Zen Arrow

Musings from the only Non-white American Studying Kyudo in Osaka, Japan. Currently on the path from San-dan to Yo-dan. This blog covers parts and misc thoughts and pictures. The full stories are on the main blog: http://zensekaijapan.wordpress.com

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Bamboo: The Breath, the Arrow v3

Bamboo: The Breath, the Arrow

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Mu and the Arrow

Mu and the Arrow

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The Path to Go-Dan v2

The Path to Go-Dan

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All Japan Kyudo Taikai（日本語：第77回 全日本弓道大会）v2

All Japan Kyudo Taikai（日本語：第77回 全日本弓道大会

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OsakaJo TaiKai: lesson

OsakaJo TaiKai: Day Trip’n

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Sakura RaeKai v.2

Sakura RaeKai

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Return to sender v2

Return to sender

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Small things v.2

䷽ Hexagram 62 — Hsiao Kuo / Preponderance of the Small Thunder above the Mountain: the small surpasses; diligence in ordinary things.  ********* Small Things… April 6, 2026   When I first started at Kishiwada Kyudo, I was taught by the dojo head, Watashi Sensei. He worked with me for about a year before I changed my schedule and began floating from class to class, different times,…

Small things v.2

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How I Got Here - Yugamae

How I Got Here - Yugamae

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How I Got Here - Dozukuri

How I Got Here - Dozukuri

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The path continues

The path continues…

It was a cold day. It had been so for the last few days. My plan was to just deal with it an go to the dojo. I had not any real shooting time since before the New Year. I had a few days in at the home base Makiwara. Things felt more common more comfortable. I guess I am getting used to pushing some part like my shoulder to the extreme, down or/and back, something. Yamashita…

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弓道 - Shots in the dawn...

弓道 – Shots in the dawn…

Tues …was Kimono day practice. It was COLD COLD. It could have been worse at the Shrine dojo, besides not being open. So glad that worked out this way. So this day Ishibashi Sensi was going to run the class no one else was there. I thought at first there was not going to be a session that day. When I arrived it was almost just me, and the others who came in later did not have on Kimono. Shacho…

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弓道 - Bam, Yeah Baby yeah, Holla!!

弓道 – Bam, Yeah Baby yeah, Holla!!

Tues was Kimono day again. It was cold, I was close to not going, but discipline kicked in and I got off my rusty dusty bum and bundled up and got ready to go. I found out as I was packing I had still left my Juban in the washer so it was not dry. Grrr bummer. Ok, I made sure I had everything else and just packed my gi in the bag and took off. The good thing about that was I could really dress…

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弓道 – The continuing long and winding road…

Long and winding road.   Before my eye surgery. I was starting to feel like I was making serious progress.

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弓道 - Sometimes you are the bird...

弓道 – Sometimes you are the bird…

…sometimes you are the statue!

There was a large Kyudo Tai Kai (tournament) this past weekend. There were several dojo attending. It was cold, brrr. I had been out the day before doing Komuso stuff in Nara. I played it smart and after much of the day spent walking, I took a hot bath and went to bed fairly early. I needed to be at the Kyudojo by 8:30 am. This meant getting up at 5:00 am. Zazen,…

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Progress in small steps

Progress in small steps

Even small steps forward, is still progress, it is not the size of the step, it is the direction. I am starting to feel like I am making some progress on several endeavors. Since I just came in from Kyudo practice I will start with that. There was a Rei Kai today. It took me a while to figure out it is Rei Kai, not Dae Kai, not that it really matters, it is just a label. The event is important,…

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弓道 – An arrow in flight

  I went to RaeKai today. A few days ago I went into practice. I had hope to just practice.