In temples all across Japan, miko prepare the hamaya (ē “éē¢) or ādemon-breaking arrowsā that are sold as lucky charms during the New Yearās festival. Hamaya are long white bamboo arrows that ward off misfortune and attract good luck. During the Edo period (1603 to 1868) they were also given as gifts to celebrate the arrival of a male baby, usually paired with decorative bows, or hamayumi (ē “éå¼). Hamaya and hamayumi are still used to consecrate and purify a new house, which is done by placing these symbolic weapons in the southeast and northwest corners of the home, as these directions are susceptible to evil.
Momote-shiki (ē¾ęå¼), the hundred-arrow
ritual, is performed at Meiji shrine each January in honour of
seijin-no-hi, coming of age day, as well as in November to pray for a
bountiful harvest. A kaburaya
(whistling arrow) is used to start off the archery ritual; the noise it
makes is said to ward off malevolent kami. The ceremony gets its name
from the practice of having ten archers close the ceremony by firing one
hundred arrows at a central target.
miko is archerās hidden class, enjoy