Mid-winter swimming in Otokawa River, Okazaki. Coming of age men and women swim the 5 degree river

Translated from the original article at: http://okazaki.keizai.biz/headline/510/

January 11, 2012

Caption: Female coming of age participants warm their frozen bodies in hot water baths which have been prepared.

On January 9, near the diving bridge of Otokawa River, Okazaki, the City Swimming Association's 37th mid-winter swim took place. 96 men and women, ages 5 to 59 participated. They enjoyed their first swim of the year, while also trembling from the cold.

Otokawa River's swimming event began in 1949. It was put on hold from 1966 until 94, reopening in 95. Since then, it's taken place every year on Coming of Age Day. Two thirds of the participants are said to return each year.

On the event day, four new coming-of-agers participated, displaying their status by repeating a special vow. They then performed warm-up exercises, took a group photo, continued the water cleansing ceremony, and then prayed for safety by firing evil-repealing arrows. One by one, the participants entered the river.

The river's temperature was 5 degrees. 50 meters away, buoys float for people to reach and return from. Two of the male coming-of-agers swam a maximum of 30 meters before returning to shore. The two females endured the cold for one minute before exiting the river. Five people total completed the challenge, treading water while writing into a sketch book placed at the buoy.

Along the river plain, boiling water was on standby. Everyone who exited the river welcomed the experience of entering the bathtubs, as their chilled bodies warmed back up.

Original text:

岡崎・乙川で寒中水泳－新成人男女も水温5度の川を泳ぐ

2012年01月11日

用意された湯につかり冷えた体を温める新成人の参加女性

岡崎・乙川の潜水橋付近で1月9日、「第37回岡崎水泳協会寒中水泳」が行われた。5～59歳の男女96人が参加し、寒さで震えながらも初泳ぎを楽しんだ。

乙川での寒中水泳が始まったのは1949（昭和24）年。1966（昭和41）年から1994年まで中断したが、1995年に再開。以後、毎年成人の日に行っており、全体で3分の2ほどの人が毎年参加しているという。

この日は新成人4人も参加した。代表して4人が「成人の誓い」を述べると、準備体操、記念撮影、水清め式と続き、水泳の無事を祈願して破魔矢が放たれると、参加者は次々と川に入った。

川の水温は5度。約50メートル先に浮かべたブイまで往復する人もいた。新成人の男性2人は30メートルほどまで泳ぎ岸に戻ったが、女性2人は冷たさに耐えきれず1分ほどで川から上がった。立ち泳ぎしながら色紙に文字を書く「水書」には5人が挑戦した。

河川敷では湯を沸かして待機。川から上がると皆、吸い込まれるように湯船に入り、冷え切った体を温めていた。