Braving the cold: Japan's New Year's rituals, in photos

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A participant pours cold water over himself to purify his soul and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
A participant pours cold water over himself to purify his soul and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare to bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare to bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants pray after pouring cold water over themselves to purify their souls and wish for good health during a New Year's ritual at Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants pray after pouring cold water over themselves to purify their souls and wish for good health during a New Year's ritual at Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare to bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare to bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants carry a portable shrine 'mikoshi', during the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants carry a portable shrine 'mikoshi', during the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare to bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare to bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Members of the public try to catch rice cakes thrown after the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Members of the public try to catch rice cakes thrown after the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare to bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare to bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants pray after bathing in ice-cold water to purify their souls and wish for good health during a New Year ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants pray after bathing in ice-cold water to purify their souls and wish for good health during a New Year ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare to bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare to bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare for the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants prepare for the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants bathe in ice-cold water to purify their souls and pray for good health during a New Year's ritual at Teppozu Inari Shrine in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
A participant during the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
A participant during the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants carry a portable shrine 'mikoshi', during the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants carry a portable shrine 'mikoshi', during the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants carry a portable shrine 'mikoshi', during the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Participants carry a portable shrine 'mikoshi', during the Winter Sea Misogi Festival, a Shinto purification ritual marking the New Year, in Numazu, Japan, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
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5:14 AM on Sunday, January 11

By LOUISE DELMOTTE

People gathered in Tokyo and Numazu to brave ice-cold water in purification rituals meant to pray for good health during the New Year.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

This content is used here with permission. To view the original visit: https://apnews.com/article/japan-new-years-ice-baths-02744e3c8fb287175c979b8a54fd44a0
 

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