The yumi is the traditional Japanese bow used by samurai and other Japanese warriors.
Unlike most bows, the yumi is asymmetrical: its grip sits below the midpoint, leaving a longer upper limb and shorter lower limb. This design helped archers use the bow from horseback and in different shooting positions.
Samurai warfare in earlier periods relied heavily on mounted archery. Elite warriors often fought with the bow before closing with swords or spears. The yumi was usually made from laminated wood, bamboo, and other materials rather than from a single piece of timber.
The term yumi can refer broadly to Japanese bows, while kyūdō is the modern Japanese martial art of archery. The curved sword called a katana is more famous internationally, but archery remained central to the warrior tradition for centuries.