Most kyudo practitioners outside Japan meet the makiwara early: a tight drum of straw on a stand, shot from close up while a teacher watches your form. What is less obvious is that the arrow you shoot into it is often a different arrow from the ones you take to the target range.
This page explains the makiwara-ya (巻藁矢, makiwara arrow) using the All Nippon Kyudo Federation’s equipment page and the arrow pages of the Japanese bow shop Suizan. Where the sources stop, this page stops too, and points you to your instructor.
The short version
- A makiwara (巻藁) is a straw target for practising the form of the shot. The Federation says makiwara practice matters alongside practice at the target (matomae).
- Many makiwara arrows have no feathers. The Federation lists arrows without feathers, including makiwara arrows, among the arrows that are absolutely prohibited on the target range for safety.
- Length still matters. An arrow shorter than your yazuka (draw length) is also on the Federation’s prohibited list: at full draw its tip can be pulled inside the bow.
- The Federation’s advice for a beginner is simple: start with one makiwara arrow.
- Suizan sells makiwara arrows one at a time, cut to your arrow length, in a plain and a feathered version.
What the makiwara is, and why it gets its own arrow
The Federation describes the makiwara as a target for practising the form of kyudo: straw bundled long enough to stop the arrow from passing through, and firm enough not to damage the arrow, set on a stand at a suitable height. It adds that at the start of training a tatami mat is sometimes used in its place. (All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “About equipment”, checked Oct 28, 2026)
At the makiwara, you are not aiming at anything far away. You stand close, square to the straw, and watch the shot. That is why the arrow can be simpler: it travels about two metres into straw, again and again.
The one rule to remember: never on the target range
The Federation’s equipment page has a short list headed, in effect, “for safety, the following arrows are absolutely prohibited at the target.” Three items on it matter here:
- Arrows without feathers: makiwara arrows, and any arrow that has lost even one feather through damage.
- Arrows shorter than your yazuka, or arrows exactly as long as your yazuka.
- Arrows with a split or broken shaft, and arrows that have lost their point.
(All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “About equipment”, checked Oct 28, 2026)
The same page notes that many makiwara arrows have no feathers, so extra care is needed to prevent accidents. In practice: keep your makiwara arrow somewhere it cannot end up in your quiver for the target range, and if a target arrow loses a feather, it stops being a target arrow until it is repaired.
Choosing a makiwara arrow
Length: the same rule as your target arrows
A short arrow is dangerous at the makiwara too, because the danger happens at full draw: the arrow tip can be pulled inside the bow. So a makiwara arrow is cut to your arrow length, just like your target arrows.
How that length is worked out:
- Measure your yazuka. Stand facing forward, chest open, both arms out to the sides at shoulder height, and measure from the centre of your throat to the tip of the middle finger of your left (bow) hand. (All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association, “How to choose kyudo equipment”, checked Oct 28, 2026)
- Add a safety margin. The Federation says to choose an arrow at least 5 cm longer than your yazuka, and about 10 cm longer while you are a beginner whose form is still settling. The Equipment Association says to add 10–15 cm to the measured length. Suizan’s arrow guide also recommends that beginners add about 10–15 cm, and shorten the arrow little by little as they gain experience. (All Nippon Kyudo Federation; All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association; Suizan, “Choosing arrows”, all checked Oct 28, 2026)
If you already have target arrows that your teacher has approved, the simplest approach is to order the makiwara arrow at the same arrow length. For target arrows in general, see Choosing Kyudo Arrows.
Plain or feathered
Suizan’s makiwara-arrow category lists two kinds:
| Plain makiwara arrow (bō-ya, 棒矢) | Feathered makiwara arrow (羽根付巻藁矢) | |
|---|---|---|
| Shaft | EASTON 2015 duralumin | EASTON 2015 duralumin |
| Arrow length | Choose 85–109 cm, or uncut | Choose 85–109 cm, or uncut |
| Sold as | Single arrow | Single arrow |
| Price at Suizan (tax included, as of October 2026) | ¥2,200 | ¥3,850 |
(Suizan, makiwara arrows; product pages YA1510 and YA1322, checked Oct 28, 2026)
Two things to note on those product pages: once you choose an arrow length, the arrow is cut for you and returns or exchanges are not accepted. So settle your length with your teacher before ordering.
Which kind to choose, and how your dojo treats makiwara arrows in general, is a question for your teacher. Keep every makiwara arrow for the makiwara.
How many
The Federation’s advice to beginners is to prepare one makiwara arrow and start. (All Nippon Kyudo Federation, checked Oct 28, 2026) A second one is a spare, not a requirement. For target arrows the count is different; see How Many Kyudo Arrows Do You Need?
Safety at the makiwara
These come straight from the Federation’s page:
- Keep a distance of one bow-length (yumi hitotsue, about 2 m). Do not shoot from farther away, and do not shoot from closer.
- Stand square to the makiwara, and aim to keep the arrows landing around the height of your own lips.
- Put a tatami mat or a board behind the makiwara as an arrow stop.
- When you pull an arrow out of the straw, take care to keep the nock away from the people around you.
(All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “About equipment”, checked Oct 28, 2026)
The Federation also gives a size for a practice makiwara, 45–54 cm in diameter, which is useful if your club is building one.
Looking after it
A makiwara arrow takes the same kind of wear as any arrow, just more often. After a session, look at the shaft for bends or splits, at the nock, and at the point. A split shaft or a missing point puts any arrow on the Federation’s prohibited list. For what to check and how, see Caring for Kyudo Arrows.
FAQ
Can I shoot my makiwara arrow at the target if nobody is around?
No. Arrows without feathers, including makiwara arrows, are on the Federation’s list of arrows absolutely prohibited at the target, for safety.
Can I use my target arrows on the makiwara?
Ask your teacher. None of the sources we checked set a rule either way. The Federation simply recommends starting with one makiwara arrow of your own.
Does a makiwara arrow need to be the same length as my target arrows?
It needs to be longer than your yazuka by the same safety margin, so in practice, yes: order it at your arrow length.
What size are targets on the range?
That is a different topic, outside this page.
Summary
- The makiwara is a straw target for practising form, shot from one bow-length (about 2 m).
- Unfeathered arrows, including makiwara arrows, are absolutely prohibited on the target range.
- A makiwara arrow is cut to your arrow length: yazuka (throat centre to left middle fingertip) plus a safety margin. A short arrow’s tip can be pulled inside the bow.
- Start with one. Settle the length with your teacher before ordering, because cut arrows are not returnable.
Sources (all checked Oct 28, 2026): All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “About equipment” / All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association, “How to choose kyudo equipment” / Suizan, “Choosing arrows” / Suizan, makiwara arrows