Wakayama, Feb 04 (News On Japan) - With February 3rd marking Setsubun in Japan, a ceremonial rite at the Kumano Nachi Taisha in Wakayama Prefecture, a World Heritage Site, was conducted, involving wearing demon masks, scattering beans while striking bamboo sticks on the stone steps to drive out bad luck.
This Setsubun ceremony, known as "Oni Yarai," has been a long-standing tradition at Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine. Additionally, within the shrine grounds, Shinto priests shot purifying arrows at a target marked with the word "demon," measuring 1.5 meters in diameter, symbolically vanquishing the demon.
Following these rituals, a bean-throwing ceremony was held, with visitors eagerly gathering the beans to receive blessings and good fortune.
Source: KTV NEWS