In kyudo, two different hands touch two different things. The right hand wears the glove (yugake) and draws the string. The left hand — the bow hand, yunde (弓手) — holds the grip of the bow.
Most beginners hear about giriko early, because it goes on the glove. Fewer hear about fudeko (筆粉), which is the powder for the other hand. This page explains what fudeko is, what it is made of according to a Japanese kyudo shop’s product pages, and why it cannot stand in for giriko or the other way round.
In short
- Fudeko is a powder you put on the left hand — the hand that holds the bow. Japanese kyudo shops describe it as “powder applied to the bow hand” (yunde ni tsukeru ko).
- Giriko is for the right-hand glove, rubbed on the middle finger against the thumb. The two are not interchangeable.
- Materials vary by product: straw ash with bamboo charcoal, refined volcanic ash, ground cuttlefish bone.
- No product page we checked says how much to apply. Ask a teacher or senior at your dojo to show you once.
- If the grip keeps slipping, have your teacher look at your grip and the bow’s grip leather before you assume the powder is the answer.
What fudeko is
The Sambu Kyugu shop in Japan lists fudeko in its own category under “bow accessories” (弓付属品), separate from glove supplies (Sambu Kyugu, fudeko category, in Japanese, checked Oct 29, 2026).
Each product description in that category says the same thing about where it goes: “powder applied to the bow hand” (弓手に付ける粉). The bow hand in kyudo is the left hand.
The name is written with the characters for “brush” (筆) and “powder” (粉). You will also see it written in kana as ふでこ or ふで粉 in shop listings.
What it is made of
The material is not the same from product to product. These are the materials stated on the official product pages:
| Product (Sambu Kyugu) | Material stated by the shop | Contents | Price (as of October 2026, tax included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fudeko with bamboo charcoal, F-056 | Straw ash (藁灰) blended with bamboo charcoal | 50 g | 380 yen |
| White fudeko (shiro-fudeko), F-075 | Refined volcanic ash | 20 g | 480 yen |
| Ikako (cuttlefish powder), F-368 | Ground cuttlefish bone (いかの甲); “like fudeko, a powder applied to the bow hand” | About 56 g including the container | 1,210 yen |
| Fudeko large bag, F-246 | Bulk fudeko; the shop recommends it for schools and company clubs | About 1.5 kg (about 30 of the 50 g packs) | 9,200 yen |
All product pages checked Oct 29, 2026. Prices change; check the shop’s own page before you order.
The shop does not compare these materials with one another, so we do not either. Which one suits your hand is something to try, ideally with a dojo member’s spare before you buy your own.
A different kind: powder used with a lotion
The same category also lists a grip conditioner sold as a lotion and a powder (Tenkyu). Its instructions are different from plain fudeko: spread a suitable amount of the lotion (sold separately) over the hand, let it half-dry, then dust on the powder. The page adds that people whose hands sweat easily should use more powder, and people with dry skin more lotion (Sambu Kyugu, Tenkyu powder refill, F-052, in Japanese, checked Oct 29, 2026; 35 g refill, 900 yen as of October 2026).
That page does not name the hand it is for. It also tells you to stop using it and see a dermatologist if redness, swelling, itching or irritation appears.
Fudeko is not giriko
The two powders are easy to confuse, because both are “powder” and both are about grip. They do different jobs on different hands.
| Fudeko (筆粉) | Giriko (ギリ粉) | |
|---|---|---|
| Which hand | Left hand, the bow hand | Right hand, on the yugake |
| Where exactly | The hand that holds the bow’s grip | The glove’s middle finger (ring finger on a four-finger glove), rubbed against the thumb |
| What it is | Product-dependent: straw ash, volcanic ash, cuttlefish bone | Pine resin boiled to remove the oil, set solid, then powdered |
The middle-finger instruction and the description of what giriko is come from the same shop’s giriko page: “apply a suitable amount of giriko to the middle finger and rub it with the thumb” (Sambu Kyugu, giriko J-053, in Japanese, checked Oct 29, 2026). The same page warns that too much giriko blackens the glove and makes it sticky. Giriko does not go on the string.
So do not put fudeko on your yugake, and do not put giriko on your bow hand. For the glove side in detail, see Giriko (Rosin) for Kyudo.
When the grip keeps slipping
A slipping bow hand is the usual reason people go looking for fudeko. Before you buy, it helps to separate three different causes:
- The bow’s grip leather. If one bow slips and another does not, the grip itself may be the issue rather than your hand. Show the bow to your teacher or a kyudo shop.
- Sweat. Fudeko is one answer to a damp left hand. On the right hand, sweat is handled differently: the All Nippon Kyudo Federation says a cotton under-glove (shitagake) must always be worn under the yugake to protect it from sweat (All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “Equipment”, in Japanese, checked Oct 29, 2026). More in Shitagake: The Cotton Under-Glove.
- How you hold the bow. If the same spot slips or rubs every time, ask your teacher to watch your grip (tenouchi) before you change anything else.
How much to use
None of the fudeko product pages we checked gives an amount or a step-by-step method. We will not invent one. The practical route is simple: ask a teacher or senior at your dojo to show you once, with the powder your dojo uses.
Frequently asked questions
Is fudeko required? Not according to anything we found. The federation’s beginner equipment page does not mention it. Treat it as something to try if your bow hand slips, and ask your teacher whether your dojo uses it.
Can I use giriko on my bow hand instead? No. Giriko is a resin powder made for the glove’s fingers. Fudeko and the cuttlefish-bone ikako are the products the shop describes as “for the bow hand”.
Can I use it on the yugake? No. The shop describes all of these products as powder for the bow hand. Keep the glove for giriko only, in small amounts. See Yugake Care and Storage.
Which material is best? The shop’s pages do not rank them. Try what your dojo members use before buying a large quantity.
Summary
- Fudeko is for the left, bow-holding hand. Giriko is for the right-hand glove.
- Materials differ by product: straw ash with bamboo charcoal, refined volcanic ash, ground cuttlefish bone.
- A lotion-and-powder grip conditioner is a separate kind with its own instructions.
- No amount is given on the product pages — learn it from your dojo.
- If the grip slips, look at the grip leather, the sweat and your hold before buying more powder.
Sources (all checked October 29, 2026, in Japanese): Sambu Kyugu, fudeko category / Sambu Kyugu, giriko J-053 / All Nippon Kyudo Federation, “Equipment”. Prices are those shown on the official shop pages as of October 2026. For your own hands and bow, your teacher’s guidance comes first.