Throw Beans at Tokyo's Oldest Temple
It is the third of February, and the courtyard of Sensōji in Asakusa is packed shoulder to shoulder. Someone near the front hurls a handful of roasted soybeans into the crowd, and a thousand hands rise at once to catch them. This is mamemaki, the bean-throwing rite that drives out evil spirits and welcomes good fortune for the year ahead, and at Tokyo's oldest temple it comes bundled with a dance honouring the Seven Lucky Gods. Both the throwing and the dance take place on Feb 3, 2027, and entry is free. Arrive early: the best vantage points around the main hall fill up well before the ceremony begins.
Watch Samurai Throw Beans at Zōjōji
Across town, Zōjōji Temple runs its own Setsubun Mamemaki festival in early February 2027, also free. The distinguishing detail here is the dress code: participants born in the same zodiac year as the current one take part in samurai garb before flinging their beans. It is a quieter, more formal counterpart to the Asakusa crush, and a good second stop if you want to see the ritual performed more than once.
Ride the Cable Car Up Mt. Takao for Beans and Sumo Wrestlers
If you would rather spend Setsubun on a mountainside than in a temple courtyard, head west to Mt. Takao, where Yakuo-in Temple holds its own ceremony on Feb 3, 2027, free of charge. The bean-throwers here are people born under the same calendrical cycle, joined by prominent singers, sumo wrestlers and actors. The combination of a winter hike, a mountain temple and celebrity bean-flinging makes this the most physically active way to mark the day.
Burn Your Daruma at Nishiarai Daishi
Nishiarai Daishi's Daruma-Burning Ceremony, also on Feb 3, 2027 and free, is the most atmospheric of the lot. Thousands of daruma — the round, red, wish-granting dolls — are consigned to an outdoor pyre while monks chant sutras over the flames. If you have a daruma of your own whose wish has come true, this is where you bring it. The smoke, the chanting and the sheer volume of burning dolls make for an evening unlike anything else in the city.
Fill the Rest of February with Markets, Plum Blossoms and Beer
Setsubun is the anchor of Tokyo's late-winter calendar, but the weeks around it are busy in their own right. None of the following are Setsubun events, but they overlap with the season and are worth folding into a trip:
- Kōbai Red Plum Blossom Festival — early to late Feb 2027, free, with a ceremony on Feb 8 featuring taiko drumming and plum branch gifts.
- Japan Brewers' Cup — a craft beer festival and contest in early Feb 2027, ¥800–¥1,500.
- Kakuuchi Liquor Festival, Ueno — shochu, beer and snacks in early Feb 2027, ¥500 at the door or in advance.
- Japan International Orchid and Flower Show — early to mid Feb 2027, ¥1,400–¥2,300.
- Winter Wonder Festival — a figure and collectibles show on Feb 13–14, 2027, ¥2,200–¥3,500.
- Midtown Ice Rink — open late Nov through late Feb 2027, ¥1,400–¥2,300.
- Kotatsu Boat, Nagatoro — a 20-minute Arakawa River cruise with heated kotatsu tables, early Jan to late Feb 2027, ¥1,099 for adults and ¥698 for children.
For a low-key morning between temple visits, the Sasazuka Flea Market runs roughly 30 stalls and sits five minutes by train from Shinjuku; it appears in early to mid January 2027 and is free to browse.
Plan Around the Third of February
The single fixed date to build your trip around is Feb 3, 2027, when Sensōji, Zōjōji, Mt. Takao and Nishiarai Daishi all hold their Setsubun ceremonies. Everything else in the month is a range rather than a day, so treat the surrounding weeks as flexible. Book your accommodation near Asakusa or Ueno if you want to walk to the biggest events, and keep the evening of the third clear — you will want it for the daruma pyre.