Monks at a Buddhist temple in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, have removed a year's worth of dust from ancient statues to prepare for the New Year.
Preparations began at Chuson-ji Temple in the town of Hiraizumi in early December. Monks cleaned three statues housed at the temple's museum on Monday.
The 2.7-meter statues are designated as important cultural properties. They are believed to have been created in the later part of the Heian Period that ran from the 8th to 12th century.
Three monks used dusters made of soft "washi" paper strips attached to 2-meter bamboo poles.
One of the monks, Sasaki Enryo, said he cleaned the statues with a feeling of gratitude toward them.
He also said he will conduct religious services and rituals to pray that the coming year will be a peaceful one for all.

Quiz 1:
Where are the monks located, performing the cleaning?
A. Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
B. Iwate Prefecture, Japan
C. Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
D. Osaka Prefecture, Japan

Quiz 2:
What is unique about the tools used to clean the statues?
A. They are made of metal and highly polished.
B. They are powered by electricity.
C. They consist of washi paper strips attached to bamboo poles.
D. They are brushes made of animal hair.

Quiz 3:
During what historical period are the statues believed to have been created?
A. The Heian Period (8th to 12th century)
B. The Edo Period (17th to 19th century)
C. The Meiji Period (1868 to 1912)
D. The Taisho Period (1912 to 1926)

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 1: B
Quiz 2: C
Quiz 3: A