering the whole mato with the yazuridō, also called kurai no nerai or ariake no nerai
yazuka
(矢束)
–
one’s draw length
yazuribushi
(矢摺節)
–
the joint that lies underneath the yazuridō, just at the tōgashira, on the uchidake side of a takeyumi
yazutsu
(矢筒)
–
quiver
yokosen
(横線)
–
horizontal line through the shoulders
yū
(揖)
–
shallow bow
yumi
(弓)
–
bow
zasha
(坐射)
–
shooting in sitting form
zōri
(草履)
–
sandals