Cold dash to a freezing splashーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS #shorts

People in Niigata Prefecture in central Japan embraced the cold for a ritual meant to bring good fortune in the New Year.
The event takes place annually on the night of January 14 in the Yasuda District of Agano City. Participants sprint from one Shinto shrine to another to offer prayers while shouting and carrying torches. About 40 people joined this year, some going shirtless and others donning judo uniforms. They started at Sumiyoshi Shrine and doused each other with buckets of water. They then ran to Yasuda Hachimangu Shrine, shouting as local residents cheered them on by splashing them with water. Once at the shrine, the participants huddled together to keep warm. They then jumped into a pool of cold water at the gateway to purify themselves, drawing cheers from the crowd. Afterward, they walked up to the shrine and prayed for the safety and health of their families in the year ahead. #japan #traditional #ritual #niigata #festival