Behind a Buddhist church in Florin, a centuries-old tradition is finding new life in Sacramento.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In a quiet, spiritual corner of Sacramento, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month is being honored through an ancient Japanese art form that continues a centuries-old tradition.
Tucked behind the Zen gardens at the Buddhist Church of Florin, kyudo is practiced not for combat, but for mindfulness and peace.
Kyudo Kai of Florin, a nonprofit recreational archery group now in its fourth year, is led by Paula Yoshioka, who says the practice is about more than hitting a target.
“A spirit that exists when you shoot kyudo. It’s mindfulness. It’s a culture; it’s very spiritual,” Yoshioka said.
Kyudo, meaning “way of the bow,” is one of Japan’s oldest martial arts, dating back hundreds of years. Today, it’s practiced in the United States and around the world.
“The technique is like none other. Kyudo, the arrow’s on the right; if you do it correctly, the string will spin around and hit the other side of your hand, but that’s something that Masters take a long time to achieve. It’s not easy,” she said.
For Yoshioka, the practice is also deeply personal. Her family’s roots in Florin go back generations. Her grandfather, a strawberry farmer, was a member of the same church where the group now practices. Her grandparents farmed in the area before being sent to internment camps during World War II.
Today, Yoshioka honors that history with a custom crest of strawberry leaves on her uniform, building something new in a place tied to her family’s past.
“It’s like full circle because I lived in Hawaii for 30 years. I never expected to come here and do something that would bring me full circle with my family,” she said.
Yoshioka first learned kyudo in Hawaii, where she met fellow archer Christopher O’Neal, who later helped establish the group in Florin.
The equipment used in kyudo is highly specialized, with bows and arrows handmade in Japan that can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars — even the gloves are custom-made.
To make the practice more accessible, Yoshioka and her team provide equipment for students.
“We try. This is a recreational kyudo group. There are very serious kyudo groups, very formal, different from this. We want to teach people how to shoot well, how to be safe when they do it, to appreciate the culture behind it,” she said.
With a growing number of students, Yoshioka hopes the tradition continues.
“My hope is that this will just continue on,” she said.
Kyudo Kai of Florin welcomes people of all skill levels, including beginners. The group practices Fridays from 6:30 to 9 p.m., and more information is available at kyudokaiflorin.com.
Exploring the ancient art of kyudo | Behind The Scenes
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