Mizukake Festival is a unique Shinto ritual held at Nishikata area in Miharu-machi, Fukushima Pref. This religious ritual has been handed down in this area for about 600 years. It originates in the legend that when an epidemic attacked the villages, a mysterious mist rose up from the water place and the spread of the epidemic stopped soon after that. The villagers, being sure it was a protection by the god, started to practice cold water ablutions in Mizu-iwai (water celebration) event held at Shiogama Shrine. Mizukake Festival is also called Mizu-abi (water-bathing), Mizu-iwai (water celebration), or Doro-kake (mud splashing) Festival. It is held on New Year’s Day. Young men first purify themselves by pouring cold water upon themselves in the Otakine River in hope of perfect state of health, prosperity of offspring, and productiveness of grain, and then start to splash water against one another in a fierce manner. In recent years not only young men but also people who wish to drive away their climacteric ill luck in the middle age join this water splashing event.