OBIHIRO, JAPAN – Mastering a sport from another culture can feel like an overwhelming challenge — one that many find is best left to the locals.
But for Gregory Stewart, it has become a way of life.
Stewart stands in his dojo where he and other archers train.Rebecca Rosman/The World
Stewart, 59, an Australian, is a champion of one of Japan’s oldest martial arts — kyudo, a traditional form of archery that dates back over 10,000 years. In its most dynamic form, kyudo is practiced on horseback in an ancient discipline called “yabusame.”
Imagine a horse galloping at nearly 40 miles per hour. Perhaps it’s no wonder that Stewart’s longtime horse was named Inazuma, which means “lightning” in Japanese. Now, imagine the two charging down the track as Stewart prepares to release his arrow.
The crowd holds its breath. The snap of the bowstring echoes. Three arrows, three bull’s-eyes. The audience erupts in astonishment.
Stewart aims for the makiwara, the straw target.Rebecca Rosman/The World
A journey into the unknown
Stewart holds a remarkable title: All Japan Champion in yabusame, a feat no other international competitor has achieved. But don’t expect him to boast about it.
“From my perspective, I’m not looking at the other competitors thinking, ‘You’re all Japanese, and I’m foreign,’” Stewart said. “To me, it’s just like we’re all yabusame athletes.”
Gregory Stewart holds the All Japan Champion title in yabusame.Rebecca Rosman/The World
Standing at 6 feet, 5 inches tall, lean and muscular with a shaved head, Stewart is a striking figure in Japan, where the average man stands at 5-foot-7-inches. His journey into this ancient art, however, began quite unexpectedly.
Twenty years ago, when Stewart first moved to Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido to teach English, he hoped to take up the martial art of aikido at a local recreation center. But when he arrived, he discovered they didn’t offer aikido.
Instead, Stewart stumbled upon something else — a martial art that involved a bow and arrow.
Curious, he peeked into the training room.
“The senior teacher caught me looking,” Stewart recalled. “His face lit up, and he was like, ‘Come in, come in! Here, put this on your hand. Stand here. Hold this.’”
A traditional Japanese yumi, wrapped.Rebecca Rosman/The World
Before he knew it, he was holding a “yumi” — a Japanese longbow — about to shoot at a straw target called a “makiwara.”
The result?
“Oh, terrible,” he laughed. “Absolutely dreadful. My elbow was too high, I was pulling to my cheek — just doing everything wrong.”
But he managed not to hurt himself — and even hit the target. Impressed, the teacher invited him back for free private lessons.
Stewart stands holding his yumi and arrows.Rebecca Rosman/The World
“How could I say no?” Stewart says. “I started training once a week, and as I got better, I realized once a week wasn’t enough. I started practicing more and more, and eventually, I reached a point where I could practice on my own.”
Rising through the ranks
Today, Stewart holds the prestigious kyudo rank of Renshi 6th Dan. In yabusame, he has claimed the title of All Japan Champion three times — a testament to his dedication and skill, both on and off the horse.
Despite his achievements, he acknowledges that his presence in the sport sometimes raises eyebrows.
“There’s a very tiny, underlying sense of, ‘Wouldn’t you rather be somewhere else?’” Stewart admitted. “Like, ‘Why is this guy here? Does he know what this is all about?’”
Still, he takes it in stride. At his local dojo — a traditional training hall — the atmosphere is calm and meditative. The only sound is that of the arrow striking its target.
Stewart has earned the kyudo rank of Renshi 6th Dan.Rebecca Rosman/The World
“The dojo is a quiet place,” Stewart explained. “Everything outside — the traffic, the taxes, the politics, the mess of life — it’s all left behind.”
Stewart has changed into his white uniform, adjusting the wide black pleats of his attire. He unwraps his yumi with care, then steps forward. The air is thick with concentration.
At this point, all the attention in this room is on Stewart, who has the posture of a mythical creature.
He strikes and gives a bow.