Japanese Archery for Killing or for Religion? #martialarts #budo

The ancient martial art of archery in Japan called Kyudo was an important weapon for the Samurai. However the bow has always been held as a sacred symbol in Japan, and often used in Shinto purification rituals. The Ogasawara school of Kyudo, founded the principles of ritual (religious) archery and etiquette going back to ancient times, where it developed as an art form and not just for killing. In this video, we are at one of the oldest and most famous Shinto shrines in Japan, Shimogamo shrine in Kyoto. To witness Kyudo Shinto shooting. Shakuhachi music by our friend Baptiste Tavernier (the Silence Architect). Care to leave a comment - we love to hear from you. You can see full length movies at