On November 25, a large "Ema," or votive wooden tablet, on which next year's oriental zodiac sign, the dragon, is depicted, was set up at Matsunoo Grand Shrine in Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto. Since a god of sake is enshrined at the shrine, a scene, in which a dragon appears from behind clouds and picks up a sake cup, is painted.

The Ema is 3.2 meters high, 5.5 meters wide, 0.2 meters thick and weighs approximately 90 kilograms. "Matsunoo Kai," a group of vendors related to the shrine, has offered a wooden tablet to the shrine every year since 1983, the year of the boar.

The original drawings had been painted by Japanese-style painter Mitei Fujiwara from Sakyo Ward, from 1985 until his death at the age of 90 in August, 2011. A picture that he painted 12 years ago was used for the Ema in accordance with his wishes expressed when he was alive.

Tomotaka Nishimura, one of the shrine administrators said, "I hope the next year will be full of power and vitality like that of a rising dragon."