Fire walk with me

Purification bonfire prep at the shrine. The area will be filled with all of last year's religious charms discarded at the end of the year. The Shinto priest will come out in full regalia and pour sake on the four points of the compass on the pile and then they will all be incinerated. The local neighborhood kids will place onigiri (rice balls) on wire grills near the fire to toast them. When the fire has died down they will have a fun little feast.