Stringing is the moment in kyudo when equipment is most easily damaged. Hooking the string on takes less than a minute, but get the sequence wrong or skip the check afterwards, and the bow can turn over (flip inside out against its natural curve), or a string loop can slip off and the bow can spring back.
This page sets out the sequence, the three methods you will see in dojo, and what to look at before you draw. It is not a replacement for being shown. The first few times, string your bow in front of your instructor or a senior member. What follows is what makes those first attempts go right.
The short version
| Point | |
|---|---|
| Sequence | Upper loop on the urahazu (top tip) first; bend the bow; lower loop onto the motohazu (bottom tip) last |
| Methods | The dojo’s stringing board, two people, or one person alone. Start with the board or two people |
| Check before drawing | (1) where the string runs, (2) the gap between grip and string, (3) both loops fully seated |
| At home | You need ceiling height and space around you, and never a wall or floor in place of a board |
| Unstringing | Bend the bow the same way, then take the loop off the motohazu |
The words you need
The instructions only make sense once you know the names of the ends:
- Urahazu (末弭): the upper tip of the bow. The upper string loop sits here before you start.
- Motohazu (本弭): the lower tip. The lower loop goes on here last.
- Tsuruwa (弦輪): the loops at both ends of the string. The upper loop is commonly red and the lower one white.
- Kyuha (弓把): the distance between the grip and the string on a strung bow, commonly around 15 cm. (The grip itself is the nigiri.)
If the string is the wrong length for the bow, no amount of adjusting the loops will put it right. A string made for a namisun bow will not suit a nobisun bow, and the other way round. The two lengths are explained in Kyudo Bow Length: Nami-sun vs Nobi-sun.
The sequence
Whichever method you use, the sequence is the same. The All Nippon Kyudo Federation describes the standard method as resting the urahazu against the stringing board, with the motohazu at the bottom, bending the bow, and then taking the string in the right hand and hooking it onto the motohazu.
- Put the upper loop on the urahazu. The string hangs down along the bow.
- Bring the lower loop near the motohazu and check that the string is not twisted.
- Bend the bow. On a stringing board, the urahazu goes against the board.
- Hook the lower loop onto the motohazu.
- Release the bend slowly, watching that neither loop has come off.
- Do the three checks in the next section.
“Slowly” matters. If a loop is only half on and you let go all at once, the string can jump off and the bow springs. Keep your face out of the line of the bow while you do this.
Three ways to string a bow
| Method | When it is used | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| The dojo’s stringing board | Most dojo have a board or a slot for the bow tip | Each dojo’s board is different. Ask where it is and how it is used |
| Two people | One bends the bow, the other hooks the loop | Agree out loud before releasing. The person bending should not push the bow sideways |
| One person | Experienced archers bend the bow with their body | It is easy to twist the bow without seeing it. Learn it under supervision |
Use the board or two people for your first few times. When you string alone, you cannot easily see which way you are bending the bow, and beginners tend to put a twist into it.
The Federation is explicit about one thing: where there is no stringing board, do not string the bow against a wall or the floor. Use two people instead, with the helper taking the urahazu on the shoulder and in both hands.
Three checks before your first draw
Skipping these is the most dangerous mistake in the whole process.
1. Where the string runs
Stand the bow up and look along it from above, or from the front. Check that the string runs within the width of the bow and has not shifted off to the outside.
Drawing with the string off to one side can make the bow turn over. That damages the bow itself and can leave it unusable. Exactly where the string should run depends a little on the bow’s shape (its nari) and material, so get into the habit of checking that it looks the same each time. If it looks different from usual, do not draw. Show it to your instructor.
2. The gap between grip and string
Look at the kyuha, the distance from the grip to the string. If it is clearly narrower or wider than usual, one of three things has happened:
- the string loop has changed size or moved
- the string has stretched
- the string is the wrong length for the bow
The usual figure is around 15 cm, but bows and teachers differ. Learn your own bow’s usual kyuha once, from your instructor, and compare against that. A new synthetic string stretches easily at first (Suizan, a Japanese kyudo equipment shop, “弦の選び方”, checked 9 October 2026), so check the kyuha again after the first shots. Suizan gives around 600 to 700 shots as the usual point to replace a synthetic string; see Kyudo Bowstrings: Replace at 600 Shots.
3. Both loops seated
Check that the upper and lower loops sit fully in the grooves of the urahazu and motohazu. A loop that is only half on can come off at the moment you draw.
The Federation also notes how loop size matters: a loop too small for the urahazu makes the string more likely to break; one too large is unstable and bad for the bow. And re-tying the loop again and again weakens the string.
Do not draw a bow the moment it is strung
Bamboo bows in particular need time to settle after stringing. The Federation’s advice is to string a bamboo bow first, at the start of practice or a competition, and only then do the rest of your preparation. For a new bow of any material, ask the maker, the retailer or your instructor how to treat it in the first days.
Never draw a bow without an arrow and let it go. The Federation warns that releasing a bow drawn near full length without an arrow can break it.
How the materials differ in character is covered in Bamboo or Synthetic Yumi?.
Unstringing: the same thing in reverse
To unstring, bend the bow by the same method you used to string it (board or two people), then take the loop off the motohazu. Pulling at the loop without bending the bow damages both the loop and the tip.
Whether to unstring after every practice depends on the material and on your teacher. Bamboo bows are judged by their urazori, the way an unstrung bow curves back towards the outer bamboo; your instructor will tell you how your bow should be kept.
Stringing at home
If you string your bow at home rather than at the dojo, check three things first:
- Ceiling height. A yumi is over two metres long. Bent upright, it can hit the ceiling or a light.
- Space around you. If a loop comes off, the bow must be able to spring without hitting anyone or anything.
- Something to string it on. Some kyudo equipment retailers carry boards made for stringing at home. Check that one suits your bow’s length. Never use a wall or the floor instead.
Until you are confident stringing alone, do it at the dojo.
When the string will not go on, or breaks
- The lower loop will not reach the motohazu: the string, as its loop is tied, is too short for the bow. Do not force the bend further. Ask your instructor before re-tying the loop; the Federation notes that re-tying a loop again and again makes the string more likely to break (“道具について”, checked 9 October 2026).
- It goes on, but the string is slack: the string, as its loop is tied, is too long for the bow, or it has stretched. New synthetic strings stretch easily at first.
- The string breaks during practice: with a spare ready (loops tied, nakajikake made), you can restring on the spot. Keeping spares matters even more when the nearest kyudo equipment retailer is abroad; see Kyudo Bowstrings: Replace at 600 Shots.
FAQ
I am a beginner. Can I string my bow alone? Not at first. Start with the dojo board or two people, under supervision. A mistake can turn the bow over or send a string loop flying.
After stringing, the string seems to sit towards the outside of the bow. Do not draw. Take the string off and restring. If it is the same again, the bow’s shape may have changed; show it to your instructor or a kyudo equipment retailer.
Do I make a new string loop every time? No. Once made, a loop stays on that string. If the string stretches and the kyuha changes, the loop position may need adjusting, but avoid re-tying more than you have to.
Is it the same for a club bow? The sequence is the same. Club bows are used by many people, so check the loop size and the condition of the string before you start.
Related pages
- Kyudo Bow Length: Nami-sun vs Nobi-sun
- Bamboo or Synthetic Yumi?
- Kyudo Bowstrings: Replace at 600 Shots
- The Equipment You Need to Start Kyudo
This page sets out the general sequence and precautions for stringing a Japanese bow, based on the All Nippon Kyudo Federation’s guide to equipment, “道具について” (checked October 2026). How the stringing board is used and the details of the method differ between dojo and teachers; follow your own dojo and instructor. If you are unsure about the bow’s condition, ask your instructor before drawing. 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.