A Setsubun festival that welcomes spring to Gion with maiko dances and lucky beans
Yasaka Shrine Setsubun Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Around Setsubun (February 2 and the 3rd)
- Location
- Yasaka Shrine
- 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.
- Features
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation fee
- Lucky beans with prizes are distributed for a fee. The announced offering amount for the beans is 300 yen.
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
The Yasaka Shrine Setsubun Festival is a Setsubun observance featuring dance offerings and bean-throwing by geiko and maiko from Kyoto’s four kagai entertainment districts. Centered on the dance stage of Yasaka Shrine, the festival includes dance offerings and the distribution of lucky beans, as well as bean-throwing by the shops along the approach.
About Yasaka Shrine Setsubun Festival
The Yasaka Shrine Setsubun Festival is a Setsubun observance featuring dance offerings and bean-throwing by geiko and maiko from Kyoto’s four kagai entertainment districts.
Offerings associated with Pontocho, Miyagawa-cho, Gion Kobu, and Gion Higashi take place at the dance stage of Yasaka Shrine.
The shops along the approach also take part in the bean-throwing, with the shrine and Gion’s shopping district supporting the observance together.
The festival conveys the prayers of Setsubun in a distinctly Kyoto style through dance and lucky beans.
Festival highlights
Highlights include dance offerings by geiko and maiko from Kyoto’s four kagai entertainment districts, followed by bean-throwing.
On the 2nd, Pontocho Kabukai performs at 1 p.m., Yasaka Gagaku-kai at 2 p.m., and Miyagawa-cho Kabukai at 3 p.m.
On the 3rd, Gion Kobu Kabukai appears at 1 p.m. and Gion Higashi Kabukai at 3 p.m.; on both days, an offering of imayō singing and bean-throwing are scheduled for 4 p.m.
The offerings at the dance stage and the bean-throwing at the shops along the approach create the festival’s festive atmosphere.
A Setsubun festival that welcomes spring to Gion with maiko dances and lucky beans
What to expect
At the festival, geiko and maiko from each kagai district perform dance offerings at the dance stage, followed by bean-throwing.
A 2026 activity report states that shopping district representatives wore coats and threw lucky beans while calling out, “Good fortune in!”
Shijo Hanseikai and Gion Shopping District jointly took part in the bean-throwing from 4 p.m. on both days.
Some lucky beans come with prizes, and they are distributed for a fee.
How to take part
According to the 2027 announcement, geiko and maiko from Kyoto’s four kagai entertainment districts will perform dances and throw beans at the dance stage of Yasaka Shrine.
On February 2 and the 3rd, bean-throwing will also take place at the shops along the approach.
Lucky beans with prizes are distributed for a fee, with an announced offering amount of 300 yen.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Yasaka Shrine (625 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture)
- Train and bus
Get off at the Gion bus stop / Take the Keihan Main Line to Gion-Shijo Station, then walk 10 minutes / Take the Hankyu Kyoto Line to Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station, then walk 15 minutes
- Parking
None
Address 625 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Around Setsubun (February 2 and the 3rd)
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
Some parts of the grounds are accessible by wheelchair, but there are stairs throughout the grounds.
The is accessible for worship, and information states that there is a wheelchair-accessible toilet and assistance dogs are permitted.
There is no parking at the venue.
Nearby attractions
Near Yasaka Shrine, the venue, are Gion’s sacred water, Gion, and Maruyama Park.
Nearby attractions also include the Kyoto Gion Lamp Museum, the Kanken Kanji Museum & Library (Kanji Museum), and Chourakukan.
This area around Gion in Higashiyama Ward, where the festival is held, offers the opportunity to combine visits to shrines, parks, and cultural facilities.
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
Origins and History of Yasaka Shrine Setsubun Festival
The Yasaka Shrine Setsubun Festival is held as a Setsubun observance on the day before the beginning of spring.
A 2026 activity report describes it as an observance to dispel misfortune and welcome good fortune at the end of the year according to the traditional calendar.
Shijo Hanseikai and Gion Shopping District jointly take part in the bean-throwing, supporting this local traditional observance alongside dance offerings by maiko and the distribution of lucky beans.
Official information
公式ウェブサイト：八坂神社 www.yasaka-jinja.or.jp
問い合わせ：075-561-6155
Yasaka Shrine Setsubun Festival at a Glance
The Yasaka Shrine Setsubun Festival is a Setsubun observance featuring dance offerings and bean-throwing by geiko and maiko from Kyoto’s four kagai entertainment districts.
In 2026, on February 2 and the 3rd, offerings by each kagai district and bean-throwing took place at the dance stage, along with bean-throwing by the shops along the approach at 4 p.m.
The venue is Yasaka Shrine, accessible from Keihan Gion-Shijo Station or the Gion bus stop.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
