Kayu ura
kayu ura 粥占 mi kayu ura 神粥占 japanese shinto divination ritual using rice bean gruel traditionally kayu ura ritual took place th day first lunar month since adoption gregorian calendar conventional perform ceremony january date known koshōgatsu little new year divination gruel generally used agricultural prediction presumed predict weather harvest coming year ceremony take various form common practice stir large pot rice gruel 粥 kayu split wooden stick observe number organisation grain adhere stick removed another variation known tsutsugayu shinji multiple hollow cylinder made split bamboo reed placed gruel cylinder corresponding specific month shinto prayer chanted rice porridge left overnight following morning cylinder cut open content examined – rice stuck inside tube propitious harvest multiple tube used usually correspond specific month year result recorded monthbymonth basis tsutsugayu shinji variation practiced suwa grand shrine whilst rice usually used porridge made red bean symbol fertility substituted alternative variation ritual used akita gruel stirred instead smeared wooden pole prediction made based much rice stick pole pattern make oldest form ceremony precursor listed involves shinto priest examining mould formed bowl rice porridge stored special box several day