If you have strung a yumi (Japanese bow) for a while, sooner or later a teacher will glance at it and say “your kyuha looks low.” Overseas, where there may be no bow shop down the road, it helps to know what that means, how to check it yourself, and what is usually behind it.
This page explains kyuha using a bow maker’s own notice, the All Nippon Kyudo Federation’s equipment page, and a Japanese bow shop’s guide to strings. It does not replace a look from your instructor or a specialist bow shop, and it says so where the sources stop.
The short version
- Kyuha (弓把) is the gap between the nigiri (the grip of the bow) and the tsuru (bowstring) when the bow is strung. In Western archery terms, it is the bow’s brace height.
- The bow maker Miyata asks users to keep it at 15 cm or more, and says that a kyuha that is too low is the problem: the bow becomes unstable and a bad shot can damage it.
- The two usual reasons it drops are a new synthetic string stretching and the tsuruwa (string loop) loosening or being too large.
- The All Nippon Kyudo Federation warns that remaking the loop again and again makes the string more likely to break. At some point a new string of the right length is the better fix.
- The only number we could confirm is Miyata’s lower limit. For an upper limit or an “ideal” value for your bow, ask the maker, your bow shop or your instructor.
What kyuha is
Kyuha is read at the grip. With the bow strung, you measure from the nigiri straight across to the string.
Miyata’s English notice puts it this way: “Generally, brace height needs at least 15 cm or more at the top of Nigiri, to stabilize the bow and get strings strained enough to have better performance and avoid damaging a bow.” The photo in the same notice shows a T-shaped ruler laid against the grip, reaching across to the string, with the caption “常に15cm以上” (“always 15 cm or more”). (Miyata notice, English version, hosted by Sambu Kyugu, checked Oct 27, 2026)
Two terms to keep apart:
- Nigiri is the grip itself, the part wrapped with grip leather.
- Kyuha is the distance from that grip to the string. It is not another name for the grip.
How to check it
- String the bow and let it settle. The Federation notes that a bamboo bow in particular should be given time for its shape to settle, so at the start of practice or a match you string the bow first and then do your other preparation. (All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “About equipment”, checked Oct 27, 2026)
- Lay a T-shaped ruler against the grip, the way the photo in Miyata’s notice shows, so that the long arm runs from the nigiri to the string.
- Read the distance at the grip. Write the number down with the date. A single reading tells you little; a series tells you whether the kyuha is creeping down.
Miyata recommends checking after each session of shooting whether the kyuha has dropped. (Miyata notice, Japanese version, hosted by Sambu Kyugu, checked Oct 27, 2026)
If you have never strung a bow on your own, read How to String a Yumi first. The order matters: the upper loop sits on the top tip (urahazu), and the lower loop goes onto the bottom tip (motohazu) last.
The number: what is known, and what is not
Miyata’s Japanese notice is more detailed than the English one. In summary it says:
- Take a sufficient kyuha of 15 cm or more.
- A low kyuha is the problem. When it is low, the bow is effectively strung with a longer string and becomes unstable. If a bad shot happens in that state, large vibration goes into the string and bow, and the bow can turn over or be damaged.
- As you shoot, the loop can loosen and the string can stretch, so the kyuha drops. String it a little high, and check after each session.
- The bow in their photo is strung at about 16 cm, leaving some margin for that drop.
(Miyata notice, Japanese version, checked Oct 27, 2026)
What this does not give you:
- It is one maker’s guidance. We did not find a Federation rule that sets a kyuha number, and neither the Federation’s equipment page nor the All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association’s buying guide mentions one. (All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association, “How to choose kyudo equipment”, checked Oct 27, 2026)
- No upper limit and no “ideal range” appear in any of the sources we checked.
So treat 15 cm as a floor that one maker asks for, not as a universal target. If your bow is from a different maker, or bamboo, ask the maker or the shop that sold it.
When kyuha drops: suspect the string, then the loop
A new synthetic string stretches
The bow shop Suizan Kyuguten writes that new synthetic strings stretch easily because of the material, and recommends making the tsuruwa slightly short at first relative to the right string length. It also suggests stringing the bow with the kyuha set high and doing a few suhiki (draws without an arrow) before you make the nakajikake (the wrapped nocking point), which reduces how often you have to remake it. (Suizan Kyuguten, “Choosing a bowstring”, checked Oct 27, 2026)
In practice: if you have just changed strings and the kyuha keeps falling over the first sessions, that is often the string settling, not a fault in the bow.
The tsuruwa is too large, or has loosened
The tsuruwa is the loop at each end of the string. A larger loop lets the string sit lower, so the kyuha drops. The Federation says: if the loop is too small for the upper tip, the string breaks easily; if it is too large, it is unstable and not good for the bow. (All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “About equipment”, checked Oct 27, 2026)
Remake the loop, or replace the string?
The same Federation page adds a warning: remaking the tsuruwa often makes the string more likely to break. So “just tie it again” has a limit.
| What you see | Likely reason | What to look at |
|---|---|---|
| Kyuha falls in the first sessions after a string change | New synthetic string stretching (Suizan) | Remake the loop; draw a few times before making the nakajikake |
| You have already remade the loop several times | Each remake weakens the string (Federation) | Replace the string |
| Even a brand-new string sits low from the start | String length does not match the bow | Check that the string is for your bow’s length |
On string length, the Federation notes that strings come in lengths to match bow lengths, and Suizan tells readers to choose a string of the same size as the bow: sansun-tsumari, nami-sun, nisun-nobi or yonsun-nobi. (All Nippon Kyudo Federation; Suizan Kyuguten, both checked Oct 27, 2026) If you are not sure which length your bow is, see Kyudo Bow Length: Nami-sun vs Nobi-sun.
Suizan also gives a replacement guide for synthetic strings: it recommends replacing them at around 600 shots, rather than waiting for them to break. More on that in Kyudo Bowstrings: Replace at 600 Shots.
When kyuha seems high
A short string or a small loop raises the kyuha. Remember the Federation’s warning that a loop that is too small makes the string break easily. Suizan’s advice to tie the loop slightly short applies to a new string that is expected to stretch. If the string has settled and the kyuha still looks high, or you are unsure whether “high” is a problem for your bow, none of the sources above give a limit. That is a question for your bow shop or instructor.
Taking it to a bow shop or instructor
If you cannot decide from your own readings, bring the strung bow, the string you are using and your spare string to a specialist bow shop or your instructor. These four facts make the conversation quick:
- The bow’s length (nami-sun, nobi-sun and so on) and material (glass, carbon or bamboo)
- The string type (synthetic or hemp) and roughly how many shots since you put it on
- How many times you have remade the loop
- Your kyuha readings, with dates
Having a spare string that is already fitted and ready also means a dropping kyuha never stops a practice. See Spare Kyudo Bowstrings.
FAQ
What is the correct kyuha in centimetres?
The only figure we could confirm is Miyata’s: keep it at 15 cm or more (their example bow is strung at about 16 cm). We found no official upper limit or ideal value. Ask your bow’s maker, your bow shop or your instructor for your bow.
Can I just remake the loop every time the kyuha drops?
You can, but the Federation warns that remaking the tsuruwa often makes the string more likely to break. If you are remaking it repeatedly, replace the string.
Is kyuha the same as the grip?
No. The grip is the nigiri. Kyuha is the distance from the nigiri to the string.
Summary
- Kyuha is the distance from the grip to the string on a strung yumi. Measure it at the grip with a T-shaped ruler, after the bow has settled.
- Miyata asks for 15 cm or more and says a low kyuha is the problem: it makes the bow unstable and a bad shot can damage it.
- When it drops, suspect a stretching new string and the tsuruwa first. Remaking the loop again and again weakens the string; a string of the right length is often the better fix.
- For any number beyond Miyata’s lower limit, ask your bow shop or instructor.
Sources (all checked Oct 27, 2026): Miyata notice, English version (Sambu Kyugu) / Miyata notice, Japanese version (Sambu Kyugu) / All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “About equipment” / Suizan Kyuguten, “Choosing a bowstring” / All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association, “How to choose kyudo equipment”