Strings of dried persimmons are hung under the eaves of a farmhouse in Katsuragi, Wakayama Prefecture, on Nov. 9, 2009. The dried fruit is used to decorate special ''kagami-mochi'' New Year rice cakes. Kagami-mochi consist of two round, flat rice cakes -- a smaller one on top of a larger one -- and are used as offerings to the god of New Year. (Kyodo)