hamaya

right|thumb|267x267px|Ceremonial arrow used to drive off evil thumb|Nishiki-e depicting a ceremony for a newly constructed building in the [[Edo period. Behind the gohei staff held by the man in the front, two hamaya can be seen, used to ward off evil. (Hiroshige, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, Ōdenmachō gofukuten)]] is a type of arrow given at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples as a Japanese New Year's talisman or sacred tool. It is often paired with a bow called a . right|thumb|254x254px|New Year's Day decoration for a family with a baby boy In addition to this, hamaya and hama yumi are often set on top of roofs facing northeast or as part of a ceremony to ward off evil from newly constructed buildings. It is also customary for relatives and acquaintances to give hamaya or hama yumi to newborns for their .

Hamaya are said to have originated from the arrows used in an old event called , which was held on New Year's Day to test archery skills. Originally, the word hama referred to the kind of targets used in these events. The arrows used to shoot the targets were called hama-ya (hama arrows), and the bows were called hama-yumi (hama bows). Since the homophone has the meaning of "destroying the evil power of a demon", these meanings merged, and the custom of giving bow-and-arrow toys to families with boys at New Year's was born. Later, they began to be given at Hatsumode as talismans, symbolizing "shooting down" evil and securing good luck for the year.