Washing Away Evil Under Waterfall in Cold Temperatures; Participants Endure 5 C Water to Pray for a Safe New Year

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:37 JST, January 20, 2025

People pray for a safe new year while standing under a freezing waterfall in Kamiichi, Toyama Prefecture, at the bottom of the Tateyama mountain range.

The Roppondaki falls are located behind Oiwasan Nisseki-ji temple. Participants in the ritual endured a morning temperature of 3 C with the water at 5 C.

One man said: “Last year the Noto Peninsula Earthquake occurred and there was an illness in my family, so I want this year to be better, even if only a little. It feels like all [of my bad luck] has been washed away.”