2023.02.03
Traditional event held on the day before the first day of spring to ward off bad luck and pray for a happy new year
Setsubunkai is a traditional event held on the day before Risshun (the first day of spring) to ward off bad luck and pray for a happy new year. It is said that Senso-ji Temple was the first temple to hold Setsubunkai on a large scale during the Edo period. In the Setsubunkai held at Sensoji Temple today, the chief priest and selected New Year’s men parade in a procession from the Denboin to the main hall, after which beans are scattered from a stage set up on the east side of the main hall in the hope that misfortune and bad luck will be averted. At Sensoji Temple, instead of saying “Oni wa soto (demons do not exist in front of Kannon-sama),” they say “Senshu banzai (Senju banzai), Fuku wa uchi (Fuku wa uchi)” as they scatter the beans.
The “Dance of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune” is then performed. This dance is performed to praise the good fortune of Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) and is performed by people imitating the seven gods of good fortune: Ebisu, Daikoku, Bishamon, Benten, Jurokujin, Jurokujin, and Hotei (a god of wealth). The origin of this dance began in April 1964 as the “Dance of the Treasure” to commemorate the inauguration of the Hozomon Gate, along with the “Dance of the Treasure” performed on the Boys’ Festival. In addition to the dance of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, other events such as bean-throwing by Sensoji Kindergarten students and the “Asakusa Kannon Cultural Entertainers’ Setsubun Kai” are also held.
Event SummaryOutline
| Location | Senso-ji Temple 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo |
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| Access |
5 minutes walk from Asakusa Station on Tokyo Skytree Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Toei Subway Asakusa Line, Tsukuba Express
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| Holding period | Friday, February 3, 2023 |
| Opening Hours | 14:40-17:15 (Asakusa Kannon Cultural Entertainers Setsubun Kai) |
| Contact Us | 03-3910-0394 |
| Related Links | Official Site |
