KASHIMA, Jan 21 (News On Japan) –
Over a 150 worshippers wearing loincloths and white robes immerse themselves in freezing water at Kashima Shrine in Ibaraki on Saturday to mark the annual Daikan Misogi.
Image by way of Ibaraki Shimbun
The ritual was held on Daikon, thought-about the coldest day of the 12 months, as males clad in loincloths and headbands, and girls in white robes, gathered from throughout the nation to wish for well being and well-being. Participants warmed up by doing the ‘torifune row,’ a singular movement much like rowing a ship, chanting “Ei!” to muster their spirit, then submerged themselves as much as their shoulders within the Mitarai Pond, historically utilized by monks for purification rituals.
One male participant mirrored, “It was cold before we started, but I feel refreshed in both body and mind.”
Another participant shared his private causes, “With the recent Noto Peninsula earthquake and my daughter entering junior high school, I found it a good time to participate.”
This 12 months’s occasion noticed 151 individuals, with the eldest being 72 years previous.
Source: TBS