The appreciation ceremony for old dolls is held once a year in October at Meiji Jingu (Shinto Shrine) in Tokyo, Japan.

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Since ancient times, Japanese people believe every doll has a soul which reminds of close friends and family. When a doll gets old and broken, people can't throw them away for these reasons. They wait until the annual doll appreciation ceremony, where they leave the doll together with a written gratitude message. The dolls are offered to the Shinto priest. In this ceremony, the doll's souls are purified and people are able to let go peacefully.

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Size: 4608px × 3072px
Location: Shinto Shrine, Tokyo, Japan
Photo credit: © Katrin Ewert / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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