Harukaze-kan — “The Hall of the Spring Wind”
A short reportage on the first European Kyudo school, located in Bareggio, Italy. Within the wooden walls of Harukaze-kan — “The Hall of the Spring Wind”, practitioners follow the Insai-ha tradition of the Heki-Ryū school, once guided by Sensei Inagaki Genshiro until 1995. Here, every movement is a poetic meditation of sorts, the quiet steps on the polished floor, the slow raising of the bow, the breath before release. As a poem from the school’s tradition teaches, “Shoot the first arrow and judge whether it was shot correctly. Before the second, reflect deeply and decide how you wish to shoot.” For Inagaki, striking the target was never the aim but a mirror of one’s inner state, a way to measure harmony between technique and spirit, where the pursuit of the center becomes, ultimately, the target. These images capture moments of focus and ritual, the stillness before release, the precise gestures passed from teacher to student, and the serene discipline that defines Kyudo, “the Way of the Bow.” Beneath the structure’s simple architecture lies a deep reverence for form and spirit. Here, amidst the scent of wood and the soft light filtering through the dojo, European practitioners embody a centuries-old pursuit, not to hit the target, but to find harmony between body, bow, and mind.