On the 31st of New Year's Eve, a Shinto ritual was held at a shrine in Utsunomiya City to express gratitude for the harvest of grain this year and to pray for a bountiful harvest next year.
At Tochigi Prefecture Gokoku Shrine in Utsunomiya City, every year on New Year's Eve, a Shinto ritual called "Soba Kenkokusai" is held to express gratitude for the harvest of grains this year and to pray for a bountiful harvest next year.
A stone mortar for grinding grain was prepared in the precincts, and after reading the Norito, the Shinto priest shouted, "Hey, hey!"
Approximately 120 worshipers also participated in the ceremony, and while receiving instruction from the Shinto priests, they harvested buckwheat.
Afterwards, the worshipers received toshikoshi soba harvested in the fields of the shrine and hand-made by volunteers in exchange for a sho of rice brought from their homes.
The donated rice will be used for ehomaki rolls to be served on Setsubun in February next year.
A man in his 70s who visited with his wife said, "It's been a disappointing end of the year because I can't see my grandchildren because of Corona, but I want to eat soba with my husband and spend the new year in a cheerful mood."
The chief priest of Gokoku Shrine in Tochigi Prefecture said, ``I want you to eat Toshikoshi soba and talk about your memories this year, and wish you a good year next year.''