Koshikijima no Toshidon, which occurs every New Year's Eve on Shimo-Koshiki Island in the southwestern part of the Japanese Archipelago, is one such ''raiho''-''shin, '' or visiting deity.
These visits play an important role in building community in Shimo-Koshiki: children gradually develop a sense of affiliation with their village and its culture, while the men who act as Toshidon reinforce their identity and the continuity of their longstanding traditions.