An event was held in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, where swordsmanship that has been passed down since the Edo period was demonstrated and prayers for a good harvest and good health in the new year.
Every year at this time, Kakushu-ji Temple in Hirosaki holds a ``Dedication Demonstration'' to pray for good health for a year and show swordsmanship using a sword handed down from the Edo period.
On the 3rd, 9 members of the Tsugaru Iai Battodo Kai performed Iai Kata at the main hall and demonstrated techniques for cutting hanging newspapers vertically and horizontally.
After that, while the snow was pouring down, they demonstrated techniques such as "Kesagiri", which cuts the straw at an angle outdoors, and "Mizugaeshi", which cuts the straw again before it falls to the ground.
They also challenged themselves to cut off 4 rolled tatami-omote, called futomaki-giri, and the master cut them off with precise swordsmanship.
Hirofumi Seino, chairman of the Tsugaru Iai Battodo Association, said, "I performed with the feeling of" cutting the corona.