Society

New Year Tradition Brings Hope for Harvest and Fortune

FUKUOKA, Jan 05 (News On Japan) - A Shinto ritual wishing for abundant harvests and good fishing throughout the year was held at Hakozaki Shrine in Fukuoka City, one of Japan’s three major Hachiman shrines.

The “Tamasese-ri” event at Hakozaki Shrine, believed to have originated during the Muromachi period, involves around 300 shrine parishioners who divide into two teams, the “Land Team” and the “Sea Team,” to compete for control of an 8-kilogram wooden ball.

Touching the ball is said to bring good fortune, and if the “Land Team” offers the ball, it is believed to bring a good harvest, while an offering by the “Sea Team” is believed to ensure a plentiful catch.

This year, the “Land Team” emerged victorious in the contest.

Meanwhile, in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, an archery ceremony known as the “Hatsusha-kai” was held.

A total of 78 archery enthusiasts, aged between 18 and 85, dressed in traditional hakama, took part in the event, shooting arrows at a 36-centimeter target placed 28 meters away to mark the beginning of the new year.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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