On Okera Mairi, it is traditional to visit Kyoto’s Yasaka Shrine to obtain the sacred flame of okera, a medicinal herb. The lighted roots of the herb are then carried back home where fires are lit on which the first meal of the New Year is cooked. The herb is used to cleanse the evil forces and energies of the previous year.
Event Frequency:
Annual.
Event Date:
December 31, 2011 - January 1, 2012
Cost:
Free.
