Target shooting; archery used as a method of divination (bokusen) at New Year. Now conducted at shrines, the practice was formerly carried out by archers from the community. The word 'oni' may be inscribed on the target. Mato-i is used throughout Japan but in Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures the term used for the same practice is o-bisha. Other archery customs are yabusame and o-mato-shinji.
A Popular Dictionary of Shinto. Brian Bocking.