300 people gather in Fukuoka to take part in the 1,000-year-old Onisube ritual to ward away demons like illness and disaster.

Perhaps most interesting is the role Onisube plays in the community; with so much history, it becomes a family tradition to participate year after year.

Rites like this aren't the only tradition meant to ward off misfortune, of course. February's Setsubun is a ubiquitous event celebrated all around the country.