[4] It is unknown when the asymmetrical yumi came into use, but the first written record is found in the Book of Wei, a Chinese historical manuscript dating to the 3rd century CE, which describes the people of the Japanese islands using "spears, shields, and wooden bows for arms; the wooden bows are made with the lower limbs short and the upper limbs long; and bamboo arrows with points of either iron or bone.

"[1] The oldest asymmetrical yumi found to date was discovered in Nara Prefecture, and is estimated to be from the 5th century.

Since then, the structure of the bow has gradually evolved, but its length of roughly 7 shaku 3 sun has been passed down to the present day.

[5][3] Nasu no Yoichi was famous as a master of archery in the late Heian period; his fame was depicted in The Tale of the Heike and Genpei Seisuiki, and he was the subject of various Japanese traditional performing arts and fine arts such as Noh, kyogen, kodan, kabuki, and ukiyo-e of later generations.

In the Muromachi period (1336–1573), the shigetō yumi went from its luxurious exterior to a piece of equipment that symbolized the rank of commander.

[7] The shihodake no yumi (四方竹弓) was developed during the Muromachi period, and bamboo was used on the side of the bow to increase its range and power.

[3] During the Sengoku period (1467–1615), the higoyumi (弓胎弓) used in modern kyūdō was developed, completing the original form of the Japanese bow now known around the world.

This improved the range and power of the bow and enabled it to shoot through targets 132 metres (433 ft) away in the Sanjusangen-do archery contest, Tōshiya, a famous event still held today.

During this period, the tanegashima was mass-produced by Japanese swordsmiths, and mobilized ashigaru (foot soldiers) used them to exert tremendous power on the battlefield.

However, because tanegashima took a long time to load, were inconvenient in rainy weather when damp gunpowder would not fire, and were not exactly subtle in terms of noise, the yumi did not go out of fashion and continued to be used as an important military force on the battlefield.

[2][3] When Japanese society became more peaceful in the Edo period (1603–1867), the spirituality and decorativeness of the yumi became important, and kyūjutsu developed as a samurai's way of doing things.

[8] They are traditionally made by laminating bamboo, wood and leather, using techniques which have not changed for centuries, although some archers (particularly beginners) may use a synthetic yumi.