The Yugake (Japanese: 弓懸[け], 弽 or 韘; often written in Kana as ゆがけ) are protective gloves used for shooting with a Japanese bow (Yumi). They are available in various styles made of leather or fabric and are a part of the Kote armor set.
Yugake gloves are made from either light or dark leather, or fabrics. They are designed to grasp the bowstring and draw the Japanese bow (Yumi) when practicing Kyūdō, or they can be worn as gloves for the Yoroi armor.
Types of Yugake
There are three distinct versions of Yugake:
- Three-Fingered Yugake: Unlike historical European archery gloves, Yugake typically have only three fingers. The thumb, index, and middle fingers are protected by leather. In Kyūdō, the remaining fingers hold replacement arrows. The palm is open. The cuffs are not closed, but are wrapped around the forearm and tied with a leather strap. The leather on the thumb is twice as thick as that on the other fingers, due to the drawing technique used. This design has not changed for centuries and is still used in Japanese archery today.
- Five-Fingered Yugake: This version of the Yugake has five fingers and, like the European archery gloves, a closed, long cuff. Unlike the three-fingered Yugake, these are typically made from darker leather or fabric.
- Left-Handed Yugake Glove: There is a third version that is otherwise similar to the other versions. Unlike the other two, this version has a padded back of the hand covered with chainmail. It was used to grip the bow, which was normally done without a glove.
In both versions, there is reinforcement on the thumb designed to grip an archer's ring. These rings were very popular for bow drawing in the East and are still in use today.