Teppozu Kanchu Misogi (New Year's Ceremony)
New Year's annual ritual
January 8, 2017, Tokyo, Japan - Participants pray absorbedly during a new year's annual cold water dousing ritual in downtown Tokyo on Practitioners of Shinto, a Japanese ethnic religion focusing on ritual practices to be carried out diligently, immerse Practitioners of Shinto, a Japanese ethnic religion focusing on ritual practices to be carried out diligently, immerse themselves in icy water under the frigid temperatures in the purification ritual, believed to cleanse the spirit or just to show off their bravery and (Photo by Natsuki Sakai/AFLO) AYF -mis-