Weekly News Digest
産経オンライン英会話 ニュースディスカッション教材
On Coming of Age Day, Kyoto hosts a national archery competition for new adults. It is a
once-in-a-lifetime experience as all participants must be 20 years old.
On January 15, which is Coming of Age Day in Japan, the Omato National Archery Competition was held at
Kyoto's Sanjusangendo Temple in Higashiyama ward. The Kyoto Kyudo Federation is the organizer of the
competition.
About 1,600 men and women — all 20 years old — gathered from across Japan to compete in archery. Clad
in beautiful kimonos, they shot their arrows one after another at a target 60 m (197 feet) away.
This annual New Year event originates in the Toshiya archery contest of the Edo period, where samurai
competed in how many arrows they could shoot under the eaves of the main hall.
One of the participants, Marin Yamada, is a sophomore at Kyoto Sangyo University who lives in Kyoto's
Kita Ward. Smiling, she says, "It really struck home that I've turned 20. I'm happy we could all draw our
bows together."
Although the revised Civil Code lowered the age of adulthood in April 2022, this year's competitors were
required to be 20 years old, just like in previous years.
京都市東山区の三十三間堂で１５日、晴れ着姿の２０歳の男女が弓道の腕前を競い合う新春恒例の大的全国大会が開かれた。江戸時代に武士が、本堂の軒下で射通した矢の数を競った「通し矢」にちなむ行事。全国から集まった約１６００人が、６０メートル先の的に次々と矢を放った。
京都市北区に住む京都産業大２年山田まりんさん（２０）は「二十歳になったことを実感できた。みんなで弓を引けてうれしい」と笑顔で話した。
京都府弓道連盟が主催。昨年４月施行の改正民法で成人年齢が１８歳に引き下げられたが、従来通り２０２２年度に２０歳となる男女を参加資格とした。