A purification event at Matsuo Taisha, featuring the Setsubun Festival followed by an archery ritual
Matsuo Taisha Setsubun Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Location
- Matsuo Taisha
- Area
- Kyoto Prefecture・Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 10 min–2 h 40 min · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
The Setsubun Festival is held at Matsuo Taisha. Following the Setsubun Festival, which begins at 1:30 p.m., a ritual is held in which arrows are shot to drive away demons.
About Matsuo Taisha Setsubun Festival
The Matsuo Taisha Setsubun Festival is a Setsubun ritual held at Matsuo Taisha in Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City.
The Setsubun Festival begins at 1:30 p.m., followed by a ritual in which arrows are shot to drive away demons.
Its distinctive feature is that the Setsubun celebration and the arrow-based purification ritual are carried out as part of one sequence.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the ritual that follows the Setsubun Festival, in which arrows are shot to drive away demons.
The festival is described as featuring a clearly defined scene in which arrows are used to drive away demons.
Watching the Setsubun Festival itself and the ritual that follows lets you see how the event unfolds.
A purification event at Matsuo Taisha, featuring the Setsubun Festival followed by an archery ritual
What to expect
The event begins with the Setsubun Festival at 1:30 p.m., followed by a ritual in which arrows are shot to drive away demons.
The Setsubun Festival and the archery ritual are listed in sequence, so you can follow the event in chronological order.
The arrow-shooting ritual is included as an event in the latter part of the festival.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Matsuo Taisha (3 Arashiyama Miyamachi, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture)
- Train and bus
Hankyu Arashiyama Line: get off at Matsuo-taisha Station, then walk 3 minutes / City bus: get off at Matsuo Taisha-mae, then walk 3 minutes
- Parking
100 standard cars and 6 large tour buses.
Free for visitors only for 1 hour
Address 3 Arashiyama Miyamachi, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto 616-0024
Tips for your visit
Parking is available for 100 standard cars and 6 large tour buses, and is free for visitors for 1 hour.
The Sake Museum is listed as the area that can be accessed by wheelchair.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Kyoto Prefecture / Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Nearby attractions include Kame-no-I, the Matsuo Taisha Sake Museum, and Suzumushi-dera (Kegon-ji Temple).
Kyoto Kacho-kan, Saiho-ji (Koke-dera), and Umenomiya Taisha are also listed as nearby attractions.
Nearby dining and bathing options include Honke Sakuramochi Kotokiki Chaya and Sagano Onsen Tenzan-no-Yu.
京都タワー
京都府京都市下京区にある塔
京都国立博物館
京都市にある国立博物館
京都国立近代美術館
京都市左京区岡崎にある美術館
京都国際マンガミュージアム
日本の京都府京都市中京区にある日本最大の漫画博物館
京都市美術館
京都市左京区岡崎にある美術館
京都府立植物園
京都市左京区にある植物園
京都鉄道博物館
京都府京都市下京区にある鉄道博物館
Fushimi Inari Taisha
京都市伏見区にある神社
元離宮二条城
京都市にある城郭及び元皇室関連施設
Yasaka Shrine
京都市東山区にある神社
円山公園
京都市にある公園
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
京都市上京区にある神社
Official information
松尾大社公式サイト：Matsuo Taisha official website
Matsuo Taisha Setsubun Festival at a Glance
At the Matsuo Taisha Setsubun Festival, the Setsubun Festival begins at Matsuo Taisha at 1:30 p.m., followed by a ritual in which arrows are shot to drive away demons.
The venue is Matsuo Taisha in Arashiyama Miyamachi, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City, a 3-minute walk from Matsuo-taisha Station on the Hankyu Arashiyama Line or from the Matsuo Taisha-mae bus stop.
Parking is available for 100 standard cars and 6 large tour buses, and visitors are told that parking is free for 1 hour.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
