SHIZUOKA, Jan 13 (News On Japan) –
Men sporting conventional fundoshi loincloths entered the freezing sea to hope for good well being and freedom from sickness on the “Severe Winter Sea Misogi Festival,” held in Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture.
The occasion, marking its twenty fifth 12 months, is a conventional ceremony during which males born within the 12 months’s zodiac signal and people dealing with unfortunate ages supply prayers for plentiful harvests and good well being. Its daring and austere ambiance has earned it the nickname “the festival where men polish their manhood.”
In 2026, 18 members of their 30s to 60s from throughout Japan took half.
A participant from Kyoto, visibly shivering, mentioned he was shaken by the chilly however hoped to beat back misfortune as he was in an unfortunate 12 months. Another participant, who joined the ritual to mark his sixtieth birthday, mentioned the water was chilly however left him feeling invigorated, as if his physique tightened and his spirit ignited.
About 1,000 spectators gathered to look at, some reaching out to the touch the boys mentioned to be imbued with divine vitality, sharing within the luck of the New Year.
Source: SBSnews6