November 7, 2025: Kyudo Shopping List
Here is a list of items that you may want to consider getting on your trip to Japan. The classification of usefulness is based on my experience, so I encourage you to try out everything and see what you feel is useful or not. While there are links that lead to product information for each item, they are just for reference and we are in no way affiliated with these shops.
Essential Items
The following are items that every practitioner should have and cannot be replaced or their replacements cannot be easily acquired.
1. Deer Skin Solid Color Nigiri Kawa (Grip Leather)
My recommendation for beginners is to get the ones that have a rougher texture as this will give you more control over your tenouchi. The ibushi (smoked) ones are in my opinion probably the best in terms of texture and durability, but makes your hand smell like smoked bacon for the first couple of weeks and they are a lot more expensive. See the last section for other types of nigiri-kawas that you can get.
2. Ishizuki (Yumi Cover Sock for Yumi Bag or Yumi-Maki)
This is the sock for your outer yumi bag if you are using a yumi-maki or a yumi-bag. It protects the bottom of your chosen cover from damage.
3. Tsuru-maki
Required to store your extra strings. Formal events like the shinsa (rank exam) and the taikais (tournaments) require an extra string in case your string breaks. The ones with a larger diameter is recommended because it is easier to keep the string straight and without bends.
4. Tsurus (Bow Strings)
Make sure you get the right length and thickness. The two important dimensions are the length (e.g. nami-sun, ni-sun, etc.) and strength of your bow. My personal recommendation is the Hibiki Gold for its strength and smooth surface texture that makes it easier to make a clean naka-jikake (serving). When it breaks, the material inside becomes very good serving material as well. That being said, purchase a couple and see what you like.
5. Extra Yajiris (Arrow Tips)
Kinteki (28 meters), Enteki (60 meters), Makiwara (Super Close Range)
The 3 important dimensions to know when getting extra arrow tips are the purpose of the arrow (kinteki, enteki, makiwara), arrow shaft size (e.g. 1913, 2015), and material of the arrow tips. The shape of the arrow tip will be different according to the purpose of the arrow. The shaft size is important because you will not be able to put the tip on. As for the materials, you usually have a choice between 3: iron, stainless steel, and chrome. The difference between the three apart from aesthetics, is the weight. Different weight tips will have different effects on the flight of arrows, so grab a couple of different types and experiment!
6. Extra Hazus (Nocks)
Straight Hazu, Fukumi (Keyhole) Hazu
Make sure to get the correct type (straight vs keyhole) and the correct arrow diameter. Even though at Seichu we order everyone’s arrows with the keyhole hazu, the standard is the straight hazu. The keyhole hazus are great because they “lock” the arrow in place on the string, preventing you from dropping the arrow before release.
7. Kyudo Kyohon
There is an English one. This is required for answering the questions that appear in the written exam portion of the shinsa. Note that only Volume 1 is translated.
Good to Have
The following are items that are good to have, but are not necessary or if their alternatives can be easily acquired.
Apply on the tsuru-michi area of your kake to protect the kake against the string. Kakes already come with this on the tsurumichi but you may want to apply more on the surrounding area for extra protection. A soldering iron with a flat head is useful for application.
2. Tekichu Jyougi (Hitting Ruler)
Helps with making the nock point on the string consistent. I recommend the stainless steel one. I do not recommend the blue plastic one because the markings fade easily and it is brittle.
3. Kake Finger Tree (like shoe tree)
Helps keep the shape of the index and middle fingers of your glove in storage. You may need to get a second pair if you have a yotsu-gake.
4. Kake Body Tree (like shoe tree)
Helps keep the shape of the body of the kake in storage.
Useful for quickly testing different grip sizes. Grab a couple and test them out whenever you replace your grip. Make sure to choose the spacers that have the correct contour for the side that will be glued to the bow. For example if you have a glass fiber / carbon fiber bow (e.g. Jikishin, Higosozan), you will want the flat ones. The round ones are for bamboo bows and Kokushin. In my experience, the round spacers will work with flat sided bows, but the flat spacers will not work well with the round sided bows.
You will put this on as a third layer for the yumi bags when it is raining. Very useful in areas where it rains a lot - like Seattle!
7. Yumi Bands
Holds the yazutsu (arrow case) and the bow together in a nice way.
8. Kake bags
Wooden boxes are the best for protection against both shock and moisture, but the bags are great if you want a smaller form factor. Just make sure to take the kake out to dry after practice.
9. Tou (Ratan)
This is the material used that is wrapped around the bow.
There is a combination of 2-3 of these plastic boxes that fit together perfectly for your own Kyudo kit. Might be worth going to a Daiso or similar store in Japan and playing around with a good configuration.
11. Kusune for the Tsuru (Bow String)
This is required for strings that use natural materials to keep up the durability, but not required at all for synthetic strings. It may even be detrimental as it can thin out the outer coating that synthetic strings use.
12. Yumi Bag / Yumi Maki
Kyudo shops offer a variety of different yumi bags / yumi makis. They come in different colors and patterns and are a great way to show off personality. Grab a yumi bag if you like the tie at the top. Get a yumi maki if you like showing off the shape of the bow. Note that neither are water proof, so you will need to get a plastic outer bag to carry the bow in the rain.
May not be Worth Your Money
These are some items that may not be worth you money, especially because the replacements work just as well and they are far more cost efficient.
1. Kyudo Tool Set
Example: Koyama Kyudo Shop
Different shops will have different tool sets. Get it if you want the case and not for the contents. If you don’t want the case, then don’t get it because the tools inside are cheaper if you get them separately and you will end up replacing most of it anyways.
While these look cool, you can also replace with cheaper plastic shoe horns.
3. Patterned, bumpy, cow leather nigiri kawas
From a practical perspective I do not recommend the patterned ones because they smooth out too fast, the bumpy ones because the bumps will fall off anyways, and the cow leather ones because hand sweat makes them slippery. That being said, it is a good idea to test them all out and see what works best for you.
Easy to use but doesn’t protect against rain at all, especially after a couple of months. They will crack on the plastic side parts and easily let moisture in.
You can get 3 of these for 100 yen at your local daiso.
Used for finishing touches on the grip and for putting kusune on the kake. I don’t find it particularly useful for the former. For the latter use case, a soldering iron works better because you don’t have to heat it up with a lighter first.