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Kilkenny Japanese archers explore Japan

In May 2023 six members of Dragons Lair Martial Arts from Kilkenny, Carlow and Tipperary were recently in Japan for a thrilling and eye-opening tour that included meeting highly talented martial practitioners and visiting sites such as Himeji Castle and Sekigahara which played an important part in Japanese history.

They explored shrines and temples that are significant such as Sanjusangendo in Kyoto, where an archery competition called Toshiya has been taking place for over 400 years and the grave of the 47 Ronin in Sengakuji in Tokyo.

As part of their tour they were able to observe Kusajishi-shiki, which involves archers shooting at a deer shaped target during an event in Asakusa in Tokyo.

As well as that they were granted VIP status to sit in the front row of a traditional Japanese horseback archery ceremony called Yabusame. This highly specialised art is part of a Shinto ritual that involves riding a racehorse over a 250 metre sprint whilst shooting arrows at three wooden targets.

This was organised through the Ogasawara Ryu school in Tokyo, and after the event the group had the further honour of being invited to visit the school which can trace its lineage back over 850 years to the first Shogun. The Ogasawara family served as instructors in the arts of Reihō (courtesy, etiquette and protocol), archery and mounted archery.

The Irish contingent were shown a whole array of techniques and elements of etiquette that remain unchanged for centuries by sensei Kiyomoto Ogasawara who will be the 32nd Grand Master of the Ogasawara ryu.

Later in the trip they travelled out of the sprawling city of Tokyo to the valleys amongst the fabulous green hills of the town of Nikko, famous for its temples which are a World Heritage site. There they were able to actually try out riding on horseback and shoot arrows on the very horses that they had seen thundering past a couple of days before.

Larry McEnroe, the founder of the Dragons Lair Martial Arts based in the Hebron Estate in Kilkenny said “This was truly a unique and thoroughly enlightening trip. To be able to spend time with such a well-respected figure as Sensei Kiyomoto Ogasawara and to be taught at his school was a once in a lifetime experience. It was very special to be allowed to visit and learn from such an ancient school”.

The Dragons Lair school in Kilkenny teaches Kyujutsu Japanese archery every week on a Monday (8-9.30pm) and Friday evening (7-8.30pm) and classes are open to new students at all times.