Kites originally had religious significance such as warding off evil, but in the late Edo period they became widely popular as a New Year's pastime. Noshiro kites, a traditional craft of Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture, are symbolized by "berabo” kites, which depict a men or women with their tongue sticking out. The word "berabo" refers to an eccentric man who became famous in a sideshow tent during the Edo period, but the image of the tongues sticking out is also said to ward off evil. Noshiro residents are committed to preserving kite culture, and the city’s annual Noshiro Kite Flying Competition is a highly popular tradition.