Yabusame! Japan’s Samurai Mounted Archers Compete for the Crown

Step back into the 12th century Japan and watch samurai mounted archers compete at a sacred Shinto tournament. Their uniforms, saddles, and targets haven't changed in eleven hundred years.

The goal – to shoot three targets (each only 8” wide) from the back of a horse at full gallop. Traditional Japanese archery is extremely difficult. Balancing on the back of a galloping horse requires superb balance. Doing both at once is almost impossible. And in the olden days if you missed, it could cost you your head.

Originally developed as a crucial battlefield skill, Yabusame has become an act of Shinto worship – and a celebration of ancient Japanese tradition. Complete with a 35th generation Yabsusame master, who doesn’t miss a thing.