The annual New Year's event, "Karuta Hajime-shiki," in which Karuta cards are offered to the god of the shrine at the beginning of the year, was held on January 3 at Yasaka Shrine in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto. Women and children attired in elegant Heian Period court costumes performed Karuta card games and entertained worshipers making their first visit of the year to the shrine.

This event has been hosted by Yasaka Shrine and Nihon Karuta-in Hon-in in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, for 41 years.

A total of 20 male and female Hon-in members between the ages of 6 and 22 performed the roles of little boys and girls or young noble ladies called "Karuta Hime," dressed in Suikan and Kouchigi costumes respectively, playing Karuta card games. They appeared on the Noh stage in the precincts and competed one-on-one to grab cards of "Hyakunin-isshu," or a set of one hundred poems by one hundred poets.

Listening to the first half of a Waka poem read by Aoi Suzuyama, head of the organization, Karuta Hime ladies quickly picked up the matching card, shouting "Hai." Shrine visitors thronged in front of the stage and took pictures of the elegant scene.

A senior at Doshisha University, who has participated as Karuta Hime for six consecutive years, said, "I am glad to participate in this important ritual at the beginning of the year. I feel tense and determined."