Talk:Yumi

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[edit] Old Info

A collection of information that can be added to the article. Everything here needs a lot of work, so I will leave the actual incorporation to others.

Bow lengths:

Height of Archer	Arrow Length	Suggested Bow Length
< 150 cm	< 85 cm	Sansun-tsumari (212 cm)
150 - 165 cm	85 - 90 cm	Namisun (221 cm)
165 - 180 cm	90 - 100 cm	Nisun-nobi (227 cm)
180 - 195 cm	100 - 105 cm	Yonsun-nobi (233 cm)
195-205 cm	105 - 110 cm	Rokusun-nobi (239 cm)
> 205 cm	> 110 cm	Hassun-nobi (245 cm)

Three types of yumi in common usage: bamboo (take-yumi), lacquered bamboo (urushi, shigeto), and synthetic (from fiberglass or carbon).

as far as I know there are no all carbon bows. This means that carbon is used to strengthen either a bamboo or a fiberglass bow Simohell 22:30, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

Urushi-yumi are generally only used for ceremonial purposes. Shigeto-yumi (which are urushi-yumi wound with strips of wood) are only used by the highest level of archers (headmasters of the large schools).

Yumi come in different pull-strengths. Beginners usually start with 10-12 kg yumi. Women generally use 16-18 kg yumi; men generally use 18-20 kg. Anything above 20 kg is considered rather strong; anything below 16 kg, weak. Take-yumi lose some pull-strength over time.

the usual weight of the bow can be slightly different for different schools (ryu) Simohell 22:30, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

Yumi history:

Time Period	Type of Bow	Bow Formation
Prehistoric	Maruki	Single piece of wood
c.800-900 AD	Fusetake	Wood with bamboo front
c.1100 AD	Sanmaeuchi	Wood with bamboo front and back
c.1300-1400	Shihodake	Wood surrounded with bamboo
c.1550	Sanbonhigo	Three-piece bamboo laminate core, wooden sides, bamboo front and back
c.1600	Yohonhigo	Four-piece bamboo laminate core, wooden sides, bamboo front and back
c.1650-Modern times	Gohonhigo	Five-piece bamboo (or bamboo and wood) laminate core, wooden sides, bamboo front and back

There are many, many parts to the bow (indeed every joint in the bamboo has its own name)--shall I (or someone else) construct an image that lists these parts?

Common superstition: A yumi should never be placed against a tree lest its (the yumi's) energy be drained.

Touching another's yumi without permission has been covered, but a small clarification: when you do have permission, you should still never touch the grip of the bow.

As for carrying the bow upright, there are plenty of times when holding it horizontal is okay. When strung, for example, it can be carried long distances by letting the string rest between your fingers and thumb, balancing the yumi on the horizontal plane.

In normal shooting form (taihai) the bow is carried with the tip tilted downwards while walking... not to leave the bow standing upside down appears to be important for bamboo to maintain its shape. Also it appers to a symbol of respect. Simohell 22:30, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

...where are your sources for all this information? --J.B. 14:10, September 8, 2005 (UTC)

The tabulated data comes from "Kyudo" by Onuma Hideharu, and Dan and Jackie DeProspero. The rest is personal experience from being a student of Mr. DeProspero.

[edit] Shape

The asymmetry was supposedly present in the Japanese longbow before the horse was ridden in japan. I have no sources to cite except Feliks Hoff "Kyudo -the way of the bow" (chapter 3), reports on the web and my kyudo-instructor's word. (The horse was presumably used for riding from about 6th century, whereas the earliest known depiction of a Japanese asymmetrical yumi is on a bronze plate from the 3rd century...) This information needs to be confirmed before inclusion in the main article, but if correct punctures a hole in the theory that the shape is due to horseback riding. 84.48.188.2 (talk) 11:44, 29 February 2008 (UTC)