Sunday May 27, 2012

Now that's cold

Picture of the Day ( 24 )

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AP Photo/Koji Sasahara

Shrine parishioners using wooden tubs splash cold water onto themselves during an annual cold-endurance festival at the Kanda Myojin shinto shrine in Tokyo on Saturday.

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24 Comments

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  • -1

    some14some

    They look so happy but i don't envy them :)

  • -6

    Elbuda Mexicano

    I bet somebody is peeing in this water!

  • 0

    herefornow

    Can someone explain why so many Japanese religious ceremonies seem to involve some form of physical pain like this one? What does enduring a shower of cold water have to do with inner faith?

  • 2

    TakahiroDomingo

    What does enduring a shower of cold water have to do with inner faith?

    really good question, been asking myself same thing. many differences in japan compared to west. seems in japan there were no religious wars (lots of wars all the time, but maybe not religious), while westward the religious killings never stop, from inquisition to this day. religion feels different here, somehow.

  • 3

    borscht

    In Europe and the US, jumping into cold water with a bunch of other people isn't 'religious', it's considered 'fun.' My favorite quote from a polar bear plunger: "I like being crazy."

    http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/cold-112691-water-plunge.html

    Some other crazy people do it to raise money.

    http://globegazette.com/news/local/article_3f01907c-00fd-11e0-83bf-001cc4c002e0.html

    In either case, it has nothing to do with showing your faith or ganbaro spirit. If people feels it will improve their religiousocity, however, fell free to jump in.

    But why do certain people need a 'serious' reason to do something vs just to have fun.

  • 1

    sf2k

    The implication is that this is religions since it's happening at a shrine or a sacred place. This versus polar swims which tend to be by a lake or ocean for fun, or even a social cause that is also not religious. Not really the same thing

  • 2

    ExportExpert

    If this is some ones idea of fun then they have serious issues to deal with.

    Could not consider this as fun ever, madness yes fun no.

  • 1

    DentShop

    Crazy + Awesome = Crawsome, which is just what this is!

  • -1

    Serrano

    Don't they have anything better to do?

  • -5

    The Munya Times

    Religions with much closed circle of their own religious members and societies, with their self-fabricated isolated philosophies at their own sacred places where they spend too much time, like monasteries in the eleventh century, are not very healthy places and ways of living. In these closed monasteries of narrow minded religious cultures and their intellectually, spiritually, and physically much isolated selfish congregations, faked values of life, saintly inner suffering, self-punishing, mortification, self-whipping, sado-masochism, pain, illness, aberration and clumsiness ruled their lives.

    Those much closed, isolated monasteries and convents are history now, but the monk minded misguided zealous followers are still among us.

  • 7

    Hide Suzuki

    @The Munya Times

    You call them narrow minded, closed societies. Don't you think you are being narrow minded, :) ?

    • Moderator

      Readers, please stop sniping at each other.

  • -4

    The Munya Times

    @Hide Suzuki

    I was talking about the convents and monasteries in the eleventh century and yes they were. Now, read my last sentence in that post of mine.

  • 1

    Familienprobleme

    This is not done at all shrines. Not all or even most Shinto believers do this, and certainly most Japanese do not.

    Therefore it is not representative of Japan or Japanese in the slightest, and while it may be representative of some of Shinto, its not representative of all of Shinto. And I am pretty sure its not written anywhere by anyone that it is an integral part of Shinto.

    It seems to me its just a crazy thing that some people do, both here and abroad. I think some chose shrines for the ability to exhibit this crazy stunt, as so many visit shrines at this time of year. I think its about as related to Shinto as a bake sale at a church is related to Christianity.

  • 1

    Himajin

    Can someone explain why so many Japanese religious ceremonies seem to involve some form of physical pain like this one?

    Not only Japan, but many Christian sects also include or in the past included some kind of pain or at leat discomfort, as in wearing a hair shirt, a shirt made out of goats hair, sometimes interwoven with twigs or wire.

    "The tradition of wearing hair shirts is part of a practice called the mortification of the flesh. Mortification ranges from a simple denial of pleasures to actually committing serious injury, as in the case of medieval flagellants who whipped themselves during the time of the Plague. Mortification is said to be an expression of faith, and it is also meant to train the soul, expelling sin and promoting pious, faithful behavior. Extreme mortification is no longer in vogue in most Christian sects, but more mild forms like fasting are an important part of religious faith for some devout Christians."

    In Mexico in some towns people get crucified for reenactments of the Passion. Now they tie them to the crosses, but the used to both nail and tie them.

  • 1

    LoveNot

    Cool.

  • 2

    SamuraiBlue

    I guess a lot of people really does not read the comment below the picture.

    cold-endurance festival

    It's a festival which has nothing to do with religious faith although cleansing of body and soul is part of the theology of Shintoism and words like　" 心頭滅却　火もまた涼し" Shintoism does not force people to follow it to the letter.

  • 1

    JapanGal

    SamuraiBlue

    Shinto is the best religion in the world, as it is based on being happy and partying. I love it.

  • 2

    Arthur Dumbolov

    We call them "walruses".

  • 0

    Harry_Gatto

    A herd of wild horses could not drag me into freezing water! No way Pedro, ever. Why would anyone want to do that?

  • 0

    Antonios_M

    Seriously, after a while you don't feel that much as body turns numb.

  • 0

    Foxie

    I bet that is warmer than me going outside into -26C in the morning.

  • 0

    Serrano

    "Cool."

    Ha ha ha

    Actually this is lame compared to what we do, we spray each other with liquid nitrogen, ha ha!

  • 0

    cactusJack

    I'll take Arizona, thank you.

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