Azuchi, or Aduchi, the Target Bank which was used in Kyudo for saving arrow. In kanji (Japanese character), we use “垜" or “安土". Especially “垜" this word, it is composed of 木(wood), 乃(and),  土(soil). It mean that our Aduchi is made by “wood" and “soil“. (We’ve got a good point there!!!)

Since, I has received from Yoshimitsu Usami sensei (the chief director of Aichi Kyudo Federation) in private. Sensei always share me so many intersting information. This time, we talk about how to make the traditional Aduchi simply. First of all, we need to gather the materials. As explained above, we need “soil" and “wood". What is the “soil"? However, it is not mud, not clay, not earth. The base of our Aduchi is the “river sand”. Then, we need “wood” for fermenting inside the river sand. Do you know what is the “wood”?

The answer is…………………………..”sawdust”!

Now, we can start to prepare for making our Aduchi. Usami sensei said: “This is made of Aduchi mixed with a ratio of one parts river sand to one part sawdust. Then, we just leave it wild for half year“. (half year………)

Actually, only in my experience (for maintaining Aduchi 4 years), we need to mix river sand, rice stem, clay and cat’s feces………….(Actually, Sensei’s words delivered a shocking blow that woke me up completely……).

to be continued….

next time, we will share how we made Aduchi. 👍