Comments on: Traditional Japanese Archery: More Ladies, Part 1 http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933 Not a photo blog. A personal blog with photos. Wed, 23 May 2012 20:38:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Pavel http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45252 Pavel Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:23:47 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45252 Love the shots where the archers face is in focus. In particular the one framed by all the other archers Love the shots where the archers face is in focus. In particular the one framed by all the other archers

]]> By: Richard http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45208 Richard Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:39:42 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45208 Hi Grandma Friedl, I agree, it is nice to know where are all from and the connection. Without taking too much away from your son's blog........I am from Queensland, Australia. Married to a lovely Japaneses lady and we have a beautiful 11 year daughter. My interests - Japanese History and General knowledge and photographing un-usual things. It is nice to meet you........Richard. <span class='jfriedl'>Nice to meet you too, Richard. —Jeffrey</span> Hi Grandma Friedl,

I agree, it is nice to know where are all from and the connection. Without taking too much away from your son’s blog……..I am from Queensland, Australia. Married to a lovely Japaneses lady and we have a beautiful 11 year daughter. My interests – Japanese History and General knowledge and photographing un-usual things. It is nice to meet you……..Richard.

Nice to meet you too, Richard. —Jeffrey

]]> By: Grandma Friedl, Ohio, USA http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45204 Grandma Friedl, Ohio, USA Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:16:41 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45204 Thank you, Richard, for clarifying some of these points. This was most interesting.. Wish you had mentioned an area where you're from, though. Actually, wish everyone would. And an extra thanks to those that always do..it surely adds a fascinating aspect to your comments. Thank you, Richard, for clarifying some of these points. This was most interesting.. Wish you had mentioned an area where you’re from, though. Actually, wish everyone would. And an extra thanks to those that always do..it surely adds a fascinating aspect to your comments.

]]> By: Richard http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45203 Richard Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:56:43 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45203 Hi Jeffy, Just a bit more on the tabi socks, breast plate and feathers. Without looking closely at their footwear I would suspect they are wearing jika-tabi (地下足袋 tabi that contact the ground?). Made of heavier, tougher material and often having rubber soles, so unlike normal tabi their feet would actually have a great deal of grip. Shojiro Ishibashi, the founder of major tyre company Bridgestone Corporation, is credited with their innovation. Female archers wear a chest protector called a muneate, which is generally a piece of leather or plastic which is designed to protect the breasts from being struck by the tsuru (bowstring) during shooting. The feathers were originally sourced from Eagles or Hawks, but since these birds have become endangered archers now source their feathers from Turkeys or Swans. Interestingly feathers are sourced from alternate sides of the birds body and applied to opposite sides of the arrow (ya) to provide balance. Each ya has a gender application and the feathers are applied so that a male ya (haya) spins clockwise and the female ya (otoya) spins counter clockwise. Regards, Richard <span class='jfriedl'>Thanks for the details. The tabi are the kind the wear with sandals, so they just step out of the sandals when stepping up to the shooting platform, so I don't think they're the same thing that construction workers wear. I've never shot one of these bows, but I don't suspect that foot grip is a major component to it beyond the simple act of standing. —Jeffrey</span> Hi Jeffy,

Just a bit more on the tabi socks, breast plate and feathers.

Without looking closely at their footwear I would suspect they are wearing jika-tabi (地下足袋 tabi that contact the ground?). Made of heavier, tougher material and often having rubber soles, so unlike normal tabi their feet would actually have a great deal of grip. Shojiro Ishibashi, the founder of major tyre company Bridgestone Corporation, is credited with their innovation.

Female archers wear a chest protector called a muneate, which is generally a piece of leather or plastic which is designed to protect the breasts from being struck by the tsuru (bowstring) during shooting.

The feathers were originally sourced from Eagles or Hawks, but since these birds have become endangered archers now source their feathers from Turkeys or Swans. Interestingly feathers are sourced from alternate sides of the birds body and applied to opposite sides of the arrow (ya) to provide balance. Each ya has a gender application and the feathers are applied so that a male ya (haya) spins clockwise and the female ya (otoya) spins counter clockwise.

Regards,

Richard

Thanks for the details. The tabi are the kind the wear with sandals, so they just step out of the sandals when stepping up to the shooting platform, so I don’t think they’re the same thing that construction workers wear. I’ve never shot one of these bows, but I don’t suspect that foot grip is a major component to it beyond the simple act of standing. —Jeffrey

]]> By: GJC http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45202 GJC Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:55:53 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45202 Wonderful! The thin depth of field does a terrific job of cutting down on the clutter and conveying the determination and concentration. I particularly liked the "Well Framed" photo best of all. Wonderful! The thin depth of field does a terrific job of cutting down on the clutter and conveying the determination and concentration. I particularly liked the “Well Framed” photo best of all.

]]> By: Zachary http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45193 Zachary Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:52:26 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45193 Some of these are very good! It's a pity you can't offer them prints. <span class='jfriedl'>I can, but I don't. —Jeffrey</span> Some of these are very good! It’s a pity you can’t offer them prints.

I can, but I don’t. —Jeffrey

]]> By: Luc http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45186 Luc Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:02:56 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45186 Very nice. I like the last one (JF7_106099), the composition works well. Very nice. I like the last one (JF7_106099), the composition works well.

]]> By: Grandma Friedl, Ohio, USA http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45185 Grandma Friedl, Ohio, USA Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:00:42 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-27/1933#comment-45185 I can imagine what the first archer would think beyond "Huh!! " if she would happen to come upon that most interesting first shot. Well done, at least from my perspective, if not hers. :) I wondered about a number of things, and if you knew the answers: 1.Why do they shoot in stocking feet? Wouldn't socks make it more slippery with such a wide stance? 2. Did you ever notice any left-handed archers? 3. The feathers (fletches?) on the arrows were different...some appeared to be from hawk or turkey wings, another from a vulture, ...just very interesting. If there are any archers or fletchers reading this, maybe they could comment? 4. What is the purpose of the black breast shield? <span class='jfriedl'>They're wearing <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabi' rel="nofollow">tabi socks</a>, which go with traditional Japanese formalwear. In this art/discipline, the shooting platform is apparently considered "inside", and like taking your shoes off in the house, they slip out of their footwear before stepping up onto it. All archers, regardless of being left-handed or right-handed, hold the bow with the left hand and pull with the right. This leaves the body always presented the same direction. It's like shaking hands... you offer you right hand regardless. I don't know anything about the feathers, but the purpose of the chest protector should be obvious (and if not, think of the action of the bowstring along the lines of an egg slicer, and then think of trying to prevent that). —Jeffy</span> I can imagine what the first archer would think beyond “Huh!! ” if she would happen to come upon that most interesting first shot. Well done, at least from my perspective, if not hers. :)
I wondered about a number of things, and if you knew the answers:
1.Why do they shoot in stocking feet? Wouldn’t socks make it more slippery with such a wide stance?

2. Did you ever notice any left-handed archers?

3. The feathers (fletches?) on the arrows were different…some appeared to be from hawk or turkey
wings, another from a vulture, …just very interesting. If there are any archers or fletchers reading this, maybe they could comment?

4. What is the purpose of the black breast shield?

They’re wearing tabi socks, which go with traditional Japanese formalwear. In this art/discipline, the shooting platform is apparently considered “inside”, and like taking your shoes off in the house, they slip out of their footwear before stepping up onto it. All archers, regardless of being left-handed or right-handed, hold the bow with the left hand and pull with the right. This leaves the body always presented the same direction. It’s like shaking hands… you offer you right hand regardless. I don’t know anything about the feathers, but the purpose of the chest protector should be obvious (and if not, think of the action of the bowstring along the lines of an egg slicer, and then think of trying to prevent that). —Jeffy

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