破魔矢Hamaya (demon-breaking arrow)

Hamaya (Japanese: 破魔矢; lit. 'evil-destroying arrow') is a type of arrow given at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples as a Japanese New Year's talisman or sacred tool. It is often paired with a bow called a hama yumi (破魔弓).

In addition to this, hamaya and hama yumi are often set on top of roofs facing northeast or kimon (鬼門; the oni's gate; the direction from which oni are traditionally believed to come) as part of a ceremony to ward off evil from newly constructed buildings. It is also customary for relatives and acquaintances to give hamaya or hama yumi to newborns for their hatsuzekku (初節句; lit. first annual festival; typically Children's Day for a boy and Hinamatsuri for a girl).

Hamaya are said to have originated from the arrows used in an old event called Jarai (射礼), which was held on New Year's Day to test archery skills. Originally, the word hama referred to the kind of targets used in these events. The arrows used to shoot the targets were called hama-ya (hama arrows), and the bows were called hama-yumi (hama bows). Since the homophone hama (破魔) has the meaning of "destroying the evil power of a demon", these meanings merged, and the custom of giving bow-and-arrow toys to families with boys at New Year's was born. Later, they began to be given at Hatsumode as talismans, symbolizing "shooting down" evil and securing good luck for the year.

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