Tochigi Prefecture
Yabusame
Kyubajutsu Reiho Ogasawara Kyojo
Observe the rules of etiquette and hone horseback archery skills
Yabusame is the art of archery and horsemanship, in which the archer shoots an arrow while running his horse. It is said that it was already being practiced as early as the Heian period (794-1184). Later, in 1187, Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate, dedicated Yabusame as a Shinto ritual at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine’s annual festival, praying for military fortune, universal peace and bountiful harvests. It is said that the Yabusame Shinto ritual spread across Japan from there.
The Ogasawara family is a lineage of the Seiwa Genji. The first headmaster was Nagakiyo Ogasawara. He was invited as a master of archery, horsemanship, and etiquette by Minamoto no Yoritomo, which was the origin of Kyubajutsu Reiho Ogasawara-ryu. After that, the Ogasawara family served as a master of the shogun family over generations. His skills and spirit have been passed down from generation to generation. As its name suggests, the school places special emphasis on etiquette, where students practice basic body movements. They place importance on movement within stillness (being ready to move at any time) with a sense of tension. Because Yabusame also requires stillness within movement (to remain calm even during violent movements on horseback), the two paradoxical fundamentals, movement within stillness and stillness within movement are considered important for Yabusame.
The Ogasawara-ryu Yabusame Experience. You can learn archery and horsemanship
Kyubajutsu Reiho Ogasawara-ryu Yabusame can be experienced in Tokyo and Tochigi Prefecture. Shogun Stables in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture is the only place where you can actually experience horseback riding. There are staff who can speak English. During the experience, you will receive guidance on archery, including how to hold a bow, how to draw a bow, how to move the body, etc., carefully according to your level of mastery along with etiquette.
Then you will go outside from the kyudo hall. Before riding a horse, you will practice using a wooden horse. We will check how you get on and off the horse, your riding posture, and a series of actions from riding on horseback to shooting an arrow.
Finally, you will experience Yabusame on horseback. You will focus on the basic posture you have learned and shoot an arrow from the horseback to a target. Ogasawara etiquette is characterized by practicality, omission, and beauty, emphasizing simplicity, rigidity, and minimal movement. Moving without bouncing to avoid unnecessary movements requires more muscle strength than you can imagine. By experiencing the beauty of this minimal movement, you will be able to deeply experience the techniques and spirit of Ogasawara-ryu Yabusame.
Come sightseeing in Nikko with lots of must-see spots
Nikko Toshogu, one of Japan’s top tourist attractions, is a few minutes’ drive from Shogun Stables. The shrine consists of 55 buildings. The gorgeous Yomeimon Gate decorated with 508 sculptures and the Shinkyusha with the carvings of three wise monkeys - See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and Speak No Evil are very famous.
There are plenty of scenic spots in this area. Akechidaira Observatory is a 3 minute cable car ride from Akechidaira. You can see a panoramic view of Lake Chuzenji, Kegon Falls flowing down from it, and Mt. Nantai.
Lake Chuzenji is also known as a scenic spot. It takes about five minutes by car from Akechidaira. Sightseeing boats sail around the lake from mid-April to November 30.
Tobu World Square, a theme park with exact replicas of famous architecture and World Heritage sites at 1/25 scale, is a unique and photogenic place. Nikko is an attractive place because there are many different sightseeing spots.
Enjoy dishes available only here! Nikko Yuba and Natural Ice Kakigori
Yuba is a thin film that forms on the surface of soy milk when it is boiled. Nikko Yuba is characterized by being made in two layers. There are many restaurants in the city where you can eat Nikko Yuba. At Nikko Takaiya, a Japanese cuisine restaurant, you can fully enjoy colorful creative cuisine of Nikko Yuba.
In addition, Fudaraku Honpo offers Yuba Musubi (rice ball wrapped in half-raw yuba). It is also popular as an accessible local gourmet.
Kakigori (shaved ice) is also famous in Nikko. Nikko is home to three of the alleged five natural ice houses in Japan. At Shogetsu Himuro, a natural ice shop established in 1984, shaved ice with fresh strawberry sauce made in Tochigi Prefecture is very popular. Shaved ice made with good quality natural ice has a light and fluffy texture.
