Johnson County is home to the Iowa Kyudo Kai, an affiliate of the American Kyudo Renmei. Formed in 2017, the Iowa Kyudo Kai is an offshoot of the Minnesota Renmei. The group practices every week to build strength, discipline, and knowledge of the sport. They participate in Taikai, or competition, with the greater Kyudo community. They also travel for international seminars to learn and get feedback from the highest level Kyudoka.
Kyudo, or “the Way of the Bow,” is the tradition of Japanese archery that began during feudal Japan. In recent years, the practice has expanded across the U.S. Modern Kyudo was formulated in the mid-1900s by three instructors of the Koryu — translated to “the old schools” — and two instructors of modern Kyudo schools. This was done with the intention of practitioners of all schools being able to practice together in harmony with a unified Taihai — translated to “body arrangements.”
The Iowa Kyudo Kai practices at the Cedar Rapids Recreation Center and the Coralville Archery Range each week. They perform a handful of demonstrations per year around Iowa at cultural events such as Anime Iowa or AsianFest.
