Most of the excavated
Jōmon period () bows are in length, while most of the
Yayoi period () bows are in length. The bows in these periods were made from a single processed wood, and the bows with this structure were called and were used until the
Nara period (710–794 CE). It is unknown when the asymmetrical came into use, but the first written record is found in the
Book of Wei, a Chinese historical manuscript dating to the 3rd century CE, which describes the people of the Japanese islands using "spears, shields, and wooden bows for arms; the wooden bows are made with the lower limbs short and the upper limbs long; and bamboo arrows with points of either iron or bone." The oldest asymmetrical found to date was discovered in
Nara Prefecture, and is estimated to be from the 5th century. Some of the bows found as burial goods in (ancient tombs) during the
Kofun period (300–538 CE) were decorated with gold or silver, and it is believed that they were also used in ceremonies. The length of most bows in this period ranged from , and it is thought that they were powerful enough to shoot enemies and animals at close range. In the Nara period, lacquered bows with more weather resistance and decorative features appeared.
Euonymus hamiltonianus,
Zelkova serrata, and
Toxicodendron succedaneum, which are highly elastic wood, came to be used for making , and many became as long as roughly 7 3 (), increasing their power and range. Since then, the structure of the bow has gradually evolved, but its length of roughly 7 3 has been passed down to the present day. From the end of the Heian period to the beginning of the
Kamakura period (1185–1333), the was developed, and bamboo was glued not only on the front side but also on the reverse side of the . In the late Kamakura period, the shape of the bow became more asymmetrical, with the upper part bent from the lower part, so that it resembled a modern bow, further increasing the range and power of the . During the Kamakura period, when the
samurai class came to power, (archery) became more and more popular, especially the three types of
mounted archery: , , and . The was developed during the Muromachi period, and bamboo was used on the side of the bow to increase its range and power. During the
Sengoku period (1467–1615), the used in modern was developed, completing the original form of the Japanese bow now known around the world. The characteristic of the bow is that it has a greatly changed laminated structure from the conventional bow. The core of the structure is about four pieces of bonded bamboo, with bamboo glued to the front side and the other side and wood glued to the sides. This improved the range and power of the bow and enabled it to shoot through targets away in the
Sanjusangen-do archery contest, , a famous event still held today. Research on (arrowheads) was actively conducted to enhance their killing ability, and of various shapes were developed. During this period, the was mass-produced by Japanese swordsmiths, and mobilized (foot soldiers) used them to exert tremendous power on the battlefield. However, because took a long time to load, were inconvenient in rainy weather when damp gunpowder would not fire, and utterly lacked subtlety in use due to their extraordinary noisiness, the did not go out of fashion and continued to be used as an important military force on the battlefield. When Japanese society became more peaceful in the
Edo period (1603–1867), the spirituality and decorativeness of the became important, and developed as a samurai's way of doing things. Even today, the is used in and ceremonies, and in Grand
sumo tournaments, a ceremony called the , which is dedicated to
Shinto , is held. == Shape ==