setsubun Archives | Tokyo Cheapo

In the blink of an eye, the first month of the year is over. We hope that 2025 has been good to you so far, and if you made a New Year's resolution to go out and explore the city more, here's your guide to Tokyo's best events in February. Keep an eye out for the plum blossoms -- they're starting to bloom now. Don't forget that you can also catch the last of the Tokyo winter illuminations this month. For the top events in Tokyo throughout the year, check out our complete guide -- organized by month. 1. Setsubun All over Tokyo Throw the beans, and don't look back. Drive out bad luck and evil spirits in your life and welcome good fortune with Setsubun, a festival during which people throw soybeans while chanting "Out with demons; in with good fortune!" This bean-throwing ceremony is held in most temples and shrines around Tokyo -- even small ones -- but if you want to go big, the following are known to have large-scale Setsubun celebrations: Sensōji Temple Zōjōji Temple Kanda Myōjin Shrine These big Tokyo temples and shrines often have celebrities helping to throw beans, as well as other activities lined up, including ritual dances, performances, and free food and goodies. Also check out the Shimokitazawa Tengu Festival, for a parade plus plenty of bean-throwing. 2. Lunar New Year Chinatown, Yokohama Lanterns, traditional lion dances, and parades The Lunar New Year celebrations take place every year in Yokohama's Chinatown and include several fantastic events. Highlights include the Chinatown Celebration Parade, which will feature traditional costumes, lion dances, and dragon dances; the Lantern Festival, on which people’s hopes and dreams for the year are written; and a variety of traditional performances. 3. Early-blooming cherry blossom festivals All over Tokyo and beyond Who said cherry blossoms were just for spring? Kawazu-zakura, an early-blooming cherry blossom, is the most common sakura tree in coastal Kanagawa Prefecture (just next door to Tokyo), and is usually in full bloom by mid- to late February. You can also find the trees in Izu and in Tokyo (see, e.g. the Kyūnaka River and Yoyogi Park). These are the most popular early-blooming cherry blossom festivals around Tokyo: Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival: Feb. 1–Feb. 29 Miura-kaigan Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival: Feb. 5–Mar. 2 Matsuda Cherry Blossom Festival: Feb. 8–Mar. 9 4. Plum blossom festivals All over Tokyo and beyond The original sakura We have a whole list of the best places to see plum blossoms in Tokyo for 2025, but we'll highlight a few of our favorite plum blossom festivals here: Yushima Tenjin Plum Blossom Festival (Feb. 8– Mar. 8) Setagaya Plum Blossom Festival (Feb. 8–Mar. 2) Koubai Red Plum Blossom Festival (Feb. 1–25) 5. Some no Komichi Fabric Dyeing Festival Terahitoshi Bridge, Nakai Step into the past of a local Tokyo suburb The lesser-known neighborhoods of Nakai and Ochiai have a colorful past. In the early 20th century, these areas were filled with dyeing factories, which led to their unique heritage and reputation as a hub for traditional dyeing. Having inherited the craft, descendants of the first artisans have found ways to keep traditional fabric dyeing alive -- and Some no Komichi is one way to spread the word. During this town-wide event, you'll see beautiful cloth strewn over the river, creating a "river gallery". Shops will also proudly showcase their noren (Japanese-style curtains), dyed the old-school way. 6. Ashigakubo Icicles Illumination Ashigakubo Station, Saitama See a magical winterscape It's not often you find a winterscape like this so close to Tokyo. In Saitama every January and February, icicles are illuminated with color, creating hauntingly beautiful shapes. The display is held a 10-minute walk from Ashigakubo Station, which is around 1 hour and 25 minutes from Ikebukuro. Note: Reservations are required if you are driving on the weekends or holidays. Check out the official website for the current state of the icicles. 7. Sakana and Japan Festival Yoyogi Park Events Square, Shibuya Your choice of seafood Japan is known for its fresh seafood, and you can find a wide selection at the yearly "Sakana and Japan" Festival. Bringing around 80 stalls brimming and bubbling with ocean delights, the events sees up to 200,000 attendees swarm Yoyogi Park Events Square. While we do our best to ensure it's correct, information is subject to change. Post first published in January, 2017. Last updated on January 20, 2025, by Alex Ziminski.

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