Of all the martial arts studied by warriors, who were also called 'Yumihiki' or 'Yumitori' (both mean archers), archery was regarded as the most important, with bows and arrows not only used as major weapons on the battlefield, but also as sacred treasures which kept evil spirits away in peacetime.
「弓ひき」「弓とり」とも呼ばれた武士が心得る武術の中で最高のものとされていた弓(武器)は、戦乱時の主用武器として、平時においても魔を鎮める神聖な神器として警護用に使われた。