Seishinkan Kyudojo Principles of Training

Ateru/Ataru

To strike or to hit. Ateru is the transitive form of the verb meaning to hit, and ataru is its intransitive form. Since it takes an object (the target) "ateru" is used in kyudo parlance to denote hitting that is a result of a conscious, deliberate act. Since ataru does not take an object, it is used to refer to a shot that hits the target naturally.

Enso

The aspect of a circle. Enso refers to the “round" feeling of calm, natural shooting. It is highly prized since it is evidence of spiritual maturity.

Fudoshin

The immovable mind that cannot be disturbed by confusion, doubt, or fear. Supreme and natural confidence and fearlessness. See Heijoshin.

Gojujumonji

The fivefold cross. The fivefold cross consists of five crosses which are formed when the bow is fully drawn. The vertical and horizontal lines of these crosses must intersect each other at right angles. The five crosses are:

1. the arrow and the bow,
2. the tenouchi (grip) and the bow,
3. the thumb of the string hand and the string,
4. the center line of the chest and the line connecting both shoulders, and
5. the arrow and the tendons of the neck.

Ha

A branch, or sub-category, of a ryu. For instance, the phrase "Heki ryu Insai-ha" refers to the Insai branch of the Heki school of archery.

Haru Ki

A "taut" spirit. This is the spirit shown by the immature archer whose attitude is always strained and unstable.

Heijoshin

Everyday, ordinary, or normal mind. This refers to the ability to be calm in all situations.

Heki Ryu

The school of archery considered to have been founded by Heki Danjo Masatsugu.

Hikiwake, Sanbun No Ni

This refers to a stage in the shooting style of the Heki Ryu Insai-ha, where the draw is momentarily halted about two thirds of the way through, at a point where the arrow is roughly at the level of the eyebrows and the drawing hand has cleared the archer's ear.

Hosha Hitchu

Literally, "Lawful shooting, certain hitting". This phrase expresses the belief that a correct shot will always hit the target. See Seisha Hitchu.

Insai-ha

The Insai branch of the Heki Ryu, founded by Yoshida Genpachiro Shigeuji, also known as Issuiken Insai.

Issha Zetsumei

Literally, "One shot, life ends." This refers to the idea that you must totally devote all of your physical, spiritual, and mental energies to each shot, as though each shot were your last.

Kanteki

To pierce the target. This refers to a shot that is powerful and accurate, the result of skillful technique.

Kihaku Kihontaikei

Fighting spirit, guts, and determination. Esprit. Basic body form. Kihontaikei is considered the essential basis for correct shooing and consists of three groups of crosses formed when the archer's posture is correct: the tateyokojumonji (horizontal and vertical cross), the sanjujumonji (the three-fold cross) and the gojujumonji (five-fold cross). See Tateyokojumonji, Sanjujumonji, and Gojujumonji.

Kyujutsu

Bow art. Kyujutsu was one of the generic terms for archery before the term kyudo came into general use.

Living Body

The body that is brought to life by the archer's correct intention and spirit. See the Kyudo Manual for a more detailed explanation.

Makiwara Hanshi

Literally, "master of the straw target." A somewhat derisive term jokingly used to refer to an archer who shoots perfectly at the makiwara, but cannot shoot well at a real target.

Makoto

Sincerity. The quality of purity, honesty, selflessness, and doing one's best in all situations.

Mete

The string hand. The term mete is used when the bow pushing hand is called the "yunde", or bow arm (hand). The string hand is also referred to as the "katte". When the term "katte" is used, the bow hand is referred to as the "oshite", or pushing arm (hand).

Mosha Guchu

Literally, "Blind shooting, accidental hitting." This refers to a shot that, although it hits the target, has not been done according to the Shaho.

Mu

Nothing or nothingness.

Muhatsu No Hatsu

The "release of no release". This refers to a spontaneous release that occurs as the natural result of the fulfillment of kai rather than as a result of a conscious decision on the part of the archer.

Munen Muso

No intention, no thought. The quality of having an undisturbed or seemingly "empty" mind. This mind is not empty in the sense that there is no mental activity at all, which would mean complete unconsciousness. Munen muso means the state of mind where worries, attachments, fears, and mundane thoughts have been purged from the mind so that the natural intuitive mind can respond unhampered as the situation requires.

Nobiai

Nobiai means harmonious stretching and expanding and, with tsumeai, is one of the essential elements of kai. It refers to the final opening, stretching, and expanding that leads up to the release of the arrow. Once tsumeai has been physically completed, the archer concentrates on fulfilling and extending tsumeai by applying the full force of the mind and spirit so that tsumeai can evolve into nobiai, where the final fulfillment of kai is achieved through mental and spiritual strength. Although tsumeai and nobiai are considered separately for purposes of explanation, they are two parts of a continuous process. See Tsumeai.

Raiki Shagi

A text from 2nd century China detailing the proper way in which shooting should be performed. It is the basis for the emphasis in kyudo on proper bearing and attitude.

Rei

Rei has a wide meaning and can mean bowing, respect, manners, propriety, decorum, etiquette, ceremony, or ritual. In kyudo, Rei is often used in a general way to refer to the proper shooting ceremonial and all of the specific actions included within it, such as the proper ways of walking, bowing, approaching and retiring from the target, and entering and leaving the shooting area.

Ryu

A school or tradition. This term applies to kyudo as well as to most traditional Japanese martial and cultural arts. The phrase "ryuha" is sometimes used interchangeably with ryu.

Sae

Clarity, or purity in the sense of absence of adulteration. Sae refers to the quality of there being nothing unnecessary in the shooting so that the intrinsic essence of the shooting is clearly displayed. Since sae cannot be achieved except through a spiritual awakening, it is one of the most highly prized qualities in kyudo.

Saeru Ki

A clear spirit that has been purged of all extraneous elements.

Sanjujumonji

The threefold cross, consisting of the three horizontal lines of the ashibumi, waist, and shoulders, intersected by the vertical line of the spine. The spine must be straight and the three horizontal lines must be perpendicular to it, parallel to each other, and on the same plane when viewed from above.

Sanmi Ittai

The three essentials as one body. This refers to the ideal unification of the mind, the body and the bow.

Seisha Hitchu

Literally, "True shooting, certain hitting." This phrase expresses the belief that a correct shot will always hit the target. See Hosha Hitchu. Seisha Hitchu is the more commonly used term.

Seishin Tanren

Spiritual forging, or the process of spiritual refinement and growth that takes place as the result of training in martial arts.

Seven Barriers

The seven barriers refer to the six emotions of happiness, anger, anxiety, surprise, sorrow and fear, together with thoughts. These seven barriers are held to be the greatest obstacles to success in kyudo.

Sha

Shooting, or a shot. Sha is used to refer to a person's shooting in the aggregate. When someone is said to have a good "sha", it means that person's shooting is good in all of its aspects. Sha therefore refers primarily to the overall quality of the shooting as opposed to the accuracy only.

Shagi

Shooting technique, sometimes also called shajutsu.

Shahin

Quality of shooting. The natural nobility, dignity, grace, and elegance displayed by a technically and spiritually mature archer.

Shaho

The Law of Shooting, also called the Principles Of Shooting. The Shaho refers to the proper fundamentals of how to shoot a bow. See Shaho Hassetsu.

Shaho Hassetsu

The Eight Stages Of The Law Of Shooting. This refers to the eight steps of the shooting procedure:

1. Ashibumi , or taking the stance,
2. Dozukuri, or setting the torso,
3. Yugamae, or bow at the ready posture,
4. Uchiokoshi, or lifting up,
5. Hikiwake, or drawing apart,
6. Kai, or holding at full draw,
7. Hanare, or the release, and
8. Zanshin, or remaining body (mind).

See the Kyudo Manual and The Essence And Practice Of Japanese Archery for a detailed explanation of the Shaho Hassetsu.

Shaho Kun

A text authored by Yoshimi Junsei, also known as Daiuemon Tsunetake, the founder of the Kishu line of the Chikurin-ha of the Heki Ryu. It explains the fundamentals of the Shaho.

Shakaku

See Shahin.

Sharei

A formal ceremonial shooting ritual.

Shin Ki Gi

"Mind Spirit Technique". Like Sanmi Ittai, this phrase expresses the ideal unity of the archer's mind, spirit and technique.

Shin Shin Kyu

"Mind Body Bow". Akin to Sanmi Ittai and Shin Ki Gi.

Shin Zen Bi

"Truth, Goodness, Beauty." The expression of truth, goodness, and beauty in both one's shooting and one's life is considered the highest goal of kyudo. See the Kyudo Manual and The Essence And Practice Of Japanese Archery for a detailed explanation of Shin Zen Bi.

Shinki No Hataraki

The working of the mind and spirit. This refers to the proper functioning of the archer's mind and spirit required for correct shooting.

Shinku Muso

The void of no thought. This refers to the void, or the serene and untroubled mental and spiritual space, that is entered when the archer achieves the state of munen muso. See Munen Muso.

Shizentai

The "natural body". In kyudo, this refers to a natural posture and way of using the body. Proper kyudo technique is based upon how the body ideally operates when it functions naturally. See the Kyudo Manual for a more detailed explanation.

Suki

A gap or opening. In kyudo, suki refers to the state of being mentally and spiritually unprepared or caught off guard.

Sumashi

A clear or settled mind that is free of idle and distracting thoughts.

Sumu Ki

A settled spirit, related to sumashi.

Tateyoko-jumonji

The vertical and horizontal cross. The vertical axis of the body, composed of the spine and legs, and the horizontal axis of the body, composed of the shoulders and arms, must be perpendicular to each other.

Tenouchi

Gripping the bow, or the position of the bow hand on the bow.

Torikake

The action of setting the drawing hand to the string.

Toshiya

An annual archery competition held at the Sanjusangen-Do in Kyoto during the Tokugawa period. The Sanjusangen-Do is a temple with a long verandah measuring about 120 meters from end to end. The archer sat at one end of the verandah and, over a twenty-four hour period, attempted to shoot as many arrows as possible over the opposite end of the verandah without hitting the overhanging roof of the temple. Victory meant great prestige for the han (fief) to which the archer belonged, and competition in the toshiya led to great advances in archery equipment and techniques. The all-time record of 8,133 successful shots out of a total of 13,053 attempted was set by Wasa Daihachiro of the Kishu han in 1686.

Toteki

Hitting the target. This refers to the lowest level of shooting expertise, where the archer, unconcerned with shooting according to the Shaho, has learned to utilize a certain set of technical tricks in order to hit the target.

Tsumeai

Tsumeai means to fill and fit. Tsumeai is one of the vital parts of kai, where you reinforce your physical posture with proper strength so that all of the physical elements of kai are firm and steady. See Nobiai.

Tsurune

The string note, or the clear, sharp, and melodic sound the string makes when it strikes the upper part of the bow when the arrow is released. A pure and clear tsurune cannot be achieved without the natural release of the arrow, so it is prized because it is evidence that the archer has reached a level of spiritual and mental maturity that is expressed in the natural execution of shooting technique.

Yagoro

Yagoro is the instant immediately before the actual release, where tsumeai and nobiai have reached their balanced fulfillment, following which the release must naturally occur.

Yunde

The bow arm (hand). The term "yunde" is used when the term "mete" is used to refer to the string hand. The yunde is also called the "oshite" or the pushing arm (hand). When the term "oshite" is used, the string hand is called the "katte".

Zaiteki

Literally, "the arrow exists in the target". This refers to the highest level of shooting expertise, where the archer's shooting is so perfect in all respects that the arrow cannot possibly miss. Since this is so, it is considered that the arrow exists in the target prior to the release.