Arrows are the part of a kyudo kit you will buy again and again, and the only part where getting the size wrong is a safety question rather than a comfort one. An arrow that is too short can be drawn past the bow. That is what the added margin in the formula is for.
Measuring your yazuka
Stand facing forward, chest out, and extend both arms horizontally to shoulder height. Measure from the centre of the throat to the tip of the left middle finger. That distance is your yazuka.
Then:
Arrow length = yazuka + 10 to 15 cm
The added length is a safety margin, not a fitting preference. Ordering “exactly your draw” is the one shortcut not to take here.
If someone can measure for you, let them. Measuring your own arm span while holding a tape shortens the reading in the direction that produces a too-short arrow.
The three shaft materials
| Material | Character |
|---|---|
| Jyuralumin (aluminium alloy) | The most widely used today. Affordable and easy to handle. |
| Carbon | Growing in popularity, with a wide range of designs. Favoured for distance shooting. |
| Bamboo | The traditional method, requiring considerable time to make. Preferred by advanced archers. |
The order here mirrors the bow: the traditional material sits at the far end of the path, not the beginning. See Bamboo or Synthetic Yumi — the same logic, and the same exception for anyone with a shoulder or elbow history.
Feathers are chosen by your level and your bow
Feather selection depends on proficiency and the strength of your bow — it is not a fixed table you can read off. This is one to settle with your instructor rather than from a catalogue, especially at a distance where you cannot handle the arrows first.
Ordering from overseas
- Send your yazuka, not your height. Height is a proxy for the bow; the arrow is cut to the measured value.
- State the margin you want within the 10–15 cm range rather than leaving it to be assumed.
- Arrows ship as a long parcel. Like the bow, the constraint is usually courier length limits, not price — see the bow length table, which has the same problem at 245 cm.
- Buy in sets and keep spares. Arrows are consumables; a damaged shaft mid-practice should not mean weeks of waiting.
For the whole kit and the order to buy it in, see The Equipment You Need to Start Kyudo, and Kyudo Equipment Costs.
Sources. The yazuka measuring posture and points, the 10–15 cm addition, the three shaft materials and their characters, and that feather choice depends on proficiency and bow strength: the All Japan Kyudo Equipment Association (kyudogu.jp). Checked 2026-08-18. We do not sell equipment. Arrow length is a safety matter — confirm the measurement with your instructor before ordering.