Japanese take plunge in Tokyo shrine's ice bath to pray for New Year<br /><br />Japanese Shinto devotees braved the cold and took a plunge in an ice bath in Tokyo on Sunday, in a traditional ritual aimed at purifying the soul and praying for the new year. A group of 99 people, including 17 women, wearing white loincloths and gowns, knelt into a pool filled with icy water and chanted prayers with their hands clasped tightly. “It’s very cold. But after participating for the first time last year, I felt so refreshed both physically and mentally. So I was determined to take part again this year. For a whole year I had been preparing for this by showering in cold water every day. I’m so glad I was able to do it again this year,” said 44-year-old belly dancer Chisato Takahashi. The ritual dates back to 1955, inspired by a former chief priest of the shrine who poured cold water over himself as he prayed for the health and prosperity of the local community.<br /><br />REUTERS VIDEO<br /><br />Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe<br />Visit our website at [https://www.manilatimes.net](https://www.manilatimes.net/)<br /><br />Follow us:<br />Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook<br />Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram<br />Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter<br />DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion<br /><br />Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital<br /><br />Check out our Podcasts:<br />Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify<br />Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts<br />Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic<br />Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer<br />Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher<br />Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein<br /><br />#TheManilaTimes<br />#WorldNews
