Setsubun Tsuina Ceremony 節分追儺式

Note: The 2024 installment of this event has already taken place.

The Setsubun Tsuina Ceremony is a traditional event to drive away misfortune and disaster. At Zojoji Temple it begins with a procession in the temple grounds in front of the Sangedatsumon Gate, an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Men and women born in the current year of the eastern zodiac wear traditional Japanese kamishimo kimono and lead the procession. They are followed by preschool children wearing colorful handmade kamishimo. Members of dog appreciation clubs also join the procession with their pets, brightening the temple precincts. Mochi rice cakes are pounded on a specially erected stage, and preschool children perform the Oni-Mondo ceremony, throwing out beans to drive away demons. The main bean-tossing ceremony is performed by celebrities, including sumo wrestlers, sumo stable masters, athletes, and entertainers.