Imi-bi (Imibi)

Japanese: 忌火(斎火) - いみび

Also called "imubi." A sacred, pure fire made with a new fire drill. In Shinto rituals, a priest who has undergone a period of fasting uses the newly lit fire to cook the sacred offerings and for lighting. At Ise Grand Shrine, sacred offerings are cooked in the Ibiyado Hall using a fire made by rubbing a mortar and pestle made of mountain loquat and cypress. In the Heian period, the Imperial Court had a ceremony called the Ibi Gozen, in which rice cooked over an Ibi fire was offered to the Emperor by the Naizenshi early in the morning on the first day of the sixth, eleventh, and December months. This was a ceremony for the Emperor to purify himself before the Jinkonjiki and Niiname-sai festivals.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

〈いむび〉ともいう。新しく火鑽（ひきり）できった神聖な清い火。神事では，斎戒した神職が新しくきった火を神饌の煮炊きや照明などに用いる。伊勢神宮では，忌火屋殿で山ビワとヒノキの火鑽臼と杵を摩擦させておこした火で神饌が調理される。また平安時代に朝廷では忌火御膳といって忌火で炊いた飯が内膳司から6,11,12月朔日の早朝に天皇に献じられる儀式があったが，これは神今食（じんこんじき）や新嘗祭を前にして天皇が潔斎に入るための式であった。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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