Setsubun Festival (Ninomiya Town)

This festival is held at Kawawa Shrine in Ninomiya Town on Setsubun, featuring an oni-chasing ritual and bean throwing. Its distinctive features are arrows shot at wooden red and blue demon masks and bean throwing by men born in the current zodiac year.

About Setsubun Festival (Ninomiya Town)

The Setsubun Festival is held every year on Setsubun in February at Kawawa Shrine in Yamanishi, Ninomiya Town.

The event moves on to the oni-chasing ritual after the tsuina ritual is performed before the deities.

Arrows are shot at wooden red and blue demon masks placed on the east and west sides of the shrine grounds, with prayers for good health and freedom from illness for the year.

Next, men born in the current zodiac year scatter beans in kamishimo outfits, giving form to Setsubun’s purification of misfortune and wishes for the new year.

Festival highlights

The highlight is the oni-chasing event, in which arrows are shot at wooden red and blue demon masks set up on the east and west sides of the shrine grounds.

The act of shooting arrows carries a wish for good health and freedom from illness for the year.

After the oni chase, men born in the current zodiac year change into kamishimo outfits and scatter beans.

The beans contain gold coins of Daikoku-sama and numbered tickets; it is said that the tickets can be exchanged for items according to their numbers.

Ninomiya’s Setsubun Festival: wishing for good health through the oni chase and bean throwing

What to expect

The event begins with the tsuina ritual performed before the deities, followed by the oni-chasing event.

During the oni chase, arrows are shot at red and blue demon masks set up on the east and west sides of the shrine grounds.

Afterward, men born in the current zodiac year scatter beans in kamishimo outfits.

The beans contain gold coins of Daikoku-sama and numbered tickets, which are said to be exchangeable for items according to their numbers.

Location and access

Venue and address: Kawawa Shrine (2122 Yamanishi, Ninomiya Town)
Train and bus: 25 minutes on foot from the north exit of JR Ninomiya Station / From the south exit of JR Ninomiya Station, take route 【平44】 bound for “Odawara Station” or 【二30】【二32】 bound for “Hinakubo” for 5 minutes, get off at “Oshikiri Sakagami,” then walk about 14 minutes
By car: About 15 minutes from either the Hadano-Nakai IC on the Tomei Expressway or the Oiso-Nishi IC on the Seisho Bypass / About 5 minutes from the Ninomiya IC on the Odawara-Atsugi Road
Parking: 15 spaces (free); additional temporary parking is available

Address 2122 Yam anishi, Ninomiya Town

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Dates and season

Season: Every year on Setsubun in February
Frequency: Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

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 Kanagawa Prefecture / Ninomiya Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)

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Nearby attractions

Kawawa Shrine is in Yamanishi, Ninomiya Town, and its grounds are surrounded by forest on all sides.

It is described as a place where you can see Mount Fuji from the temizuya.

You can take in the surrounding scenery while learning about the setting and history of the same Kawawa Shrine where the festival is held.

Origins and History of Setsubun Festival (Ninomiya Town)

Kawawa Shrine has a history of more than 2,000 years and is known as the second-ranked shrine of Sagami Province.

It is said that the town of Ninomiya got its name from the fact that the shrine was known since ancient times as Ninomiya Daimyojin or Ninomiya Myojin Shrine.

The sources do not provide specific details about when the Setsubun Festival began or how it has changed over time.

Official information

Ninomiya Town, “Folk Customs and Traditional Events” / Kanagawa Prefecture, “Travel and Recharge While Experiencing History!” / Shonan Ninomiya Town Tourism Guide, “Festival and Event Archive”