The Way of the Bow | Sensei Oueda is very thoughtful. At 85, he has every right to take his time and think about the passion that has taken most of his life.

"I pull the bow in such a way that it really'', and he pauses, ''adheres to my body". After a while he says, "I become the bow..."

Read more here

Two Buddhist monks walk in the grounds of the Seiryu-ji Temple after meditation
A Zen monk of the Soto School beats a drum in front of the altar at the Seiryu-ji Temple in Hikone City
The shadow of a tree at the Daisen-In temple in Kyoto
A Zen monk of the Soto School rakes a sand garden as part of meditative practice at the Seiryu-ji Temple in Hikone City
A Zen monk of the Soto School performs 'gassho' (salutation) during meditation. Seiryu-ji Temple, Hikone City
A Zen monk of the Soto School cleans the meditation hall in the traditional manner at the Seiryu-ji Temple in Hikone City
Chibata Kanjuro, whose family has been making bows since the 15th century, bends the bamboo frame of a new bow in his worksho...
A Zen monk of the Soto School with a koyasaku at the Seiryu-ji Temple
Young Kyudo practitioners practice outside before a competition, Kyoto Budo Centre dojo, Kyoto
Murata Takeshi and Fujita Takehiro in traditional Kyudo costume stand at the Nashinoki Jinja Shrine, Kyoto
An elderly Kyodo practitioner draws his bow
A Kyudo practitioner steadys himself before the target, Kyoto Budo Centre dojo, Kyoto
Nakagawa sensei draws his bow outside his dojo
A target full of arrows, Kyoto dojo
Sensei Oueda draws his bow towards the target during the opening ceremony of an archery competition, Kyoto
A kyodo practitioner practices in front of a makiwara and a mirror
A Kyudo master gives some tuition to a pupil at the Kyoto Budo Centre, Kyoto
An archer in front of targets at the Kyoto dojo
Two female Kyodo practitioners at the dojo in Kyoto