Until the Meiji Restoration, with some exceptions, only members of the samurai class were allowed to draw bows, but after the restoration the common people were allowed to draw bows, and it rapidly became a game or an amusement.
明治維新以前は、弓を引くことは一部の例外を除いて武士階級のみが許されていたが、維新後は一般庶民でも弓が引けるようになり、急速に遊戯化・娯楽化が進んだ。