Society

Coming of Age in the Cold: Hokkaido Youth Brave Ice Bath for Purification

HOKKAIDO, Feb 23 (News On Japan) - Each year, Hokkaido Shrine holds a cold-water purification ceremony to celebrate the coming of age of new adults, with nineteen young men and women participating in this year's 'Kanchu Misogi' on Sunday.

The participants, who had just entered adulthood, scooped up icy water with buckets and poured it over themselves 20 times to cleanse both body and mind. Some struggled to endure the biting cold.

At the time, the temperature in Sapporo was 1.4°C.

Though it had risen above freezing, the cold remained in line with seasonal averages. After dousing themselves, the participants moved their bodies vigorously and shouted loudly to keep their spirits high.

Source: 北海道ニュースUHB

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Coming of Age in the Cold: Hokkaido Youth Brave Ice Bath for Purification

Each year, Hokkaido Shrine holds a cold-water purification ceremony to celebrate the coming of age of new adults, with nineteen young men and women participating in this year's 'Kanchu Misogi' on Sunday.

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