Hama no Ya

Literally "Sacred Arrow" or "Demon Slaying Arrow"

A quiver full of Hamaya along with the traditional red Saigu-Yumi (literally Priestess Bow) is part of the religious accouterments of a Shinto Miko. In the InuYasha storyline, Kikyo, Kaede, and Kagome carry them constantly. All three can imbue their arrows with a varying degree of Spiritual Energy, leading to the purification, sealing, or destruction of their Demonic target. Further, both Kikyo and Kagome have shown the ability to repel a demonic attack with just an arrow held in the hand, or by striking with the bow.

The bow itself is in the longbow class, and is relatively straight when compared to other kinds of bow. Made of a carefully selected hewn and dried catalpa sapling, such bows have been given a hand-wrapped grip. A bow that has been passed down through several mikos is considered especially powerful, since many pure hands have wielded it.