Yabusame (流鏑馬): Japanese Traditional Mounted Archery

A samurai rider gallops down a straight track, raises a bow with both hands off the reins, and hits a wooden target with a single arrow — this is Yabusame.

Yabusame Competition

A Tradition Over 1,000 Years Old

Yabusame's origins go back to ancient battlefields, where mounted archery was a core military skill. It was created as a competition for samurai to sharpen those skills — accuracy with a bow, and mastery of the horse. In competition, riders shoot three arrows in rapid succession while galloping 250 meters at full speed, with no hands on the reins.

Over time, as warfare gave way to ritual, Yabusame transformed into a Shinto ceremony — a dedicated offering to the gods — and took on distinct regional styles across Japan. Around 300 years ago, during the era of Tokugawa Yoshimune, a shogun known for his respect of martial traditions, Yabusame was revived as a formal martial art and began to be taught systematically at schools. Some of those schools still carry on Yabusame shrine rituals today.

Yabusame Today - a Ritual and a Sport

The ritual form is a Shinto ceremony performed at shrines across Japan, most famously at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu in Kamakura and at shrines throughout the Tohoku region. It follows the traditional customs of each school and is conducted as an act of religious dedication. The atmosphere is solemn and ceremonial.

The competitive sport form, governed by the Yabusame Federation, was developed to carry the tradition forward into a new era. The rules are defined, safety is taken seriously, and participation is open to everyone regardless of age, gender, or nationality. It has gradually grown into a community built around skill, practice, and shared passion for the tradition.

Towada Aomori: Where This Tradition Runs Deep

Not every place that holds Yabusame has the same depth of connection to the tradition. The Nanbu region — stretching across Aomori and Iwate prefectures — has been one of Japan's most celebrated horse-breeding areas since the Heian period, with a long history of raising exceptional horses.

Towada City in Aomori is home to one of Japan's most recognized Yabusame events: the Sakura Yabusame, held every spring under cherry blossoms. It has received the Prime Minister's Award at the national Furusato Event Taisho, as well as recognition from the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Can You Experience It Yourself?

Yabusame as a sport is open to anyone. Riders from overseas have joined the learning camp and even competed in full Japanese costume using traditional equipment. The requirement isn't nationality — it's horsemanship. If you can canter, you have a foundation to build from.

I run small-group guided experiences in Towada for international visitors who want to go beyond watching. If that's something you're curious about, feel free to get in touch.

A Few Fun Facts Before You Go

• In competition, Yabusame requires a Japanese breed horse (or first-generation mixed of Japanese origin). There are 8 native Japanese breeds — I'll be writing more about them in my next post!

• Japanese traditional archery (Kyudo) and Yabusame archery are different — different form, different position — though both use the same yumi, the long bow that curves like a full moon when drawn. (Kyudo deserves its own expert, so I'll leave that one to someone more qualified!)

• The horseback archery camp (Oct 2026) is open for registration today. Check the link if you're interested.