Ascetic priests of the Shingendo sect of Shintoism during an annual fire-walking festival in Takao, west of Tokyo, Japan, March 8, 2009. In this purification ritual, participants walk barefoot across burning embers to cleanse past evils. (Robert Gilhooly/GlobalPost)
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An ascetic priest throws "nadegi" wooden tablets into the fire. The names of worshippers seeking purification are written on the tablets. (Robert Gilhooly/GlobalPost)
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An ascetic priest flagellates himself with boiling hot water during the purification ritual. Priests douse themselves with boiling water before walking across embers. (Robert Gilhooly/GlobalPost)
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An ascetic priest of the Shingendo sect of Shintoism performs a ritual offering prior to the purification ritual. (Robert Gilhooly/GlobalPost)
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Ascetic priests poor out sacred salt for participants to cool their feet during a purification ritual. (Robert Gilhooly/GlobalPost)
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An ascetic priest shakes a sacred implement used to ward off evil. (Robert Gilhooly/GlobalPost)
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Ascetic priests throw buckets of water onto the bonfire to calm the flames. The bonfire was set by shooting a sacred arrow. The priests then walk across the embers. (Robert Gilhooly/GlobalPost)
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A head priest priest scatters sacred salt as he leads a line of ascetic monks during the purification ritual. (Robert Gilhooly/GlobalPost)
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The feet of ascetic priests are blackened after participating in the ritual. (Robert Gilhooly/GlobalPost)
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A head priest priest scatters sacred salt as he leads a line of ascetic monks. (Robert Gilhooly/GlobalPost)
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