Setsubun Medley: Worshipping in Four Directions
The original significance of setsubun is to mark the day before the seasons change. Nowadays, this term is chiefly applied to the spring setsubun (February 3rd), one of the most celebrated transitions among the four seasons in Japan. Shrines and temples throughout Japan commemorate this day by sowing beans to ward off evil intentions and hold events to promote fortune. Kyoto has its own traditions during this auspicious day, and worshippers flock to four shrines and temples standing to the north, south, east, and west of Kyoto in a longstanding practice to ward off evil. In this course, all 4 shrines and temples are visited in a circuitous journey to repel maliciousness.
(About 6 hours)
1. Yoshida-jinja Shrine → 11:00-12:00
This shrine was established in the year 859 on holy ground venerating the sacred Yoshida Mountain as Kyoto's guardian deity to ward off evil from the historically unlucky north-east direction.
Setsubun festivities occur every year from February 2-4.
Details
Address: 30 Kaguraoka-cho Yoshida Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
Access: 5-minute walk from city bus stops Kyodai Nogakubu-mae/Kyodai Shomen-mae
Hours: Open all day
Admission: Free
Kyoto City Bus #203: From Kyodai Nogakubu-mae bus stop to Kitano Tenmangu-mae bus stop:18 minutes
This temple, which stands to the north-west of Kyoto, enshrines the deity responsible for success in scholarly pursuits. Due to its ties with distinguished heads of Kyogen (a form of traditional Japanese theater), Kitano Tenmangu Shrine hosts a short comical play called "Kitano Tsuina Kyogen" every year on February 3rd and a dance called "Kamishichi-ken Kabu-kai." After this traditional Japanese dance performance, traditional setsubun bean sowing is carried out.
Details
Address: Bakuro-cho Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto
Access: A short walk from city bus stop Kitano Tenmangu-mae
Hours: 5:30-17:30
Admission: Free
Kyoto City Bus #203: From Kitano Tenmangu-mae bus stop → Mibudera-michi bus stop: 16 minutes
3. Mibu-dera Temple → 14:30-15:30
This temple is situated to the south-west of Kyoto. Every year from February 2-4 during the setsubun festivities, you can catch a special performance of
Mibu Kyogen (a form of traditional Japanese theater), which is considered to be one of Japan's most valuable folk traditions. This play was established during the Kamakura Period as a way of introducing Buddhist teachings to the common people and eventually began utilizing pantomime gestures to make its message more attractive for the masses.
Details
Address: Bukko-ji Kita-iru Bojo Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Access: 3-minute walk from city bus stop Mibudera-michi
Hours: 8:30-16:30
Admission: Free
Hankyu Railway: Omiya Station to Kawaramachi Station: 5 minutes
Keihan Railway : Gion Shijo Station to Fushimi-Inari Station: 9 minutes
Red shrine gates snake up the hillside like a dream at Fushimi Inari Shrine in south-east Kyoto. Every year on February 3rd, three bean-sowing events are carried out just outside the main temple building starting at 9am.
