In Fig. 2 other interesting steps in the celebration may be studied. Certain preparations for the demon-expelling ceremony are being made. A woman who stands near a stove is parching the beans in a flat pan. At her feet the box for the beans rests upon a low stand of the form known as _sambo_, that used as the support for all ceremonial arrangements on festive occasions. It is made of cypress wood; in this case it is lacquered red but when holding offerings for the gods, it is left unstained. It will be noticed that there is a charm stuck in at the upper corner of the open door in this picture. It is composed of a branch of holly on which is impaled the head of a sardine. This charm, which is always placed in the lintel after the demons have been driven out, is said to be repellent to evil influences and the prickly holly has the property of keeping demons from reëntering the house. Immediately over the woman’s head hangs one of the most conspicuous objects associated with the New Year’s festival. It is the straw rope (_shimenawa_) which is stretched before the entrance at the front of the house, to remain during all the days of the celebration, and keep out all evil spirits. Smaller straw ropes are placed over inner doorways and before the household shrine or god-shelf (_kami-dana_). They are also to be seen on the posts of certain bridges, particularly the Gojōbashi in Kyōto. The _shimenawa_ is always made of straw twisted to the left, the pure or fortunate side, with pendant straws at regular intervals but of differing numbers in the order three, five, seven, along the whole length of the strand. Alternating with these pendants are leaves of the fern, _urajiro_. Since the fern-fronds spring in pairs from the stem, this plant is symbolic of happy married life and increase. The lanciform leaves attached to the straw rope in this picture, are those of a laurel-like shrub called _yuzuri_. This plant has been adopted as the symbol of a long united family because the old leaves cling to the branch after the young ones have appeared. Other objects with specific meanings are often attached to the rope, the most common being paper cuttings (_gohei_) which represent the offerings of cloth made to the gods in ancient times. Occasionally tied to the rope are little bundles of charcoal (_sumi_) which, because of its changeless color, symbolizes changelessness. [Illustration: FIG. 1. ONIYARAI CEREMONY. BY HOKKEI.] [Illustration: FIG. 2. PREPARING BEANS FOR ONIYARAI. BY HOKKEI.]