Kyudo-ness

One of the most enjoyable things about my time in Hakodate was getting to practice kyudo (the Japanese martial art of archery) again. In high school I had the luck to live very close to a dojo, and for about a year and a half I studied kyudo there. Of course, there being only about 12 kyudojos in the entire US, I didn't get that lucky again, and I had to put my kyudo study on hold during college.
Through HIF, I had the chance to get back into kyudo through the club team at Iai High School. Not only were the girls at the club really great and friendly, but the high school turned out to be just down the road from my house, so I was able to go to practice pretty much every day for the bulk of the summer. Even better, for the last couple of weeks I, along with a couple of other Iai students, got to go to the dojo where the Iai sensei practices with his sensei, an amazing and impressive teacher.
At the last practice before HIF ended, the Iai club threw a sort of farewell practice/party for us. They had extra hakama and gi (the traditional kyudo uniform) ready for me and the other HIF regulars, and we each got little posters with messages from all the members of the club.
Here's me, all dressed up:

Some of the Iai senpai demonstrating for us:


And some more of the second-years:


Finally--a group picture! The Iai High School kyudo club, and the HIF exchange students (the three of us are in the front)