February 3 is a special day in Kyoto as well] Here are shrines and temples where you can experience Setsubun!

February 3 is Setsubun day every year. When we spend Setsubun day at home, we throw beans and eat ehoumaki (a traditional Japanese roll eaten during Setsubun), don't we?

Some shrines and temples in Kyoto hold Setsubun festivals on Setsubun day to purify the year's bad luck.
Among the many shrines and temples, we will introduce two of the best places to spend Setsubun Day.

Table of Contents

■Yoshida Shrine

■Mibu temple

■Participate in Setsubun-kai and Setsubun-sai at temples and shrines in Kyoto!

■Yoshida Shrine

Yoshida Shrine is located near Kyoto University. Since it is some distance from the nearest stations, Keihan Demachiyanagi Station and Eizan Railway Demachiyanagi Station, it is recommended to take a bus and get off at either Kyoto University Agriculture Department Mae or Kita-Shirakawa.
It was founded in 859 A.D. as the guardian deity of Heian-kyo, and is blessed with good luck and protection from bad luck.
There is also a shrine dedicated to the god of cooking and the god of sweets in the precincts of the temple, which attracts the faith of many people.

The Setsubun Festival is a major event of Yoshida Shrine, held over three days from February 2 to February 4 every year.
During the festival, the temple grounds are decorated with lanterns and sacred ropes, creating a solemn atmosphere.
Various events are held over the three days, including a ceremony to drive away demons and a fireplace festival held at night, and there are many highlights of the festival.

On February 2 and 3, some 800 stalls line the streets, creating a lively festive atmosphere.
During the festival, it is also possible to visit the inner sanctuary of the Grand Palace, which is not usually accessible.
Take the opportunity of the Setsubun Festival to visit Yoshida Shrine for a special view of the shrine that you cannot normally see.

Facility Name:Yoshida Shrine
Address: 30, Yoshida Kaguraoka-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8311, Japan
Phone: 075-771-3788

HP:http://www.yoshidajinja.com/index.html

■Mibu temple

Mibudera Temple is located near Hankyu Omiya and Keifuku Omiya Stations.
Near Mibudera Temple are the ruins of the Shinsengumi military camp, and the area is popular among history buffs as a place associated with the late Bakumatsu samurai.
The precincts of Mibudera Temple were once used as a training center for the Shinsengumi troopers.
In the current precincts, there are graves of Shinsengumi members and a bust of Isamu Kondo, the chief of the Shinsengumi.

Mibudera's Setsubun-kai is said to have had a long history of about 900 years, having been initiated by Emperor Shirakawa, who reigned in the late Heian period (794-1185).
The festival begins the day before Setsubun, and on February 2, Kyogen "Setsubun" will be performed four times. In the afternoon, local nursery school children and yamabushi (mountain priests) will parade around the temple, and prayers will be held in front of the main hall.

On the day of Setsubun, prayers to ward off bad luck are held in the main hall throughout the day.
The shrine will also award bad luck charms, get-up-and-go dharma charms, and traffic safety charms.
It is said that those who dedicate a piece of pottery called a "gunraku" by writing the age, gender, and wishes of their family and acquaintances on it will escape the bad luck of the year.

Facility Name:Mibu temple
Address: 31 Mibu-Nashinomiya-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8821, Japan
Phone: 075-841-3381

HP:https://www.mibudera.com/

■Participate in Setsubun-kai and Setsubun-sai at temples and shrines in Kyoto!

During Setsubun-kai and Setsubun-sai, the temples and shrines introduced here will have stalls and perform traditional kyogen theater.
You can purchase good luck charms and street food, or experience the long history of the Setsubun event.
Visit Yoshida Shrine and Mibudera Temple between February 2 and 4 to make your trip memorable.