(2) To Nakagawara and Bessho garden: the JR Gotemba Line to Shimo-Soga Station, and then walk 10 minutes.
(3) To Hara garden: the JR Gotemba Line to Shimo-Soga Station, and then walk seven minutes.
Feb. 3
Yoroi Toshikoshi Shuko
Yoroi Toshikoshi Shuko (or Shugyo) at Bannaji Temple, Ashikaga, Tochigi Pref. Yoroi-gyoretsu, a procession of about 200 people clad in armor proceeds along Odori Ave. from Orihime Kominkan Public Hall to the temple, from 7 p.m. to around 8 p.m.. Thereafter, mamemaki (bean-throwing ceremony) takes place.
Access: (1) The Tobu Isesaki Line to Ashikaga-shi Station, and then walk 10 minutes.
(2) The JR Ryomo Line to Ashikaga Station, and then walk 15 minutes.
Feb. 3
Oni-yarai
Oni-yarai, traditional rites for driving away devils, take place at Chichibu Shrine, Chichibu, Saitama Pref. Bean-throwing ceremonies is held at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.. The Oni-yarai ritual is conducted at around 7:30 p.m., and fukujin-mai (Shinto dance with music) is performed at around 9 p.m..
Festival website
Access: (1) 1 hr. 50 minutes by Seibu Railways’ Express Train (Kyuko), or 1 hr. 30 minutes by Seibu Railways’ Limited Express (Tokkyu) “Red Arrow,” from Ikebukuro Station to Seibu-Chichibu Station, and then walk 15 minutes.
(2) The JR Takasaki Line to Kumagaya Station From there, the Chichibu Tetsudo Railway to Chichibu Station, and then walk 3 minutes.
Feb. 3
Setsubun-e
Setsubun-e, a traditional ceremony to dispel demons at Kawagoe Daishi Temple, Kawagoe, Saitama Pref. Mamemaki (bean-throwing ceremony) takes place from around 1:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., following the rites which start at 12:45 p.m.
Access: (1) The Seibu Shinjuku Line to Hon-Kawagoe Station, and then walk 15 minutes.
(2) The Tobu Tojo Line to Kawagoeshi Station, and then walk 20 minutes.
Feb. 3
Setsubun
Setsubun, a traditional ceremony to dispel demons, at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, Narita, Chiba Pref. Mamemaki (bean-throwing ceremony) takes place three times: 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 4 p.m., each lasting for about 5 minutes.
Festival website
Access: (1) The JR Sobu Honsen-Narita Line’s Rapid Train “Airport Narita” to Narita Station, and then walk 15 minutes.
(2) The Keisei Line to Narita Station, and then walk 15 minutes.
Feb. 3
Setsubun, a traditional ceremony to dispel demons
Setsubun, a traditional ceremony to dispel demons at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura, about one hour by train from Tokyo. Mamemaki (bean-throwing ceremony) takes place from around 1:30 p.m., following the rites which start at 1 p.m.
Access: The JR Yokosuka Line to Kamakura Station, and then walk 10 minutes.
Feb. 3
Tsuina-Gyoretsu
Tsuina-Gyoretsu at Hakone Shrine on the shores of Lake Ashi, Hakone, Ashigara Shimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture. A procession of about 150 people, including 20 attired in court costumes of the Heian period (794-1185), starts from Ichi-no-Torii Gate at around 11 a.m. and arrives at Hakone Shrine around 11:30 a.m. At noon, Tsuina-shiki, rites of driving away torch-bearing devils, take place in the main hall of the shrine, and then mamemaki (bean-throwing ceremony) is held for 20 minutes.
Access: 50 minutes by bus from Odawara Station, get off at Moto-Hakone Bus Stop, and then walk five minutes to the shrine. (To go to Odawara Station, take the JR Tokaido Line or the JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line from Tokyo Station, or take the Odakyu Railways from Shinjuku Station)
JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY & FOLKLORE 