"Susuharai," or annual year-end cleaning, took place at both Nishi Hongwanji Temple and Higashi Honganji Temple in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, on December 20. Refurbishment of the Goeido Hall of each temple was completed this year, and the sound of tatami mats being beaten simultaneously in each temple's Goeido Hall and Amida Hall was heard for the first time in 11 years at Nishi Hongwanji Temple, and in six years at Higashi Honganji Temple.

The traditional event "Susuharai" has been performed annually at the two temples for approximately 500 years, since the time Rennyo, the restorer of the Jodo-Shin sect of Japanese Buddhism, headed the temples.

At 7:00 a.m. in Nishi Hongwanji Temple's Amida Hall, after Koshin Otani, the temple's head priest, made the gesture of swinging a roughly four-meter-long broom to sweep away the dust accumulated on a "Zushi," or special cabinet holding Buddhist icons, temple followers, monks and staff began to beat the tatami mats with bamboo sticks. Approximately 600 participants cleaned the interior of the hall for about one hour.

Approximately 100 participants worked at Higashi Honganji Temple. Blowing away clouds of white dust with big fans, they carefully wiped the tatami mats and corridors with cleaning rags. At the end, Choken Otani, the head priest, wrote the Chinese character "Kotobuki," representing "blessing," in the air with a large broom.