ICHIKAWA, JAPAN 11 Jan 1960 (REUTERS)
SV.PAN..Enthusiasts ladle water from tanks and pour over themselves
07
CV. Father ladles water over small daughter
12
MV As shot one
22
CV. Small girl participants look on
24
MV. Men revel in water from hose
32
CV. Fully dressed spectators
34
MV.PAN..Young girl leads enthusiasts in swinging exercise
43
CV. Girl does arm swinging exercise
50
SV.PAN..Posterior to feet of shivering non-participant
55
SV. Old man ladles water over himself
01
MV. Old man seats himself in tank of cold water
07
CV. Splashes water over himself
Initials TDH/S/CW/WS/ES

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Wearing only shorts and bathing suits, an association of Japanese spartans gave an annual teeth-chattering display of mid-winter ice-water bathing at Ichikawa, Japan, Jan 12.

Claiming that they never catch cold, or suffer from rheumatism, thirty-six men and seven woman and girls assembled in a school yard to demonstrate their hardiness by jumping into tube filled with water, and seemingly enjoying being sprayed with hoses.

Despite protestations of enjoyment it was obvious that the heavy overcoated spectators were more comfortable than the goose-pimpled spartans.