Yumi

[mystic_kendoka]

i'm looking to buy a yumi and basic kyudo set from an online budo shop...
anybody know a site that sells it for a fair price and ships to europe cheaply?

[don quixote]

http://tozando.com/eng/kyudo/y10.html is the only place I can think of right now... probably good enough for a beginner anyway, but you shouldn't need your own bow if you are just starting.
There are probably several other sites, I don't know how Tonzando compares pricewise... hope someone else knows more!

[nysamurai]

A view from New York -

As suggested earlier by "Don Quixote", you should not have to purchase equipment right away. And because this is a rather expensive art to be involved in, I would strongly suggest that you don't rush to buy equipment. Most Kyudo dojo's will have "dojo equipment" which you can use during class.

Secondly, your requests for "fair prices" and "cheap shipping to Europe" are all relative, of course. I have yet to discover inexpensive Kyudo equipment ANYWHERE. Even the more recent developments in composite and carbon-fiber yumi will still cost you several hundred US dollars, and can range upwards of several thousand dollars for hand made bamboo yumi crafted in Japan.

Along with Tozando, who is an excellent resource, you may also wish to contact Asahi, a well know manufacturer of Kyudo equipment. Additionally, if you are a member of a club, ask your sensei for help and direction. lastly, I would direct you to the Zenko Internatioanl web-site which can provide you with lots of information as well as links to suppliers, dojo locations, etc., etc.

Good luck.

[mystic_kendoka]

there are only 3 dojos in my country and all of them are too far..

so actually im not doing kyudo as such, i'll just be shooting japanese arrows with a japanese bow...

first i thought of european archery which would be easy to find classes for.. but the japanese yumi looks 500000000 times better...

[nysamurai]

Ahhhhhh. I understand. Access to qualified kyudo instructors is difficult, even here in the U.S., though we have greater access. But even here in NY, dojo and qualified instructors are not exactly falling off of trees!

However, be aware that with your problem of lack of qualified instruction, this may be even stronger reason not to purchase equipment. Mis-used or abused equipment, no matter how unintentional it may be, can be very expensive, AND very dangerous.

Try www.kyudo.com and Oko Kyudokai (a Eurpoean connection to Zenko) for more help. Good luck to you.

[litige]

there are only 3 dojos in my country and all of them are too far..

so actually im not doing kyudo as such, i'll just be shooting japanese arrows with a japanese bow...

first i thought of european archery which would be easy to find classes for.. but the japanese yumi looks 500000000 times better...

Try making your own bow. Maybe not a yumi, but a one piece bow. There's a lots of website on how to do it. It's maybe not as beautiful as a yumi, but it's gonna be your very own bow you builded with your very own hands... Plus you can make it really strong so you could go hunt with it. After a while and some bows, maybe you'll be able to do a Yumi. You are still pretty young, If you start now, you'll be very good after a while. Great hobby to get involed in.

[litige]

http://www.kyudo.com/asahiam-yumi.html

http://www.kyudo.com/akr.html

[mystic_kendoka]

do you know any of these websites that teach how to make a bow?

[nodachi]

I wouldn't get the bow to just fire it for the hell of it. The reason why I say this is because you hold a Japanese bow and use it differently. For example, you fire a Japanese bow with the arrow on the outside of the bow, where as a "normal" bow (for lack of a better word) has the arrow on the inside (side closer to your body). You draw the "normal" short bow straight back. You have to lift a JApanese bow up and then pull your arms apart as you bring the bow back down. There are other differences like these examples that will either result in you hurting yourself/someone else or even breaking the bow you spend so much money on and then have to repair it. Get instruction before you randomly use it or it will cost you (physically and monetarily).

[Serenity]

there are only 3 dojos in my country and all of them are too far...so actually im not doing kyudo as such, i'll just be shooting japanese arrows with a japanese bow...
first i thought of european archery which would be easy to find classes for..

I thought your mum has forbidden you to take up kyudo? Be lucky about those 3 dojo´s!! I think kyudo is very interesting, I would like to try it, but the nearest dojo is 600 km away in another country?!

I did the European archery a few times and it’s fabulous , so kyudo must be 1000 times better.

Kyudo equipment is quite expensive and there is much space needed to practise (do you have enough space?) Archery is a dangerous sport, please be sure to be very carefully…

Serenity

P.S. I wish I take up kyudo.