Setsubun Festival Bean-Tossing Ceremony 節分祭豆まき式

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

Kanda Myojin is a Shinto shrine in Tokyo that has close to 1,300 years of history. Its Setsubun festival begins with a parade featuring red and blue demons, the deities Daikoku and Ebisu, and people scattering beans across the ground.

Kanda Myojin Shrine is known for being the guardian shrine of the northeast gate of Edo Castle, a traditionally unlucky direction. Before the bean-tossing ceremony, Shinto priests dressed as ancient warriors perform the Meigen-no-Gi ritual. During this ritual, they pretend to shoot arrows toward the northeast and southwest gates (called the "Devil's Gate" and "Rear Devil's Gate," respectively). The bean-tossing ceremony is performed by various celebrities and TV personalities who throw beans from a specially constructed walkway.