Hello,
Even though this topic is rather dead by now, I came across it and felt I might offer next piece of answer if someone is still interested. I am a traditional european bowyer and for the last years a Kyudo practitioneer as well (Heki-Ryu Bishu Chikurin-Ha school), so my interest in Yumis is logical.
Yes, the principle of reducing the archers paradox is obvious, but furthermore, there is a phenomena of the bow turning around the gripping hand after release. Note that in japanese archery the arrow is rested at the outer side (right) of the bow, so the string follows the arrow and rotates from right forwards and left. This is a very delicate manner of accomplishment of the archer, since developing the corect grip, which allows for the correct shot and such a rotation takes years and years.
The question is why is this. And I might just guess.
In Kyudo, the contemplative way of the bow, the attention for the form of shooting is very much connected to gainig a right mind, and every movement has its meaning in the whole ceremony of balance. But still, it springs from the old Samurai warfare kyujutsu, meaning the form has a rational reason connected with efficiency and acuracy as well.
And from what I have learned about Yumis, they demand a lot of attentive care, since they are a delicate piece of fine art susceptible to whole lot of factors, as a musical instrument would be. They can easily shift out of proper shape, out of balance, warp, twist and then return again. One such defect is just that when it loses its alligment of the string to the right, getting further left off the centre, it might suffer damage and break, which just happens - partially due to the wrong and too tight left-hand grip. The motions and forces, which meet as the arrow leaves the bow are simply complex and the extraordinarily long yet slender bow has to tackle them well. And from my point of view, the off-centre string might be a part of this system.
I hope this gives a clue. If somebody had a further ideas of whats going on there, please, let us know.
Thanks
