It was bitterly cold on the streets of Tokyo.<br /><br />But the chill winds blowing didn't prepare these brave locals for what was to follow.<br /><br />The shivering participants of "Coming of Age Day" hoped to cleanse their souls and sharpen their minds for the year ahead.<br /><br />The ceremony culminated in an ice bath, a traditional Shinto purification rite.<br /><br />It's a milestone event for 20-year-olds in Japan, finally able to legally drink and vote.<br /><br />[Norihiro Abe, Student and Bather]:<br />"I will come of age this year. That's why I participated."<br /><br />[Shiori Masuda, Waitress and Bather]:<br />"The economy is frigid, but it's not as cold as the icy water. This bath has made me want to try my best this year."<br /><br />The event took place outside the city's world-famous Kanda Myojin shrine.<br /><br />While the youngsters braved the elements, it was left to the older generation to mark the occasion in a rather more formal manner.
