The gathering brought together 12 teams from across Asia and Oceania:

Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, China (Gorin Kan), China (Seikoku), Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, and Vietnam.

Representing Thailand were:

Waris M.
Paolo M.
Pitiwat C.
Attasit S.
Merisa M.
Rustam K.
Kei Y.
Michael B.

Arriving Early: Two Days to Prepare

We planned our trip so that we would arrive two days before the event. We wanted enough time to rest, adjust ourselves, and prepare mentally and physically.

We arrived in Malaysia on the morning of Thursday, 13 November 2025.

The weather was quite similar to Thailand’s at that time of year. There was a little drizzle, but nothing that caused any problems during our journey.

From the airport, it took about an hour to reach our accommodation. We chose a hotel close to the event venue, which made travelling around much easier.

After checking in, we headed straight to practice at Hokusei-Kan Dojo, the dojo of Hiro-senpai.

And honestly…

It was eye-opening.

Thailand still does not have a permanent Kyudo dojo of our own. So being able to visit a proper dojo overseas—and not even in Japan—was a really valuable experience.

Of course, I couldn’t help looking around and studying everything.

How was the shooting area arranged?

Where was everything positioned?

How did they organize the space?

What ideas could we bring back and adapt for a future dojo in Thailand?

The dojo was located in a separate room within a badminton court facility. It had a standard 28-meter shooting distance and could accommodate three shooting lanes at the same time. There were also two changing rooms.

But the thing that impressed me the most was the camera system.

The camera had around a 15-second delay, and the footage was displayed on a screen. After shooting, we could simply turn around and immediately watch our own form from the previous shot.

No need to rely on a mirror like we usually do in Thailand.

I remember thinking:

“We have to do this when we get back.” ><

It was such a simple idea, but incredibly useful.

Meeting Old Friends Again

At Hokusei-Kan, we also met friends from different countries whom we hadn’t seen for quite some time.

Some of them had first met us at the South East Asia Kyudo Gathering in Thailand two years earlier. Others were people we had met at the event in Indonesia the previous year, while some had crossed paths with us at the seminar and Shinsa in Nagoya earlier that April.

It felt like a reunion.

Except this time, everyone had improved.

Everyone’s form looked stronger. We exchanged techniques, talked about training, shared ideas, and compared how Kyudo was practiced in each country.

Even the equipment and setup were different.

For example, the way they used their backstop was quite different from what we use in Thailand. Once again, I found myself thinking about how we could take that idea home and try it ourselves.

After practice, Hiro-senpai took us to a nearby restaurant.

There were more than twenty of us.

The atmosphere was full of laughter and stories, but we didn’t stay up too late. Everyone still had to save their energy for the main event.

Eventually, we said goodnight and headed back to our hotels.

Visiting Wakagi Dojo

On Friday morning, 14 November 2025, we visited another dojo: Wakagi Dojo, following an invitation from Chris, who had contacted our club president.

We didn’t shoot that day because we wanted to conserve our energy for the competition the following morning.

But simply being there was already a great opportunity.

Wakagi Dojo had only recently opened. It was spacious and open, giving the place a very comfortable and airy feeling.

It wasn’t exclusively for Kyudo either. The facility also welcomed Western Archery, creating a different kind of atmosphere with people practicing different forms of archery side by side.

The natural light there was beautiful. Somehow, every corner looked good in photographs.

There was even a small Japanese-style decorated area that immediately made me miss Japan.

Once again, we met friends from different teams.

And once again, watching everyone practice made me feel something inside.

I wanted to do better.

Seeing people who were working so hard made me want to work harder too.

It was the kind of motivation that makes you think:

Okay. I need to step up.

After getting our fill of watching everyone’s form, we sneaked out for a little sightseeing around Kuala Lumpur before returning to the hotel to rest and prepare for the big day.

Day One — Team Competition

Saturday, 15 November 2025, was the first official day of the event.

The atmosphere was already energetic from the morning.

Registration began at 9:00 AM, followed by Free Practice, giving everyone the opportunity to warm up and prepare before the actual competition.

Every team looked serious.

Everyone had come prepared.

The highlight of the first day was the Team Competition.

Thailand’s team consisted of:

Pitiwat C.
Attasit S.
Waris M.

That was also the shooting order.

The competition started in the afternoon.

During the first half, Thailand performed really well. For a while, we were even within reach of the top positions.

The cheering became louder every time someone made a hit.

Then Waris became the first Thai archer to achieve Kaichū—four consecutive hits.

The applause went on for what felt like forever.

The atmosphere was intense.

Each team had 7 minutes and 30 seconds to complete all 12 arrows—three arrows per archer.

There were even three rounds out of five where the warning bell rang before we had finished shooting.

That made everyone incredibly tense.

In one round, we had only two seconds remaining before the time limit ended.

Two seconds.

You can imagine the tension.

But during the second half, other teams began to catch up.

In the end, Thailand did not make it into the ranking, finishing around the middle of the table.

Still, I felt that we had given it everything.

What Did We Learn?

Personally, I don’t think Thailand’s score this year was bad at all.

If we had achieved the same score at a Southeast Asian-level event like the previous year, we probably would have been near the top.

But this was an Asia–Oceania-level event.

The number of competitors was larger.

The range of experience was wider.

The overall level was higher.

And suddenly, one thing became very clear:

We simply don’t train enough.

That doesn’t mean Thai Kyudo practitioners aren’t trying.

We are.

But it is a little like running.

While we are running, everyone else is running too.

The difference is simply:

Who can run faster, and who can keep running farther?

That is what this competition showed me.

It gave an incredible amount of experience—not only to those who competed, but also to those standing on the sidelines watching and cheering.

The feeling was intense.

Sometimes almost numb.

Sometimes heavy.

Sometimes overwhelming.

But at the same time, there was something incredibly exciting about it.

I remember thinking:

“This is what a real competition feels like.”

This wasn’t just ordinary shooting.

Every team had come to compete.

Every team had come to test themselves.

Everyone was giving everything they had.

And every team performed incredibly well.

Why Compete?

Someone once asked:

“Why compete? What do you actually gain from it?”

I believe that training alone can absolutely make you better.

But if you stay inside the same world, never meet your competitors, and never see how hard other people are working, it becomes very easy to stop improving without even realizing it.

Competition isn’t necessarily about defeating someone else.

For me, competition is a mirror.

It shows us where we are standing.

And it shows us how much farther we can still go.

It becomes the spark that pushes us beyond our own limits.

I don’t really agree with the question:

“Why compete? What is the point? Isn’t Kyudo supposed to be about competing with yourself?”

Yes.

Kyudo is absolutely about competing with yourself.

But if we want to improve, if we want to grow, I believe we need something that pushes us.

And for me, competition is one of those forces.

It makes us stronger.

It makes us better.

And most importantly, it helps us see ourselves more clearly.

That is what I gained from competing.

The Results

At the end of the first day, the results were announced.

Asia Cup

1st Place — All Nippon Kyudo Federation, Japan
2nd Place — Taiwan Kyudo Association, Chinese Taipei
3rd Place — Gorin Kan, China

Southeast Asia Cup

1st Place — Malaysia Kyudo Association, Malaysia

After the day’s competition, the Thai team members from SKK went out for dinner together near our accommodation.

It was a simple ending to a very intense day.

Then we went back to rest.

Day Two — Individual Competition

Sunday, 16 November 2025, was the second and final day of the event.

The competition on this day was Individual Competition.

The shooting started with lower ranks and gradually moved up to higher Dan levels.

Each competitor shot eight arrows in total, four arrows per round.

The atmosphere became increasingly intense as the competition reached the higher Dan levels.

The cheering grew louder.

Whenever someone made a hit, people shouted:

“YOSHI!”

Different countries competed not only with their arrows, but almost with their voices.

The energy was contagious.

Personally, I really enjoy watching high-Dan archers shoot.

Not just the shooting itself, but everything around it.

The way they prepare.

The way they walk.

The way they sit and stand.

The stillness before the shot.

The differences between each Dan level become surprisingly visible.

And when you watch very high-Dan practitioners walk, there is something almost effortless about it.

They seem to float forward.

So calm.

So graceful.

Normally, I would watch competitions like this online through a screen.

But being there in person is completely different.

You can hear the atmosphere.

You can feel the tension.

You can see the movement with your own eyes.

And honestly…

It gave me goosebumps.

The individual competition finished with:

1st — Tomonari Okoshi, Japan
2nd — Sian-Hua Tan, Chinese Taipei
3rd — Hiroto Ikeshita, Japan
4th — William Adriano, Indonesia
5th — Ru Jin Heng, China

The Gathering Begins

After the competition ended, the shooting area opened for free practice.

Anyone who wanted to practice could stay and shoot.

And this was the moment when the event truly began to feel like a Gathering.

People took turns.

They exchanged knowledge.

They gave each other advice.

They watched one another shoot.

And this was exactly what I had been waiting for.

I went to ask several Sensei to watch my form and give me advice.

It felt like a moment to absorb as much knowledge as possible.

Every little comment mattered.

Every correction gave me something to think about.

And I could genuinely feel that my shooting had improved.

I came home with so much more than I had arrived with.

Not just memories.

Not just competition experience.

But knowledge.

New ideas.

New perspectives.

And new motivation.

More Than a Competition

After the award ceremony, everyone separated to rest for a while before meeting again at the evening dinner.

The night was filled with laughter, good conversations, and warm memories.

Looking back, this became one of those experiences that I know I will remember for a very long time.

I made so many new friends.

I gained new perspectives.

I learned from Kyudo practitioners from different countries.

And perhaps this is one of the things I love most about Kyudo.

It doesn’t really matter where you come from.

It doesn’t matter what language you speak.

It doesn’t matter what culture you grew up in.

If you share something you love, somehow, becoming friends becomes incredibly easy.

One of my favorite things about these international events is that every time there is a big gathering, we see many of the same friends again.

And every time, there are new faces joining the circle.

The Kyudo community may be small.

But somehow, that makes every reunion feel even more special.

Seeing old friends again.

Meeting new ones.

Sitting together.

Talking.

Laughing.

Sharing something that we all love.

It feels warm.

Comfortable.

And meaningful.

Keep Running

This journey made me think about many things.

For me, Kyudo is a journey where the person who quits first is the one who loses.

While you are running, remember that everyone else is running too.

The question isn’t whether you are moving.

The question is:

Who can keep running farther?

I hope that, in the future, our club will become even more serious about training.

I hope new generations of members will be brave enough to step forward.

Brave enough to stand on the same shooting line.

Brave enough to compete.

And brave enough to become representatives of Thailand one day.

I don’t want it to be only one person.

I want to see everyone have the opportunity to stand there.

To represent our country.

To challenge themselves.

To discover how far they can go.

If they try hard enough.

If they refuse to give up.

And if they keep running until the very end.

That, to me, is the power of Kyudo.

And that is the power I believe in.

Keep going. Keep learning. Keep running.

Because sometimes, the only way to discover how far you can go…

is to step outside the world you already know.