ASince ancient times, bows and arrows have had the solemn and sacred meaning of exorcising evil spirits. The "Meigen-no-gi," a ceremony to ward off evil spirits by pulling the bowstring and making a sound, is believed to be the origin of the “Hamayumi”. In the Edo period (1603-1867), when a boy was born into a samurai family, a “Hamayumi” ceremonial bow or “Hamaya” ceremonial arrow was offered as a good-luck charm. Later, it became customary to display a bow on a boy's first New Year to ward off evil spirits and pray for good health.