Even more obvious is shinto’s influ

Even more obvious is shinto’s influence on kyudo practice in general. Almost every visible aspect of modern kyudo-the ceremony, the manner of dress, and the respect shown for the bow, arrows, and shooting place-has been adapted from ancient Shinto thought and practice. This is especially apparent in the kyudojo (the shooting place) where the upper seat-the seat of honor-is also called the kamiza, or god’s seat. Traditionally, the kamiza also housed the kamidana, a small Shinto altar. And though kamidana are no longer permitted in public kyudojo because of law governing the separation of church and state, many private kyudojo still display the kamidana in recognition of the continuing bond between kyudo and Shinto.
It is zen, thought, that exerts the strongest philosophical influence on modern kyudo. Saying like “one shot, one life” and “shooting should be like flowing water “ reveal the close relationship between the teachings of zen and the practice of kyudo. Most of zen’s influence is relatively modern, however, dating back to about the seventeenth or eighteenth century, when japan as a whole was at peace and the practice of kyudo took on a definite philosophical leaning. It was during this time that the concept of bushido, the way of the warrior, reached maturity. And it is generally thought that the word kyudo ( the way of the bow) was first used in place of the word kyujutsu ( the technique of the bow) during the same period. But the original relationship between kyudo and zen did not begin here. During the kamakura period (1185-1333), the samurai adopted zen as their preferred method of moral training. Zen’s lack of hard doctrine, coupled with ascetic tendencies and emphasis on intuitive thinking, made it the perfect discipline for the Japanese warrior. It provided the samurai with the mental and moral support necessary to perform his duties, without passing judgment on him or his profession. Kyudo has changed dramatically since the days of the samurai, but the same aspects of zen that once prepared the warrior archer for battle now enable modern practitioners of kyudo to better understand themselves and the world around them.
Endless practice
Kyudo technique is not particulary difficult. The fundamentals of shooting are relatively easy to learn, and with a little practice, the ceremony, too, soon becomes second nature. But we do not practice kyudo merely to learn how to shoot a bow.
The saying “whether one thousand arrows or ten thousand, each one must be new” captures the essence of kyudo. It means there can be no perfect shot, so we must never be satisfied when we have shot successfully. We must always strive to do better. In general, people fear change. They prefer to repeat their successes rather than risk failure. But in kyudo we are never disappointed by failure. Instead, we see it for what it really is : a learning experience that provides an opportunity for growth.
It is easy to understand the importance of not giving into failure, but the idea of never allowing oneself to stop and savor success might seem foreign to some. It is this last concept, however, that separates kyudo from other forms of archery, where perfection is usually measured in terms of technical proficiency. A basic tenet of kyudo is that any shot, even one that is seemingly perfect, can be improved. Not on atechnical level, because technical skill is limited-the body, no matter how well trained, will age, and physical ability will deteriorate accordingly. But the mind, or to be more precise, the spirit, has unlimited potential for improvement. The key to developing this potential is to understand that the practice of kyudo is endless; the reward comes not from the attainment of perfection, but from its unending pursuit.