About the Divine Targets in each district
Kami no tete: held on Saturdays and Sundays at the beginning of April in Omae, Mukaiyama Hizoe, Mukaiyama Hito and Otena. One small divine target shaped like a spring bud is made. A large number of archers shoot arrows, but because the target is so small, it is difficult to hit. The lucky one who hits the divine target gets to take it home.
God's target in Fudono: 3 March in the lunar calendar. One large target is attached to a bamboo pole. Small targets are made for the number of months (usually 12 in a normal year, 13 in a leap year) and thatched arrows are made for the number of days in a year. First, a small bamboo bow is used to shoot at the outer four corners of the divine target, and finally through the centre of the target. Furthermore, a small target is held up in front of the large target and, using a bow made from peach twigs, the thatched arrows are shot one after the other, all of which are shot through. There is a ceremony called 'Sen-ya no tachiganshi' (a thousand arrows are shot) in ganjoze (wish fulfilment) for the healing of illness, in which a thousand thatched arrows are shot.
Tsugao target shooting: 15 January. The three districts of Nakayama, Ozaki and Tsugao take turns every year. Each family makes a target for each family member using tobi paper from New Year's shimenzaku decorations, and gathers them in one place. The targets are called 'devil's eyes'.
Kozaki no kami no tachi: 15 February of the lunar calendar. Currently the day of the Spring Equinox. A sacred target is made in the precincts of the Kozaki Shrine and a staff is erected. Two people put on dancing clothes and shoot arrows. After this, small targets brought by each person are hung on bamboo poles in turn and shot through with thatched arrows. Both the divine and small targets are tied to a star (pentagram) with a string on the reverse side.
Kami no tachi at Oyabu and Ookawa trees: 1 February of the lunar calendar. Currently aborted. Two branches of the Moromegi (Inugaya) tree are erected and one large target is hung. Small targets made by each person are hung on each branch. The large target is shot with a peach bow and bamboo arrows. The small target is shot with a bamboo bow and a thatched bow. The black circle in the centre of the target is called the devil's eye.