At the Tsurugaoka-Hachimangū shrine, a scene of the finishing touches being applied to evil-warding arrows/Kamakura

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1212010027/

December 1, 2012

A look at the completion of evil-warding arrows=Tsurugaoka-Hachimangū shrine

At the Tsurugaoka-Hachimangū shrine (Yuki No Shita, Kamakura City), the time has come to apply the finishing touches to many hamaya (evil warding arrows). As the New Year approaches, 24,500 arrows of various sizes are being prepared.

After Minamoto No Yoriyoshi ended the Zenkunen War that took place during the late Heian period, (Tsurugaoka’s) bow and arrows have been offered to Hachiman, the God Of War enshrined at Yuiga Beach.

At the tip, the head of the arrow is wrapped with Japanese style paper, then decorated with a bell. As the miko (shrine maidens) skillfully hammer on the arrowheads, echoes can be heard throughout the shrine during the year’s final month.

Original text:

鶴岡八幡宮で破魔矢仕上げ、佳境を迎える／鎌倉

2012年12月1日

佳境を迎えた破魔矢の仕上げ＝鶴岡八幡宮

鶴岡八幡宮（鎌倉市雪ノ下）で、破魔矢の仕上げが佳境を迎えた。新年に向け、大小２４万５千本を用意する。

源頼義が平安時代後期の前九年の役を平定後、由比ケ浜の八幡神に奉納した弓矢にちなむ。

矢の先端の鏑（かぶら）に和紙を巻き、鈴で飾る。巫女（みこ）が手際よく鏑を打ち付け、師走の境内に「コンコン」と響く。