Setsubun: Throwing Beans to Welcome Spring

Learn how Setsubun works in Japan: the bean-throwing ritual, demon masks, lucky sushi rolls, and where to join the fun at temples and shrines.

Published October 16, 2026 at 9:53 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Setsubun is the day before the start of spring in the traditional calendar, usually February 3. People throw roasted soybeans while shouting Oni wa soto, Fuku wa uchi, meaning demons out, fortune in, and many eat ehomaki sushi rolls.

The Day Winter Says Goodbye

Early in February, when Japan is still deep in winter, the country spends a day shouting at imaginary demons and tossing handfuls of roasted soybeans. This is Setsubun, a cheerful seasonal festival that marks the day before Risshun, the first day of spring in the traditional calendar. It usually falls on February 3, though in some years it moves to February 2, so it is worth checking the calendar if you plan to attend an event. Families throw beans at home, temples and shrines hold public ceremonies, and supermarkets fill with demon masks and special sushi rolls. This guide explains the origins of Setsubun, the rituals people follow, and how visitors can take part.

The festival is a lovely window into Japanese seasonal life. It is playful, family-friendly and full of symbolism about welcoming good fortune and a fresh start. Even if you only watch from the sidelines, it is hard not to smile when a crowd shouts the traditional chant together.

Where Setsubun Comes From

The roots of Setsubun lie in a Chinese custom called tsuina, a ritual for driving away misfortune and disease that reached Japan in the eighth century. Historical records say it was held at the imperial court in the year 706, and it was a formal ceremony designed to protect the palace. Over the centuries, the aristocracy and ordinary people blended it with local customs, and the beloved bean-throwing practice, known as mamemaki, appeared around the Muromachi period.

From the Edo period, bean-throwing spread to shrines, temples and households across the country. The idea was simple: people performed a ritual to drive away misfortune, cleanse their homes and invite luck for the coming year. Today the tradition remains one of the most widely practiced seasonal events in Japan, in homes and public places alike.

Beans, Sardines and Lucky Sushi Rolls

The core ritual is simple. People take roasted soybeans, called fukumame or "fortune beans," and toss them out the front door or at a family member wearing an oni mask. An oni is a demon or ogre in Japanese folklore, a symbol of misfortune and illness. While throwing, everyone shouts "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" which means "Demons out! Fortune in!" The door is then closed, to keep the luck inside. The beans are believed to purify the home, and in many families the role of thrower traditionally goes to the head of the household or a man born in the zodiac year that is about to begin.

Afterward, it is customary to eat roasted beans: one for each year of your age, plus one more for good luck in the year ahead. This follows the old East Asian way of counting age. Beans are the most common choice, though some regions swap in other foods, and in Hokkaido and Tohoku people often use peanuts. In Aizuwakamatsu, the chant is a bit more colorful, calling on people to blind the demons' eyes. There is even a charming bit of folklore about surnames: oni are said to avoid people called Watanabe, thanks to a legend about Watanabe no Tsuna, a warrior retainer said to have overcome powerful oni, and some Watanabe families have not thrown beans for generations.

Beans are not the only symbol of the day. Some households display a sprig of holly with a sardine head attached beside the front door, known as hiiragi iwashi. The prickly leaves and the strong smell of the roasted fish are believed to keep demons away, and the custom is associated with the Edo period.

The other famous tradition is ehomaki, a thick, uncut sushi roll eaten on Setsubun. People typically face the year's lucky direction, which depends on the zodiac, and eat the roll in silence while making a wish. The custom began in the Osaka region and in some entertainment districts, then spread in the following centuries, and the name ehomaki became widely known nationwide after a convenience store chain adopted it in 1989. Today you will see the rolls sold at supermarkets and convenience stores for the occasion, often in sets with a paper oni mask.

Where to Join the Fun

If you are traveling in Japan in early February, look for events at major temples and shrines. In Tokyo, Sensoji in Asakusa is famous for large ceremonies that draw big crowds, and guests are invited to catch lucky packets of beans thrown from a stage. Many shrines invite special guests, such as celebrities or sumo wrestlers, and some ceremonies are televised. At some venues, priests and guests throw packets that may contain money, sweets or small prizes, which adds to the excitement.

Kyoto offers a rich variety of events. Yoshida Shrine hosts a ritual in which a performer wearing a golden four-eyed mask chases away ogres, Mibu-dera stages a wordless Mibu Kyogen play, and Rozan-ji is known for its Oni Odori demon dance, in which red, blue and black demons are driven off. At Kitano Tenmangu, local geiko and maiko, the entertainers of Kyoto, join the bean scattering. Different venues have different schedules, so check each shrine's official announcements for times and rules.

Tips for Visitors

Arrive early at popular venues, since crowds can be dense and the best spots near the stage fill quickly. Dress warmly because the ceremonies are held outdoors in cold weather, and be ready to stand for a while. Some events distribute tickets or restrict entry to participants, while others are open to all, so look for notices posted by the temple or shrine.

When beans or packets are thrown, catch them politely, and try not to push your way through the crowd. Pack a small bag to carry your lucky packets, and bring tissues or a small towel for cold hands. Children are especially welcome at many family-friendly events, and it can be fun to wear a paper oni mask.

You can also celebrate at home or in your hotel by buying a small pack of roasted soybeans. Throwing beans inside a rented room is not always welcome, so a quiet ritual, such as eating your age in beans, is a polite alternative.

Quick Takeaways

Setsubun is a festival of fresh starts held around February 3, with roots in an ancient Chinese ritual and a modern flavor full of beans, sushi rolls and cheerful shouting. Remember the chant, "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!", try an ehomaki roll, and eat a bean for each year of your age plus one. If you are in Japan, join a ceremony at a shrine or temple, arrive early and dress warmly.

It is a joyful reminder that even in the coldest weeks of winter, spring is already on its way.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Setsubun?

It falls on the day before Risshun, the first day of spring in the old calendar, and is usually February 3. In some years it is February 2, so check the calendar before planning to attend an event.

What do people say when throwing beans?

They shout Oni wa soto, Fuku wa uchi, which means demons out, fortune in. Roasted soybeans are thrown out the door or at someone in an oni mask, and the door is then closed to keep the luck inside.

What is ehomaki?

Ehomaki is a thick, uncut sushi roll eaten on Setsubun. Tradition says to face the year's lucky direction and eat it in silence while making a wish, and the custom became widely known nationwide after a convenience store chain adopted it in 1989.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Fukubukuro: Japan's Lucky Bag Tradition, Shirakawa-go in Winter: Snowy Thatched Roofs and Autumn Matsuri Season: Harvest Festivals Across Japan.