Swiss Kyudo had its beginnings in the 1960s when the first Japanese bow made its way to Switzerland. It would take ten years before Kyudo was actively being promoted and the first group formed in the region of Lake Geneva. During that period several Japanese masters visited and taught the Swiss group.
The Swiss Kyudo Association was established in 1978 as "Association Suisse de Kyudo" with 16 members. Three years later with 38 members, the association was given the name it still holds today “Association Helvetique de Kyudo - Schweizerischer Kyudo Verband. The association regularly organizes national competitions and workshops under the guidance and supervision of national and international teachers. It is a founder member of the European Kyudo Federation (EKF) and the International Kyudo Federation ( IKYF) and has already hosted five European kyudo seminars in Geneva (1986), Martigny (1995, 1999, 2003) and Macolin (2015) and one European Taikai in Basel (2002). Currently, there are about 150 members in eleven regional groups and dojos.