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Kanazawa is deeply rooted in the rich culture of the samurai, collectively known as Budo. Among the various forms of Budo, Kyudo (archery) is considered the essence. The annual event "Sanjusangendo Tsuya" in Kyoto, where young archers with exceptional skills from across the country and seasoned practitioners gather, is said to have originated from the archery competitions of samurai during the Edo period. At that time, many samurai from the Kaga domain participated in the competitions, carrying the honor of their domain, but only one samurai named Yoshida Daikuro Shige managed to win the title of the best in the world six times in the early Edo period, which brought fame to Kaga's Kyudo nationwide. Near the original Ishikawa Prefectural Office, a Kyudo dojo modeled after the Sanjusangendo of the Edo period was established, named "Dohgata Shiiki" in its honor.
Generally, beginners in Kyudo must undergo several months of training before they can actually draw the bow. However, in the 90-minute Kyudo experience course at the Ishikawa Prefectural Budokan, participants can safely experience the entire process from basic posture and holding the bow to aiming at the target and shooting, guided by members of the Ishikawa Prefectural Kyudo Federation. The shooting distance is 28 meters to a target with a diameter of 36 centimeters, although larger targets with a diameter of over 100 centimeters can be provided based on the participants' needs.
Dressed in Kyudo attire and equipped with various tools, beginners also have the opportunity to hit the target under careful guidance. However, it is important to remember that Kyudo is a path of character formation. In Kyudo, where the target is an unmoving object rather than a person, the ability to perfectly draw the bow and shoot depends entirely on oneself. The world-renowned Buddhist scholar Daisetsu Suzuki referred to one of the eight stages of shooting, the basic posture "Dozo," as "standing Zen," highlighting the deep similarities between the spirit of Kyudo and Zen. Additionally, the newly completed Kenrokuen Kyudojo in March 2023 also offers this Kyudo experience.
