[Breaking News]"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

KYOTO, Japan, May 4 Kyodo - An archer shoots an arrow while riding a horse during the "Yabusame Shinji" rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2025. (Kyodo)

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

An archer shoots an arrow while riding a horse during the "Yabusame Shinji" rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2025.

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

An archer shoots an arrow while riding a horse during the "Yabusame Shinji" rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2025.

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

An archer shoots an arrow while riding a horse during the "Yabusame Shinji" rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2023. About 30,000 people watched the annual event.

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

An archer shoots an arrow while riding a horse during the "Yabusame Shinji" rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2023. About 30,000 people watched the annual event.

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

An archer shoots an arrow while riding a horse during the "Yabusame Shinji" rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2023. About 30,000 people watched the annual event.

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

An archer shoots an arrow while riding a horse during the "Yabusame Shinji" rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2023. About 30,000 people watched the annual event.

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

An archer shoots an arrow while riding a horse during the "Yabusame Shinji" rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2023. About 30,000 people watched the annual event.

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

Mounted archery rite "Yabusame" at Kyoto shrine

An archer shoots an arrow while riding a horse during the "Yabusame Shinji" rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2023. About 30,000 people watched the annual event.

Traditional mounted archery performed in Kamakura, Japan

Traditional mounted archery performed in Kamakura, Japan

KAMAKURA, Japan - An archer on a running horse shoots an arrow at a wooden target at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu shrine in a show of traditional "Yabusame" Japanese archery in Kamakura, southwest of Tokyo, on Sept. 16, 2014. The martial art dates back to the beginning of the Kamakura period some 800 years ago.

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto

KYOTO, Japan - An archer in traditional costume shoots an arrow while riding a horse at full speed during the annual "Yabusame Shinji" event at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2014. Archers shot at three 50-centimeter-square targets set at 100-meter intervals. About 22,000 visitors watched the event.

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto

KYOTO, Japan - An archer in traditional costume shoots an arrow while riding a horse at full speed during the annual "Yabusame Shinji" event at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2014. Archers shot at three 50-centimeter-square targets set at 100-meter intervals. About 22,000 visitors watched the event.

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

An archer dressed in traditional attire shoots an arrow while riding a horse at full speed during the annual "Yabusame Shinji" event at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2016. Around 23,000 spectators gathered to watch the archers aim at 50-centimeter-square targets set on the 400-meter horse track. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

An archer dressed in traditional attire shoots an arrow while riding a horse at full speed during the annual "Yabusame Shinji" event at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2016. Around 23,000 spectators gathered to watch the archers aim at 50-centimeter-square targets set on the 400-meter horse track. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Int'l horseback archery event held in Nikko

Int'l horseback archery event held in Nikko

A Polish female archer on a running horse shoots an arrow at a target during an international horseback archery event at Nikko Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, on Oct. 15, 2015. A total of 22 archers from 13 countries took part in the event to mark 400 years since the death of feudal ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Shinto shrine honors the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan between 1603 and 1867. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Int'l horseback archery event held in Nikko

Int'l horseback archery event held in Nikko

An archer on a running horse shoots an arrow at a target eight meters above during an international horseback archery event at Nikko Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, on Oct. 15, 2015. A total of 22 archers from 13 countries took part in the event to mark 400 years since the death of feudal ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Shinto shrine honors the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan between 1603 and 1867. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Int'l horseback archery event held in Nikko

Int'l horseback archery event held in Nikko

An archer on a running horse shoots an arrow at a target during an international horseback archery event at Nikko Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, on Oct. 15, 2015. A total of 22 archers from 13 countries took part in the event to mark 400 years since the death of feudal ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Shinto shrine honors the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan between 1603 and 1867. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Int'l horseback archery event held in Nikko

Int'l horseback archery event held in Nikko

An archer on a running horse shoots an arrow at a target during an international horseback archery event at Nikko Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, on Oct. 15, 2015. A total of 22 archers from 13 countries took part in the event to mark 400 years since the death of feudal ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Shinto shrine honors the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan between 1603 and 1867. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Archer on horseback in action to mark anniv. of shrine founder's death

Archer on horseback in action to mark anniv. of shrine founder's death

An archer on a running horse shoots an arrow as part of a ceremony at Nikko Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, on May 17, 2015, marking 400 years since the death of feudal ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Shinto shrine honors the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan between 1603 and 1867. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Archery event marks 400th anniv. of shrine founder's death

Archery event marks 400th anniv. of shrine founder's death

An archer on a running horse shoots an arrow at a wooden target as part of a ceremony at Nikko Toshogu in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, on May 17, 2015, marking 400 years since the death of feudal ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Shinto shrine, founded by the warlord, is dedicated to the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan between 1603 and 1867. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto

An archer in traditional costume shoots an arrow while riding a horse at full speed during the annual "Yabusame Shinji" event at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2015. Archers shot at three 50-centimeter-square targets set at 100-meter intervals. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto

An archer in traditional costume shoots an arrow while riding a horse at full speed during the annual "Yabusame Shinji" event at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2015. Archers shot at three 50-centimeter-square targets set at 100-meter intervals. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Traditional mounted archery performed in Kamakura, Japan

Traditional mounted archery performed in Kamakura, Japan

KAMAKURA, Japan - An archer on a running horse shoots an arrow at a wooden target at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu shrine in a show of traditional "Yabusame" Japanese archery in Kamakura, southwest of Tokyo, on Sept. 16, 2014. The martial art dates back to the beginning of the Kamakura period some 800 years ago. (Kyodo)

Mounted archery ceremony "Yabusame" held at Kyoto shrine

Mounted archery ceremony "Yabusame" held at Kyoto shrine

An archer shoots an arrow while riding a horse at the annual "Yabusame Shinji" rite at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

"Yabusame" mounted archery rite at Kyoto shrine

An archer dressed in traditional attire shoots an arrow while riding a horse at full speed during the annual "Yabusame Shinji" event at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto on May 3, 2017. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo