Yudate, Jonangu Shrine, Kyoto 

湯立 城南宮

At the beginning of the water boiling ritual (yudate, yutate) the priest purifies the worshippers to become worthy of approaching the deity by waving a branch of the sacred sakaki tree decorated with folded-paper streamers. Then the four shrine maidens perform the ceremonial dance to invite the spirit to become present in the water. The maidens dance with fans, bells, folded-paper streamers, branches of the sacred tree and five-colour silks of blue, yellow, red, white, and purple.

After the dance the senior maiden adds some rice wine, grains of rice, and salt to the boiling cauldron and stirs the water with the stem of a stick with strips of paper offered to a deity. Then she dips bamboo fronds into the hot pot and shakes them with big movements so that the sprays can sprinkle on people who attend the ritual. Those who get the splash out of the leaves could have a good year with sound health. The bamboo frond would also bring happiness if you can take it home. 

In ancient times, this ritual was a type of divination, in which steam was raised before the altar to induce the maiden to fall into a state of media to communicate oracles between gods and men. Later, the boiling water itself was believed to possess the power of purification and exorcism, and the ritual was combined with dances.