Samurai Wisdom Stories

With the introduction of firearms, the art of bow shooting was in danger of disappearing. However, this art was one of the principal disciplines of bushido, the Way of the Samurai. As a means of keeping this tradition alive, the annual Toshiya archery contest was instituted. The site of the contest was a temple in Kyoto known as Sanjusangen-do, famous for its thousand buddha statues.

The shooting took place in a covered galley about sixty meters long. The difficulty for the archer lay in keeping the shot tightly arced enough to avoid the thirty-three cross beams that supported the roof joists and still allow for a shot long enough to reach the target at the end of the gallery. The bow had to be a strong one, but not so strong as to exhaust the archer; for the winner was the one who was able to shoot the greatest number of arrows into the distant target. The contest lasted twenty-four hours, from sunrise until the following dawn. It was a true ordeal, an ascetic exercise comparable to the austerities practiced by Buddhist monks, such as ten thousand prostrations.

Going beyond one’s normal level of output as was required here was more than a matter of technique and endurance. It was only possible through the force of mind that allowed the archer to enter into an altered state where another level of energy could come into play.

The best archers of Japan, and through them the schools of kyu-jutsu they represented, were matched against each other in this contest. In 1679, Hoshino Kanzaemon achieved the feat of hitting the target with eight thousand of the 10,542 arrows he shot. Seventeen years later his feat was still unrivaled and he remained “the First under Heaven.”

In 1696, a young archer named Wasa Daihachiro presented himself at the contest. He had trained assiduously for years in order to meet this challenge. He shot without stopping for many hours and then, already having planted five thousand arrows in the target, he allowed himself a short pause. When he tried to resume shooting, he no longer able to bend his bow. His shoulders and back were so swollen that the pain was intolerable. At this point, one of the members of the jury who was seated on the tribunal rose to his feet and approached the unhappy competitor. He reproached him for having stopped shooting and drew his short sword from its sheath. He made cuts in the swollen flesh, the blood flowed, and the archer was once again able to bend his bow. He finally succeeded in shooting more than thirteen thousand arrows, of which 8,133 hit the target. He became the new “First under Heaven” and has not been bested since.

Wasa Daihachiro, after having achieved this feat, walked over to the tribunal in order to pay his obeisance to the judge who had helped him.

“I am very grateful to you,” he said, “for having made it possible for me to surpass the record of the great Hoshino Kanzaemon. Would you be so kind as to tell me your name?”

The master archer on the tribunal replied with a warm smile.

“You know it already, since you have just said it.”

By enabling his rival’s victory through his noble gesture, Hoshino Kanzaemon became a part of bushido legend. On the Way of the Samurai, there is no greater achievement than conquering
oneself.

Story found on https://www.shambhala.com/samurai-wisdom-stories/

Congratulations Allie Prentice on your first 300 game!!!

^6th Annual

Genesis Bow Fun Shoot
& Chili Dinner Fundraiser

Saturday, March 14- Starts at 4 PM 

Genesis Bow Shoot

This is meant to be a fun evening.  We will be shooting the clubs genesis bows at bulls-eye targets from 10 yards.  You can use your own arrows or use the clubs.  We will have trophies to pass out to the winners.  The cost is $8.00 for members and $10.00 for nonmembers to shoot.  Member’s kids will be $4.00 and non member’s kids will be $5.00.

Chili Dinner

Once again, this is meant to be a fundraiser.  We will have a number of chili’s to enjoy. There is a minimum cost of $5.00 for a bowl or $10.00 for all-you-can-eat.  We will happily accept extra donations if you really like it!  Let me know if you make a real good chili and you want to donate for this event.

 We need to know in advance how many people are coming so we have enough trophies and enough chili.  Please sign up in the hall by the restroom and let us know how many are coming. 

 Mike Alexander 224-423-2837 or   lealexander@comcast.net

FLINT BOWMEN INC. YOUTH CLUB

March 22nd from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Location: Flint Bowmen, Belsay Road

Club youth and friends are welcome!

Bow and arrow rental available for $2.00
if kids need to rent one

A great time shooting and doing crafts!

R.S.V.P to

Jenn Overby
248-910-8058
Jenn.overby@yahoo.com

Flint Bowmen

Annual “All you can eat!”

Spaghetti Dinner FUNdraiser!

5478 Belsay Road, Grand Blanc

Saturday, February 15, 2020

5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Adults: $12.00, Kids 12 & Under $6.00

also Bread Sticks, Salad Bar & Desert

Gluten Free Pasta Available

Soda, Tea, Powerade, & Water
$1.00 each
or bring your own beverage!

Pictures just sent a little late(ish), but better late than never! Congrats to Flint Bowmen’s Urs Geiger for his awesome looking trophy at NFAA Indoor National’s in Cincinnati 2018!