Mon, Feb
03

Mt. Takao Setsubun

Free

Held in temples across Japan on February 3rd, this festival cleanses away the evil of the previous year and drives away any evil spirits bringing bad luck to the new one. Held at the Yakuo-in Temple, beans are thrown into the crowd by men and women born under the same calendrical cycle as this one. Prominent singers, sumo wrestlers, and actors also join in and crowds will jostle to catch beans as if you eat them it is believed you will be free of illness and misfortune in the coming year. A goma fire ritual takes place before the bean throwing to purify the throwers.

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