White atractylodes pilgrimage - Okeramairi

This is an event where worshippers visit Yasaka Shrine in Gion, Kyoto City from New Year's Eve to the beginning of the year, receive a white atractylodes fire, and use it to start fires for New Year's Day's soup. It is also written as "Okera Mairi". Okera is a plant of the Asteraceae family, and it is said that bathing in the smoke from its burning will ward off evil spirits. A pure fire containing white atractylodes is lit on lanterns hanging on both sides of the main hall of Yasaka Shrine (a national treasure), and worshippers receive this pure fire while holding a lucky rope. Worshippers shake the rope to prevent the fire from going out, take it home, and cook it in their soup. It is said that if you eat food cooked by the pure fire, you will be healthy and will not catch epidemics throughout the year. There are many places, including Omiwa Shrine in Yamato, where people receive a pure fire on New Year's Day to start fires.

[Hidezaburo Hagiwara]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市祇園(ぎおん)の八坂(やさか)神社に大みそかから年頭にかけて参り、白朮火(おけらび)を受けて帰り、元旦(がんたん)の雑煮の火種にする行事。「をけら詣り」とも書く。オケラはキク科の植物で、焼いた煙に浴すれば邪気を払うといわれる。八坂神社の本殿（国宝）の両側につってある灯籠(とうろう)に、白朮草を交えた清火がたかれ、参拝者は吉祥縄(きっちょなわ)を持って、この清火を受ける。参拝者は火の消えぬように、縄を打ち振って持ち帰り、雑煮を炊く。清火の食物を頂けば、年中、流行病にもかかることなく強健になるという。元旦に清火を受けて火種とする風は大和(やまと)の大神(おおみわ)神社はじめ多い。

［萩原秀三郎］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例