Miyakonojo Bows A symbol of honest simplicity and fortitude as well as a fine fighting weapon, the Miyakonojo bow was developed from the Satsuma bow, named after a province of southern Kyushu. The attention afforded the Miyakonojo bow is ever increasing. Its value as a beautifully formed object with a grace and nobility that can perhaps only be achieved with a bow made of bamboo is one reason for the interest. It is also valued, however, as a traditional craft object that has been developed over the years and is worthy of being handed down to future generations. But the appeal of these bows is not simply a matter of style and tradition. They are also renown for the way in which they touch the hearts of the archers who practice Kyudo, the spiritually enriched form of Japanese archery. A variety of bamboo called madake (Phyllostachys bambusoides) and a variety of sumac called haze (Rhus succedanea), which both grow in the favorably warm climate and wonderful natural environment of Miyakonojo, are used to fashion these bows. They are of a laminated construction, which is said to involve more than 200 individual processes, all carried out by hand, by a master bow maker. One of the special features of the Miyakonojo bow is the efficient way in which the arrow is released. The stringing of the bow is also very satisfactory. In addition, they are invested with a dignity and grace that is perhaps only possible with a bamboo bow. Working below the majestic silhouette of Mount Kirishima, the master bow maker toils diligently at his craft, looking forward to when a bow is finished and an arrow can be released with a clear ping. Described below are some of the main stages in the making of these bows. Stage One Bamboo: The bamboo used for bow making is three years old and is grown in a good natural environment, in groves in the vicinity of Miyakonojo. Stage Two Cutting: Suitable culms (stems) of bamboo are cut when it is cold during November and December. This yields the best bamboo for bow making as it is the period when the plants are resting and moisture levels are low. The culms need to be between 18 cm to 21 cm in circumference, but bamboo used at the core of the laminated section needs to have a circumference of more 30 cm. After the culms have been split down their length into narrow strips, they are naturally seasoned for a period of three to four months. Stage Three Removing the Oil, Smoking: By passing the strips over a charcoal fire, the oil in the bamboo is sweated out and wiped off. Strips of bamboo, which are to be used on the inside of the curved bow, are then smoked in order to increase their resilience. This smoked bamboo is washed at regular intervals during the period of smoking, which is continued for one to two years, until the bamboo takes on the color of caramel. Stage Four Scorching: To ensure that the bamboo maintains its bowed shaped, the strip of bamboo used on the leading face of the bow is scorched along its inner face only, while the inner strip of bamboo and the bamboo for the core are scorched on both faces. Stage Five Laminating: Four to seven strips of scorched core bamboo are thinned down to size and sandwiched between two strips of haze. These are bound with a rope and then wedged to keep the core perfectly straight. A rope of the required length and weight used to tightly bind the laminated pieces together is twisted up on a special twisting machine. Stage Six Shaping: The scorched flat strips of bamboo for the outer and inner surfaces are now shaped to form a grip in the middle. The ends are then also slightly thinned down and smoothed. Stage Seven Forming the Tips: These two pieces are attached at the top and bottom of the bow, in order to prevent the inner strip of bamboo from moving out of place and to form the nock or point at which the bowstring is attached. Because the curve of the upper and lower limb of the bow is different, these two pieces must be shaped accordingly. Stage Eight Shaping the Bow: The core is now sandwiched between the inner and outer bamboo facings, before the tips are also attached and all glued together. This laminated arrangement is then bound and pressed tightly together by using between 80 to 100 wedges, in order to form the characteristic bow shape. Stage Nine Forming: With the wedges removed, the bow is shaped over a horse. The string is then attached and the shape is perfected with the aid of the foot, while the shape and finish of the tips is also checked. It is this initial rough forming which will determine the quality of the bow. Stage Ten Finishing: The roughly finished bow is left for about ten days for the form to stabilize and then the grip and tips are finished with a small hatchet or knife in a way appropriate to the bow. Stage Eleven Grip: After further adjustment to the shape of the finished bow, a grip or handle is formed with wisteria. Stage Twelve Completion: After more than 200 individual processes, all done by hand, the bow is now complete.