The bow is held generally in left hand and the arrow is placed on the right side of the bow (western bow cocks it toward left) before the string is pulled with a right hand covered by yugake (hand protector).
弓は原則として左手に持ち、矢は弓の右側に番え（洋弓は左側）、右手に弽（ゆがけ）を挿して（はめて）引く。