Young people dressed in traditional clothing have shot their first arrows of the year in a national treasure hall at a temple in Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto.
The annual event took place at the Sanjusangendo temple on Sunday before the start of a national archery competition.
The temple is known for being a place where master archers competed to demonstrate their prowess in the Edo period, which spanned the 17th to 19th centuries.
Men and women wearing traditional kimono lined up in a row and steadied their breathing. Then they released their arrows toward one-meter-diameter targets set 60 meters away.
A participant from the city of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, said he has come to appreciate the value of giving his all to even a single task and of staying calm no matter what he does.
The man said he wants to make his life take a big leap forward and contribute to society.
AloJapan.com