Photo/Illutration Two groups of men battle frigid weather and each other on Jan. 3 in the "tamaseseri" rite at the Hakozakigu shrine in Fukuoka city. (Jun Kaneko)

FUKUOKA--Hundreds of men in loincloths jostled to gain control of a wooden ball weighing 8 kilograms in a boisterous event held here Jan. 3 to divine if the land or the sea will provide a bountiful harvest this year.

The "tamaseseri" rite held at the Hakozakigu shrine in this city's Higashi Ward begins by first moving the wooden ball, purified by divine sake, to the subordinate Tamatori Ebisujinja shrine located about 250 meters away.

Two groups of men, young and old, then tussle for the ball. A priest waits at the Tower Gate of Hakozakigu shrine to receive the ball, which has a diameter of 28 centimeters and is said to bring good luck to anyone who touches it.

Various age groups took part in the contest, including 130 children.

But the main event was the contest made up of 260 adults who were divided into land and sea groups. Men sitting on the shoulders of other men tried to grab the ball for their side.

About 50,000 spectators took in the annual event.

According to local beliefs, a good farm harvest is guaranteed if the land group hands the ball to the waiting priest, while a bountiful seafood catch is predicted if the sea group does the same.

This year's event was won by the land group.

Yasuhisa Nagai, 26, a shrine priest, said, "While last year had many natural disasters, I pray that the produce will grow in accordance with the result of this year's contest."