Traditional Japanese Hagoita Geisha, 1960s

Hagoita are the wooden paddles used to hit shuttles. It is a traditional Japanese pastime during New Year called Hanetsuki. The paddles are decorated with various images, sometimes done in relief, of women in kimono , kabuki - actors, and so on. Japanese believe that playing hanetsuki is a way to drive away evil spirits, because the movement of the hagoita is similar to the harau action (a Japanese phrase meaning "drive away"). Thus, playing hanetsuki with hagoita is often used as an amulet against evil.