"Soroban-hajiki-zome," or the ceremony to use an abacus for the first time in the New Year, took place on January 5 at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto. In the precincts where Japanese plum tree blossoms have just begun to peep out, children moved beads on abaci with crisp sounds.

The event is held this day annually with the sponsorship of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine and parties related to "Ho-san-kai," a group consisting of abacus school teachers in Kyoto Prefecture, to pray for the improvement of calculation ability when using an abacus. Approximately 350 elementary and junior high school students who attend abacus schools participated.

Children sat in a row in front of the 5.5-meter-long giant abacus with 400 digits placed in "Ema-sho" in the precincts and other smaller abaci, solving calculation problems read aloud and answering them by energetically raising their hands.