Once beginners have their kyudo equipment together, the item they take least seriously is the shitagake (下がけ): the thin cloth under-glove worn inside the yugake (the deerskin shooting glove). It is cheap and unremarkable, so many people own one and stop there.
Its job is clear, though. The shitagake sits between your hand and the yugake and catches your sweat. If it is not doing that job, the sweat goes straight into the inside of the yugake. And a yugake cannot be washed.
This page covers what the shitagake is for, how to choose one, how many to own, when to replace them and how to wash them.
The short version
- A shitagake protects the yugake, not your hand.
- Match it to your yugake’s finger count first: three-finger (mitsugake) or four-finger (yotsugake).
- Fit is judged inside the yugake: too big and it bunches; too small and it pulls.
- Cotton is the standard: the Federation’s beginners’ guide describes the shitagake as cotton. Synthetic ones are also sold.
- The number you need depends on drying time. Three is a good starting point.
- Replace it before it tears: when smells return after washing, or the fabric thins.
A consumable that protects the yugake
Take these points in turn:
- The inside of a yugake cannot be washed. It is leather; it must not get wet or be washed with detergent.
- Your hand sweats the whole time you are drawing.
- The shitagake takes that sweat.
So the shitagake is not mainly hand protection. It is yugake protection. Miss that, and it is easy to decide “I can shoot without one”. You can, but then the yugake absorbs that sweat instead, permanently.
If you are still choosing your yugake, see How to Choose a Yugake (Kyudo Glove).
Size: start with the number of fingers
The first decision is not size. It is the finger count.
| Your yugake | Matching shitagake |
|---|---|
| Mitsugake (three-finger) | Three-finger type, with the thumb, index and middle finger separated |
| Yotsugake (four-finger) | Four-finger type, with the ring finger also separated |
A three-finger shitagake will not fit properly in a four-finger yugake. When you move to a yotsugake, you need new shitagake too. It is an easy thing to overlook.
After that, size is decided by how it sits inside the yugake:
- Too large: it bunches up inside, and the wrinkles become a strange feeling in your grip on the string.
- Too small: your fingertips are pulled and the base of the thumb moves less freely.
If your yugake suddenly feels tight, the cause may be a thick shitagake. Before you decide the glove is the wrong size, try a thinner shitagake. This matters especially if you bought the yugake from abroad and cannot easily have it checked; see Yugake Sizing From Abroad.
Material: cotton or synthetic
The All Nippon Kyudo Federation’s beginners’ guide to equipment says the shitagake is cotton (木綿製) and is always worn under the yugake to protect it from sweat. Synthetic shitagake are also sold. If your dojo or instructor specifies one, follow them. The general differences:
| Cotton | Synthetic | |
|---|---|---|
| Sweat | Absorbs it, and gets heavier as it does | Absorbs it and moves it outward |
| Drying | Slow | Fast |
| Thickness | Often thicker | Often thinner |
| Suits | Heavy sweaters, cold seasons | Hot weather, frequent rotation |
As a guide:
- If your yugake is on the tight side, a thin synthetic one fits better.
- If your hands sweat a lot, a thicker cotton one absorbs more; change it often.
- If you shoot every day in summer, have several that dry fast. One that will not dry cannot be rotated.
How many? Work it out from drying time
This is the important part. The number you need depends not on how often you practise, but on how long a washed shitagake takes to dry.
- If it dries the same day you wash it, two will do.
- If it dries indoors and is not ready by the next day, three or more.
- For training camps, seminars or practice on consecutive days, assume nothing will dry and bring close to one per day.
Owning only one is the same as never washing it. If you wash it, it is not ready for the next session, so in practice you keep using it unwashed.
Start with three. At that number, one is being washed, one is drying and one is in use.
For archers living in humid climates, or practising in winter with clothes dried indoors, drying time is usually longer than you expect. Count your shitagake from that. Ongoing costs like this are part of the picture in Kyudo Equipment Costs.
When to replace it
A shitagake stops working before it tears. Replace it when you see any of these:
- A smell that returns after washing. Sweat is staying in the fibres.
- Thinning fabric, with fingertips beginning to show through. It no longer holds sweat well.
- Fraying seams and widening gaps between the fingers. It will bunch inside the yugake.
- It stays out of shape after washing. Your feel on the string will change.
If giriko seems to work less well than before, check the shitagake as well. One that is saturated with sweat changes the condition inside the yugake. See Giriko (Rosin) for Kyudo.
How to wash it
The shitagake is the part you can wash, so wash it.
- By hand, or in a laundry net on a gentle cycle.
- Do not wring it hard. The fabric distorts.
- Dry it in the shade. Direct sun damages the fabric.
- Put it away only when completely dry. Packed damp, it keeps a smell.
Never put a damp shitagake into the yugake. Putting wet cloth inside is the same as putting water inside the glove.
FAQ
Can I shoot without a shitagake? The Federation’s beginners’ guide says a shitagake is always worn under the yugake, to protect it from sweat. Without one, the sweat goes into the inside of the yugake, and that cannot be washed out. Think of the shitagake as insurance for the life of your yugake.
Can I use a work glove or an ordinary glove instead? Not recommended. The thickness and the finger divisions are different, so it bunches inside the yugake, and that shows in your shooting.
Can I put it in a washing machine? Many can be washed in a laundry net on a gentle cycle, but check the care label of the one you have. If in doubt, wash by hand.
My club has shared ones. Can I keep using those? Having your own is better. A shitagake is there to absorb sweat, which does not suit sharing, and it is one of the least expensive items in kyudo.
Related pages
- How to Choose a Yugake (Kyudo Glove)
- Yugake Sizing From Abroad
- Giriko (Rosin) for Kyudo
- Kyudo Equipment Costs
This page sets out general practice for choosing and caring for a shitagake. The point that a cotton shitagake is always worn comes from the All Nippon Kyudo Federation’s guide to equipment, “道具について” (https://www.kyudo.jp/begin/tool.html, checked October 2026). Fit and washing instructions differ by product; follow the label and your instructor’s advice. This site is an independent guide to kyudo equipment, and we can also order equipment from makers and shops in Japan for you and ship it abroad — see Ordering from overseas.