Okeramairi: Luck Bringing Burning Rope From the Gods

Okeramairi (New Years Eve Visit to Yasaka Shrine) is a Kyoto tradition dating back to the times of Heian-kyo. The people of Kyoto are invited to visit Yasaka shrine and pray for skill in the kitchen. They then light a bamboo rope that burns slowly from the holy bonfire. They take the smoldering rope home while twirling it to keep it from going out. Once home the fire is used to light a small fire in the house shrine. The next day the shrine’s fire can be used to boil tea or miso soup for especially good luck for the rest of the year. The bit of rope that made it home is hung up in the kitchen and is supposed to bring good luck if it made it all the way home without going out.

References

In English

https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/80/

https://kyotokankoyagi.com/okerabi-yasakashrine-en

In Japanese

https://www.the-kyoto.jp/calendar/december/yasaka-okera/

https://ja.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/白朮祭

Photo thanks to Ja.Kyoto.Travel.

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