Dozens of worshipers at a Tokyo shrine on Sunday took a deep breath and bravely jumped into icy water, continuing a New Year’s tradition of purifying the soul and praying for good health.
The cold-weather event, known as “Kanchu Misogi,” drew about 100 participants, mostly men in white loincloths and a few women in white coats, to Teppu Inari Shrine.
Percussion and flute music set the mood in the shrine’s courtyard, where a knee-deep pool filled with ice blocks awaited.
Worshipers clasped their hands in front of their chests and chanted “Haraedo Okami,” praying for cleansing of their sins.
Afterwards, they jogged and warmed up in the streets surrounding the shrine before jumping into the ice.
Once in the pool, participants scooped up water with wooden buckets and shouted “Aye” to build tension as others cheered.
This year marks the 71st time that the ritual has been held at the shrine.
Purification is key to ancient Japanese Shinto practices, which are believed to ward off evil spirits.
This centuries-old indigenous religion centers on the belief that divine spirits inhabit nature and all living things.
Japan is a constitutional monarchy led by 65-year-old Emperor Naruhito.
The country considers the emperor to be the highest authority in Shintoism, but his authority is politically limited.
It was originally a shrine for the purpose of purifying the local deity, but now it also accepts applications from the general public.
Registration closed earlier this year due to overwhelming interest, organizers said.
The Japanese Shinto New Year, known as Shogatsu, is celebrated on January 1st according to the Gregorian calendar rather than the lunar calendar.
This spiritual festival combines ancient Shinto rituals with extensive Japanese culture and will run until January 3rd.
Other traditions include hatsumode, the first visit of the year to a shrine or temple to pray for good luck and health.
