February 8 is known as hari kuyo (針供養). Hari (針) is needle, kuyo (供養) means to have a memorial service. This is the day to have a memorial service for broken needles to thank their works of the past year and to wish the improvement of sewing skill and the safety. This is the festival of women which started in the Edo era (江戸時代 edo jidai :1603-1867). Women put the broken needles into tofu (豆腐) or konnyaku (蒟蒻), devil's tongue and let them flow into the rivers or bring to the temples.
Speaking of a needle, there is a four word phrase. It is shin sho bo dai (針小棒大), literally means small like a needle big like a stick. That is to make a mountain out of a molehill.
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