Miyakonojo bow — Yokoyama Reimei workshop

In Miyakonojo a single master works each bamboo bow through more than 200 stages, almost all by hand, in the city that in 1994 received national traditional craft recognition for the composite bow and that today has the highest production of bamboo bows in Japan.

The Yokoyama Reimei workshop, now in the fourth generation of the family, has been making the Miyakonojo Daikyu bow for over a hundred years, also paying attention to the sound the string makes as the arrow is loosed (弦音). The municipality of Miyakonojo states that the composite bow in madake bamboo and haze wood requires 200–300 stages of manual work and more than ten years of apprenticeship to become a fully fledged master bowmaker, and that today the city has the highest bamboo bow production in Japan. The workshop receives visitors by appointment, to be arranged at least two weeks in advance (thebecos.com), with possible closures in the peak months (November–March).

The Yokoyama Reimei workshop (横山黎明弓製作所) has been making the traditional Miyakonojo bow (都城大弓) for over 100 years, now in its fourth generation with master Yokoyama Keitaro; it is based at 〒885-0033 宮崎県都城市妻ケ丘町8-14, Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture (yokoyama-reimei.com). The Miyakonojo municipal website states that the composite bow in madake bamboo (真竹) and haze wood (櫨) was recognised as a national traditional craft in 1994 (平成6年) and that the city today has ‘全国トップの竹弓の生産量’ (the highest production of bamboo bows in Japan); the process exceeds 200–300 stages (200から300を超える工程), almost all manual, and it takes more than ten years to become a fully fledged master bowmaker (一人前の弓師になるには10年以上の歳月が必要). Currently five craftspeople in the sector hold the title of national traditional master craftsman (5人の国の伝統工芸士).

ℹ️ The workshop can be visited with a booking, made at least two weeks in advance: ‘2週間前までに予約をすることで工房内を見学することができます’ (thebecos.com). In the high-season months, especially November–March, a visit may not be possible: ‘繁忙期（特に11～3月）には見学できない場合もあります’. Indicative hours 8:00–17:00 (thebecos.com), closed on Sundays, public holidays and the second and fourth Saturday of the month (日、祝日、第2、第4土曜日). Telephone for enquiries/bookings: 0986-22-4604.

🚉 Miyakonojō · 10 min walk

Sources: yokoyama-reimei.com · city.miyakonojo.miyazaki.jp · thebecos.com

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