The annual Tori no Ichi opened on Monday at Otori Shrine in Asakusa, Tokyo, with business owners and tourists gathering to pray for good fortune for the coming year.
The centuries-old event is held every November on the Chinese zodiac’s Day of the Rooster and features long lines of stalls selling ornate bamboo rakes known as kumade.
It is believed that a rake decorated with symbols of good fortune, such as gold coins, red sea bream, and a figurine of a horse, which is next year’s zodiac sign, will help its owner “rak up” prosperity.
Vendors send buyers off with applause and shouts, a tradition that has continued since the Edo period.
One visitor said he hoped the pitchforks would bring good luck to his family and employees as inflation rises. In Asakusa, the festival continues until late into the night.