Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Longbows, or Yumi, have been used in Japan for centuries. But today, a handmade bamboo bow can cost over $2,000. At over 2 meters ...

An curved arrow pointing right. Longbows, or Yumi, have been used in Japan for centuries. But today, a handmade bamboo bow can cost over $2,000. At over 2 meters tall, these bows are difficult handle.

More than 1,000 years ago, the dimensions of the Japanese Yumi, or longbow, was finalized. The size was fixed at a little more than two meters and the use of laminated construction was agreed upon. In ...