Deschutes Public Library

One Shot. One Life - Japanese Archery

eng

videorecording

One Shot. One Life - Japanese Archery

956905337

Originally produced by Empty Mind Films in 2013

85

In traditional martial arts, mastery of the art is not acquired through technical skill alone. In followinǵ ђبThe Waýђة one must look beyond technique to become a true master. In Japanese archery or Kyudo, hitting the target by itself is not enough. In order to shoot correctly we are told tó ђجShoot from the Heart́ђح. As Takeuchi sensei sayś ђجAs a national team member I had to hit the target no matter what. Eventually all that technique became obsolete in exchange to express myself through the boẃђح. Yet teachers of Kyudo tell us that only through technique will we be able to hit the target correctly. Can both be true? It is a paradox that haunts Takeuchi Masakuni, 7th dan Kyoshi who ponderś ђجHow can one fail when both arrows hit the target́?ђح. Awa Kenzo, a great kyudo master, held that its true purpose waś ђبto enlighteńђة. This idea took hold in the west through the book Zen in the Art of Archery, written by Eugen Herrigel, one of Awáђةs students. Awáђةs legacy óf ђجStanding Zeńђح can be witnessed still today at the Enma dojo in the grounds of Engakuji Zen Temple. Without an opponent, it is a path of self discovery where the target is a mirroŕ ђا a reflection of the self. Whatever path you follow, the common ground is that true mastery of Kyudo is a journey that has no ending. In our documentarý ђجOne Shot. One Liféђح the climactic end will have you holding your breath as Takeuchi Masakuni enters the 8th dan grading for his 16th attempt. It is a test so severe that this Kyudo master is forced to comment́ ђجThis struggle is my driving force and that is why I cannot stoṕ.ђح

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