Annual Interregional Kyudo Tournament  for the Cup of the Consul General of Japan in St. Petersburg
Last Sunday, on the 23rd of June, 2019 in Saint-Petersburg it was held the Annual Friendly Kyudo Tournament “White Nights. Kyudo-Style” for the Cup of General Consul of Japan in Saint-Petersburg. The organizer of the event was RPO “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo” under the under the general supervision of the Saint-Petersburg Branch of “Russian Union of Martial Arts” (the President   Mr.Kuzmin M.I.).
Unfortunately, the weather made its own adjustments and did not allow holding the Tournament traditionally on Krestovsky Island. This year, the archers from the Japanese bow were hospitably received in the legendary Club of Martial Arts “Lenkai” (the President of the Club Mr. Novikov I.A).
The participants of the Tournament were the representatives of Saint-Petersburg, Leningrad region and Cherepovets. Among the honored guests of the Tournament were the General Consul of Japan in Saint-Petersburg Mr. Iijima Yasumasa, the Consul of the General Consulate of Japan Mr. Asanuma Takehiro, the Executive Director of the Saint-Petersburg Branch of “Russian Union of Martial Arts” Mr.V. Skrylev, and also, the Heads of the Clubs of Japanese Culture in Saint-Petersburg Ms. Burmistrova N.P. (The Club of the tea ceremony “Tyanoyu”) and Mr. Kulakov S.V. (the Centre of martial arts “Seidokan”).
This year the atmosphere at the event was special, because of the fact that 2019 is the Kyudo Anniversary Year in Saint-Petersburg. Honorary Guests of the event made a welcoming speech to the participants of the Tournament, wished them success and congratulated the members of the RPO “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo” with the 10th anniversary of the Federation. In addition, in recognition of the achievements in the field of Kyudo development in Saint-Petersburg and Russia the members of RPO “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo” – Zhukova D.O., Isaeva M.F., Tishina L.V. – were rewarded with Diplomas of the Russian Union of Martial Arts, and also, the President of  RPO “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo”  Mr. Lazo S.N. was awarded with Diploma and the Cup for many years of work and personal contribution to the popularization and development of Kyudo in Russia on behalf of the Russian Union of Martial Arts.
After the welcome words of the guests, to the participants of the Tournament were read out the congratulations from Mr. Ichiro Kawabata – the Honorary Member of RPO “Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo”, in the past the General Consul of Japan in Saint-Petersburg, received on the eve of the Tournament from Japan.
In response, the President of the Federation Lazo S.N. thanked everyone for the warm wishes and present to the guests of the event the Gratitudes for the 10-year productive cooperation on behalf of the organizers of the event.
The solemn part of the event ended with a demonstration of Iaido by representatives of the Club “Seidokan” and by the ceremony "Hitotsu Mato Shyarei", performed by the archers of the Saint-Petersburg Federation of Traditional Kyudo.
15 people took part in the Interregional Kyudo Tournament. The archers competed in team and individual championships. The teams of 3 people were formed by the drawing. Each of the participants made 24 shots at the traditional Kyudo distance Kinteki (28 metres).
In the team championships the prize places were allotted in such way:
The 1st place – Solomatov A., Anan’ina A., Tishina L.
The 2nd place – Nurgaliev V., Isaeva M., Mavrin A.
The 3rd place – Zhukova D., Antyufeeva A., Tolkachov E.
In the individual championships the prize places were allotted in such way:
The 1st place – Tishina Lilia

The 2nd place – Zhukova Diana

The 3rd place – Nurgaliev Vitalii
The main Prize of the Tournament - the Cup of General Consul of Japan in Saint-Petersburg in a fair fight went to the winner of the tournament – to Tishina Lilia.
According to the results of the Tournament, the participants who took the prizes places were rewarded with diplomas, medals and cups.
The organizers express their sincere gratitude for the support and participation in the organization and conducting of the Tournament to everyone who was involved into it, including the General Consulate of Japan in Saint- Petersburg, the Saint-Petersburg Branch of “Russian Union of Martial Arts”, the Club of Martial Arts “Lenkai”, the Club of Tea Ceremony "Tyanoyu", the Centre of martial arts “Seidokan”. In addition, the organizers thank all the participants of the Tournament, who contribute to the development of Kyudo in our country by their annual participation.