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都城大弓の歴史
THE HISTORY OF YUMI CRAFTSMANSHIP

 都城大弓は、古くは南北朝の時代からその伝統と技術が継承され、現存する最も古い記録である「庄内地理志」は江戸時代文化・文政から天保にかけて当時の領主であった島津家が領内の様子をまとめたもので、この地域には弓の材料となる真竹や黄櫨が多かったことと、藩政時代に尚武の気性が高まり、島津家が弓の製造を奨励し、盛んになったと言われており、弓作りの職人がいたことが記述されています。

 明治時代に入ると弓の仕上げについての免許「日置流村之次第」を受けていた楠見善治が弓の材料を求めて都城地方に来住したのを契機に弓作りは更に発展し、その息子・蔵吉が多くの弟子を養成したことで弓の産地としての都城を確立しました。

Your new yumi is handed to you properly strung and with perfect curvature.

As a natural product made of bamboo and wax tree, every bow has its own distinct personality. Therefore every bow should be treated according to its preferences.

A yumi when it is sold is only finished to about fifty percent. It is never even test-shot.

When a new yumi is pulled for the first time, gendōri, harigao (yuminari), kyuha and urasori are subject to change. This is a natural occurrence, not faulty behavior. The remaining fifty percent of a yumi’s making lies in the hands of the shooter, whose usage over time matures the yumi and perfects its performance.

In the maker’s eyes, the condition in which a yumi is sold is its ideal form at that stage, but not its finished form. This should be considered when choosing a new yumi.

 

To condition the yumi for shooting practice follow these steps:

 

1 Subiki (drawing the yumi without nocking a ya)

2 Makiwara shooting

3 Gyōsha

4 Yuminari conditioning

 

The number of ya shot should be slowly increased while adjusting the yumi’s form to the shooter’s liking. To withdraw a yumi’s full potential, on top of its manufacturer’s craftsmanship, its shooter’s attention is indispensable.

Please take good care of your yumi to unfold its full potential.

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