The shape of it
About
Setsubun marks the eve of spring in the traditional calendar. Households and temples scatter roasted soybeans while chanting 'Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi' (demons out, fortune in) to drive away bad luck, and people eat an uncut ehomaki sushi roll facing the year's lucky direction.
Highlights
- Mamemaki bean-throwing ceremonies at temples like Sensoji and Zojoji
- Celebrities and sumo wrestlers tossing beans and sweets to crowds at major temples
- Ehomaki sushi rolls sold everywhere from convenience stores to department stores
Plan it well
- Not a public holiday — shops and transport run normally.
- Arrive early for bean-throwing events at famous temples; they draw big, tightly packed crowds.
- Pick up an ehomaki roll and eat it silently facing the lucky compass direction for the year.
