Yasaka Shrine Setsubun Festival 2026 625 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture The highlight of the Yasaka Shrine Setsubun Festival is the dance offerings and bean-throwing performed by geiko and maiko from the hanamachi. At Yasaka Shrine’s Setsubun Festival, the bean-throwing is done with participants calling only “Fuku wa uchi” (good fortune in). This tradition stems from the belief that no oni (demons) reside within the shrine grounds, so there is no need to shout “Oni wa soto” (demons out). Dance offerings and bean-throwing: From four hanamachi—Pontocho Kabukai, Miyagawacho Kabukai, Gion Kobu Kabukai, and Gion Higashi Kabukai—beautiful geiko and maiko present gagaku and imayo performances, followed by bean-throwing. The fortune beans (offering fee 300 yen) distributed at Yasaka Shrine’s Setsubun Festival always include a raffle ticket that guarantees a prize, making them extremely popular each year. Offering fee: 300 yen No blanks in the raffle (everyone wins something) Raffle draws take place on the spot at the raffle venue Items distributed: fortune beans, skewered talismans, and other festival-limited offerings. Some fortune beans include a prize raffle ticket. After the dances end, geiko, maiko, and men and women born in the zodiac year corresponding to Setsubun toss beans from the Maiden stage. This moment offers the only chance to receive fortune beans handed directly to you. The area in front of the Maiden stage fills with excitement, and the shrine’s atmosphere transforms into the lively buzz of a true Setsubun festival.