A Setsubun Buddhist service praying for good fortune and protection from misfortune to the guardian Buddhas of the 12 zodiac signs
Setsubun-e (Chinese Zodiac Festival)
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Setsubun, around the day before the beginning of spring / This event is held every year around Setsubun.
- Location
- Ryozen Kannon
- Area
- Kyoto Prefecture・Higashiyama 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Adults (university students and older): 300 yen (incense included); junior and senior high school students: 200 yen (incense included); elementary school students: 100 yen (no incense)
- Age restrictions
- The age categories are adults (university students and older), junior and senior high school students, and elementary school students.
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Ryozen Kannon’s Setsubun-e (Chinese Zodiac Festival) is a Buddhist service in which visitors pray for good fortune and protection from misfortune to the guardian Buddhas of the 12 zodiac signs enshrined inside the Kannon statue. Lucky beans and Chinese zodiac amulets are distributed, and ginger amazake is served.
About Setsubun-e (Chinese Zodiac Festival)
Setsubun-e (Chinese Zodiac Festival) is a Setsubun Buddhist service held at Ryozen Kannon.
Visitors pray for good fortune and protection from misfortune to the guardian Buddhas of the 12 zodiac signs enshrined inside the Kannon statue.
Visitors receive lucky beans and Chinese zodiac amulets, and ginger amazake is served.
Source: 節分会（十二支まつり） | イベント一覧 | 京都府観光連盟公式サイト / 節分祭｜目的で探す｜京都に乾杯
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the opportunity to pray to the guardian Buddhas of the 12 zodiac signs enshrined inside the Kannon statue.
You can worship while keeping in mind the guardian Buddha associated with your Chinese zodiac sign.
In addition to the Buddhist service, lucky beans and Chinese zodiac amulets are distributed, and ginger amazake is served, offering Setsubun-style blessings and hospitality.
A Setsubun Buddhist service praying for good fortune and protection from misfortune to the guardian Buddhas of the 12 zodiac signs
What to expect
Visitors go to Ryozen Kannon and pray for good fortune and protection from misfortune to the guardian Buddhas of the 12 zodiac signs enshrined inside the Kannon statue.
The service begins at 1 p.m.
After worshipping, visitors can receive lucky beans and Chinese zodiac amulets and enjoy ginger amazake served to visitors.
How to take part
Visitors can attend as worshippers.
Visitors attend the Buddhist service at Ryozen Kannon, pray to the guardian Buddhas of the 12 zodiac signs, and receive lucky beans.
Visitors can attend as part of the Setsubun worship observance; this is not a special competition or an event seeking performers.
Visit Ryozen Kannon and go to the for the Buddhist service beginning at 1 p.m.
Admission fees vary by age group, and some admission categories include incense while others do not.
If you would like to receive a Chinese zodiac amulet or lucky beans, please follow the information provided on the day.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Ryozen Kannon (526-2 Kodaiji Shimokawaramachi, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture).
- Train and bus
From the Karasuma Exit of Kyoto Station, take City Bus route 206 to Higashiyama Yasui, then walk 10 minutes east.
It is a 20-minute walk from Hankyu Railway’s Shijo-Kawaramachi Station and a 15-minute walk from Keihan Railway’s Gion-Shijo Station.
- Parking
There is no parking.
Source: Ryozen Kannon
Address 〒605-0825 526-2 Kodaiji Shimokawaramachi, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Setsubun, around the day before the beginning of spring
- Frequency
This event is held every year around Setsubun.
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 / Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Admission varies by age: 300 yen for adults and university students, 200 yen for junior and senior high school students, and 100 yen for elementary school students.
There is no parking, so public transportation is convenient.
Visitors can worship in a wheelchair, but the interior of the Kannon statue is accessible only by stairs, and there is no wheelchair-accessible restroom.
Nearby attractions
Temples and shrines near the venue include Kodai-ji, Entoku-in, Hokan-ji (Yasaka Pagoda), Kiyomizu-dera, and Kennin-ji.
As it is presented alongside temples and shrines in the Rakuto area, the same area as Ryozen Kannon, you can plan an itinerary to visit Higashiyama’s temples and shrines along with the Setsubun festival.
Please check each facility’s visitor information for visiting conditions and opening hours.
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
霊山観音公式サイト：Ryozen Kannon official website
Setsubun-e (Chinese Zodiac Festival) at a Glance
Setsubun-e (Chinese Zodiac Festival) is a Buddhist service at Ryozen Kannon, where prayers for good fortune and protection from misfortune are offered to the guardian Buddhas of the 12 zodiac signs.
The service begins at 1 p.m. Lucky beans and Chinese zodiac amulets are distributed, and ginger amazake is served.
The venue is Ryozen Kannon in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, and can be reached on foot from bus stops and railway stations.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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