KYOTO - A traditional New Year event known as “Jaduna” was held in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture, with local residents praying for a year of good health and protection from illness.
Led by the sound of a conch shell, a giant serpent woven from straw went from house to house through the Imafuku district.
The “Jaduna” ritual, held each New Year in the area, is a long-running tradition in which people believe that having their head symbolically “bitten” by the straw snake will bring them health and safety for the year ahead.
One local resident said, “I prayed that our whole family can stay healthy this year as well.”
After winding its way through the neighborhood, the straw serpent was tied to a tree at a shrine, where it is said to keep watch over the district for a full year to prevent illness from entering the community.
Source: KTV NEWS
