Monks performed yearend cleaning ritual at Horyuji, a Buddhist temple in Nara, on December 8.

The cleaning ritual at the temple began after the temple complex was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. Some structures within the complex date back to the 7th century.

A ritual meant to remove the soul from the Buddha statues was performed before the monks carefully dusted statues and religious tools.

S/ Furuya Shokaku, Chief Priest, Horyuji/ We clean the year’s dust and welcome the next year. There were many natural disasters this year, but I pray that that will not happen next year.

Visitors quietly prayed as the statues were cleaned.