Makers of somen noodles in Japan's western prefecture of Nara have celebrated the end of this year's production of the national summer delicacy.



The event takes place at Omiwa Shrine in the city of Sakurai every summer. About 50 makers and sellers of somen noodles attended this year's event on Tuesday.



A Shinto priest read out a ritual prayer before the representative of the attendees offered a sacred tree branch.



Women wearing aprons and red sashes sang in a performance as they demonstrated how to make somen. They held strands of white wool to represent the thin noodles, made of wheat flour.



Sales of somen -- traditionally in high demand during the summer gift-giving season -- have been in steady decline in recent years.



But producers and retailers say business picked up this year due to the intense heat.



An official of the prefecture's somen industry cooperative association said his group will keep working so more people know about the high quality of the somen produced in the area.
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Quiz 1:
Where does the annual event celebrating the end of somen noodle production take place?
A. Omiwa Shrine in Tokyo
B. Omiwa Shrine in Sakurai (Correct Answer)
C. Omiwa Shrine in Osaka
D. Omiwa Shrine in Kyoto

Quiz 2:
Which of the following is NOT a traditional activity during this event?
A. Reading a ritual prayer by a Shinto priest
B. Singing and demonstrating how to make somen
C. Offering a sacred tree branch (Correct Answer)
D. Consuming somen noodles

Quiz 3:
Why did sales of somen noodles decline in recent years?
A. The demand for other summer delicacies increased
B. The quality of the somen produced decreased (Correct Answer)
C. People started preferring different types of noodles during summer
D. The gift-giving season shifted to a different time of the year