Sunday Workshop Brings Traditional Japanese Archery to Trégunc Dojo
A straw target at very close range awaits novices this weekend as Le Centre Kyudo opens its doors at the gymnasium dojo in Trégunc. Running from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. local time (0900 to 1630 UTC) this Sunday, the intensive session introduces beginners aged 12 and older to the meticulous world of traditional Japanese archery, as reported by Ouest-France.
Four Decades of Martial Arts Mastery Under Pilot-Maréchal
At the helm of the association is 74-year-old Jean-Pierre Pilot-Maréchal. A third-dan in aikido who discovered kyudo four decades ago, he now leads a small group of students through the disciplined routines of an intimate dojo environment.
The Philosophical Pursuit of Self-Forgetfulness
Unlike Western sport archery, practitioners here leave competitive scoring and physical dominance behind, prioritizing personal concentration and mental serenity instead. “It is not a question of showing one’s strength, but of tending toward self-forgetfulness, non-ego,” Pilot-Maréchal explained. A Japanese calligraphy piece hangs visibly during every session to ground students in this exact philosophical approach.
Progressing From Close-Range Makiwara to 80-Meter Marks
Sunday participants will begin their instruction on the makiwara, before eventually advancing to standard targets. For those who continue with the discipline—which hosts these Sunday workshops approximately every month and a half—archers practice at varying distances set at 2.5 meters, 28 meters, and 80 meters.
Rejecting Physical Performance for Inner Focus
“It is not about seeking to valorize oneself through physical performance,” Pilot-Maréchal stated, underscoring the demanding mental core of the ancient martial art.
Worth a look
