The organizer of the event was Regional Public Organization “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo”. As a co-organizer there were the General Consulate of Japan in Saint-Petersburg and Interregional Public Organization “Kyudo Federation”. The general leadership of organization was by Saint-Petersburg Branch of “Russian Union of Martial Arts”.

The event was held as part of 5th Annual Kyudo Festival White Nights “Kyudo-Style” 2016, which this year was visited for the first time by a delegation from Japan was consisted of 5 people, headed by the Deputy of General Manager of the All Nippon Kyudo Federation (ANKF) Mr. Miike Masaki. The delegation consists of students of the International Budo University (Japan, Kanto), who visited Saint-Petersburg in the context of the Cultural and Youth Exchange Program in the field of Kyudo through the Japan-Russia Youth Exchange Center.

The Kyudo Tournament was held in a comfortable gym of “The Volleyball Academy named after Platonov”, located on Krestovsky Island, one of the most picturesque locations in the center of Saint-Petersburg. On the first day of the Tournament it was held the Opening Ceremony of the event, upon completion of which the participants had started the competition as part of the Team championship.

As honored guests at the Opening Ceremony of Tournament were attended: Vice-Consul in Cultural area of General Consulate of Japan in Saint-Petersburg Mr. Tomoki Nakamura, the heads of Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad Region Branch of “Russian Union of Martial Arts” Mr. M.Kuzmin and Mr. M.Shmelev, the President of the Aikido Federation of Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad region Mr. V.Skrylev, the Vice-President of the National Council of the Aikido of Russia Mr. S.Kiselev, the Head Coach of the National Council of the Aikido of Russia Mr. I.Novikov and the Board Member of the Regional Public Organization “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Archery” Mr. D.Mokhorov.

Moreover, Solemn Opening Ceremony was attended by Mr. Yamada Yoshimitsu – the President of the Aikido Federation of the USA and Latin America, the Technical Director of Aikido Federation of Australia, who was with a visit in Saint-Petersburg on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary Aikido Festival “White nights 2016”.

In the reply word Sergey Lazo, the President of the Regional Public Organization “Saint- Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo”, said the words of thankfulness to the co-organizers of the event and presented their represents with the “Gratitudes” from the Regional Public Organization “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo”.

At the end of Open Ceremony for Guests and Participants of the event it was held the demonstration of Iaido (Mr S. Kulakov, the Club of Martial Arts “Seidokan”) and of Kyudo (combined team of Moscow and Saint-Petersburg clubs).

At the end of team championship after the reshooting for the 3rd place, because of the equal number of points,the places distributed in the following way:

The second day of the Tournament was dedicated to Individual Championship. Except the traditional rewards from the organizers of the event, for the best archer of Individual Championship the General Consulate of Japan in Saint-Petersburg founded the Cup of General Consul of Japan in Saint-Petersburg.

At the tournament, 34 people took part in the context of the individual championship, including 5 representatives from Japan and the representatives of such regions of Russia as Moscow, Saint- Petersburg and Cherepovets. Each participant had to make 24 shots. They shot for 4 arrows in one series.

At the end of the sixth series it is determined, that the same number of points was scored by 4 people.

According to the results of some reshooting the prize places were allotted in such way:

The winners of Individual Championship were rewarded with medals, cups, diplomas and memorable pennants from Regional Public Organization “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo”.

The best archer of the First International Friendly Kyudo Tournament, which took place in context of the Annual Kyudo Festival White nights. “Kyudo-Style” 2016, became Anna Alekseeva (Russia, Moscow). We heartily congratulate our Russian archer, who has coped with a difficult task in the competition with our guests from Japan. She managed not only to maintain the composure at the crucial moment, but also went down in the history as the First winner of the First International Friendly Kyudo Tournament in Saint-Petersburg, preserving the Cup of General Consulate of Japan in Saint-Petersburg as a trophy of Russian archers.

At the end of the Tournament Sergey Lazo, The President of Regional Public Organization “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo”, presented a memorable gift to the Japanese delegation on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the International Federation of Kyudo (IKYF), which is celebrated this year and he thanked the Japanese colleagues for their visit and the attention to the process of Kyudo development in Saint-Petersburg in particular, and Russia as a whole.

Saint-Petersburg Branch of “Russian Union of Martial Arts” has given an appreciation for the event, which was held in the field of Kyudo for first time in Russia on the Neva River banks. It has become clear that the efforts of the recent years to the development and popularization of Kyudo in Saint-Petersburg were not in vain. The Annual Kyudo Festival White Nights. “Kyudo- Style” has got not only international format, but also has received the recognition from the founders of this ancient and very uneasy art, as the archery of traditional Japanese bow. Let us hope that this fact will bring in the future, a lot of enjoyable moments to all fans of Kyudo in Russia, allowing to meet regularly in Saint-Petersburg at the such events, exchanging experiences, improving skills and communicating in a friendly way.

Regional Public Organization “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo” thanks all participants and co-organizers of the event for their help in organization, for participation and support of this project. We sincerely hope,that the history of annual Friendly Kyudo Tournaments in Saint-Petersburg during the White Nights will continue its development.