Setsubun: Get Ready For Japan’s Beloved Bean-Throwing Holiday
Demons Out, Fortune In!
Mark the beginning of spring by scaring away all evil around you — with beans.
Setsubun no Hi (節分の日), celebrated annually on February 2, 3 or 4th, is a traditional event marking the official beginning of spring, according to the Japanese lunar calendar. Though not a national holiday, Setsubun is widely celebrated across Japan and is one of the favorite traditions of all Japanese children. It’s a day full of bean-throwing, bean-eating and efforts to scare evil away to welcome good fortune.
This year, Setsubun falls on Monday, February 3rd and there are plenty of events around the city to celebrate the proper way. Enjoy!
When did Setsubun begin?
The tradition of Setsubun dates back centuries, but the bean throwing tradition first emerged in the Muromachi period (1337 – 1573). The beans represent vitality and are thought to symbolically purify the home by driving away evil spirits that bring misfortune and bad health. As Japanese people like to play with words, there is also a secret meaning to bean throwing: the pronunciation of the word beans (mame, 豆) is similar to the word for demon eyes (魔目); throwing beans, therefore, has a similar sound to destroying demons (mametsu, 魔滅).
How is Setsubun celebrated?
Today Setsubun is typically celebrated by families who gather together to throw roasted soybeans out their front door, or at a family member (usually the father) who is dressed up as an oni (demon), while chanting “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! (Demons out! Good fortune in!) in line with the traditional folk song (listen below). Bean-throwing events are also commonly held at elementary schools and kindergartens.
Public Setsubun celebrations at temples across Tokyo and the rest of Japan, are also popular, with TV personalities, athletes, characters and other celebrities joining in as bean-throwers or in some cases even demons.
If you would like to embrace the Setsubun tradition as a true local, stop by at your local convenience or grocery store until February 3 and grab a Setsubun set, which will have an oni demon mask and a pack of roasted soybeans. Decide who will be the demon in the family and chase him or her away with the beans, while not forgetting the magic spell, oni wa soto fuku wa uchi. In addition to throwing the beans, eating the same number of beans as your age plus one is said to ensure good health.
Other traditions include eating eho-maki (pictured below), a special Setsubun sushi roll, which can be either made at home with your favorite makizushi fillings or bought at your local Seven-Eleven. The tradition goes that one should make a wish in the evening of Setsubun, turn to the lucky direction for the year and eat the whole roll in complete silence for good luck. This year, the lucky direction is “east-north-east.”
Major Setsubun Events Around Tokyo
For those who haven’t bean to a real Setsubun event yet, below are some of the most popular ceremonies in and around Tokyo.
Setsubun Festival At Zojoji Temple
Joined by celebrities, politicians and sumo wrestlers, the annual bean-throwing festival at Zojoji Temple is one of the largest such events in Tokyo. Thousands of people join this event and the battle for bean catch is fierce, so go well-armed.
Date: Monday, February 3, 2020
Time: Event from 11:30 a.m. The bean-throwing ceremony will start at 12:20 p.m.
Location: Zojoji Temple, 4-7-35 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Naritasan Setsubun Festival
Naritasan Temple attracts around 40 thousand visitors every year particularly for this festival, where a total of 860kg of beans (and 400kg of peanuts) are thrown by celebrities, athletes and kabuki actors. This year, sumo wrestlers including Yokozuna Hakuho and actors from the popular drama Kirin ga Kuru, including Hiroki Hasegawa, Mugi Kadowaki and Fumino Kimura, will be participating.
Date: Monday, February 3, 2020
Time: 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m.
Location: Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, 1 Narita, Narita-shi, Chiba Prefecture
Ikegami Honmonji Temple Setsubun
With over 13,000 participants every year, this is one of the largest Setsubun events in the capital and with famous wrestlers attending the ceremony, the battle for the beans here is fierce — literally. This year, the event will again be joined by famous faces from a variety of genres such as sports, tv, and music.
Date: Monday, February 3, 2020
Time: From 1 p.m.
Location: Ikegami Honmonji Temple, 1-1-1 Ikegami, Ota-ku, Tokyo
Kawasaki Daishi Setsubun
This one is the largest in Kanagawa Prefecture. Scare demons away together with other 10,000 participants and fight over for the perfect bean.
Date: Monday, February 3, 2020
Time: 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m.
Location: Kawasaki Daishi, 4-48 Daishimachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture
Asakusa Sensoji Temple Setsubun
Asakusa likes doing things its own way, so here you’ll experience a slightly different chant than the traditional “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi.” While there are several events going on at the temple throughout the day, the biggest attraction is the bean throwing event by famous Japanese celebrities whose appearance is kept secret from the public until the actual event. Who will join the crowd this year? Find out for yourself!
Date: Monday, February 3, 2020
Time: 2:30 p.m.-5:15 p.m.
Location: Sensoji Temple, 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Happy Setsubun!
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