MATOI

Target shooting; archery used as a method of divination (bokusen) at New Year. Now conducted at shrines, the practice was formerly carried out by archers from the community. The word'oni'may be inscribed on the target. Mato-i is used throughout Japan but in Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures the term used for the same practice is o-bisha. Other archery customs areyabusameando-mato-shinji.