Setsubun-e	At Asakusa Temple 2-3-1Asakusa
"Setsubun" originally meant the change of seasons. So there used to be four "setsubuns" a year, but now it only signifies the day before "Risshun", the first day of spring. From around the 15th century, throwing parched soybeans was believed to drive away bad luck. Why beans? It is said to be a kind of lucky pun, soybean in Japanese "ma-me" destroying the eye, "me" of the evil, "ma", or to live healthy and in peace, live "mamede". This custom became popular among the common people during the 17th century. Asakusa Temple provided the service of Setsubun-e for the common people from late 17th century, and a document tells that the ceremony became quite well known in Edo in several decades . The uniqueness of Setsubun-e of Asakusa Temple is found in printing 10,000 sheets of amulet with sacred words, out of which 3,333 are hanged from the shelf in Hondo , the Main Temple after the mass, and flapped to scatter with huge fans with the word "Setsubun" written on. People are said to crowd to catch these lucky label in the air. Now, the stage is set out side Hondo, and the throwers of beans march in line from Denpoin after the mass. The beans are thrown twice at 1PM and 2PM. To avoid the congestion, just a few Setsubun amulets are scattered, now.
Kabuki actors, actresses, singers, stand-up comedians, rakugo storytellers, and many other celebrities participated in bean throwing at Setsubun-e in 2002! Click here for this year's Setsubun-e in moving image!Here!
Fukuju-no-mai	At Asakusa Temple 2-3-1 Asakusa
In early 18th century, kabuki theater Ichimuraza, one of the three popular kabuki theaters in Edo, performed Shichifukujin Odori (Dancing of Seven Deities of Good Fortune) as a curtain-raiser of daily stage. Asakusa Tourist Federation revived the dance in commemoration of the completion of Hozomon in 1964. Ebisu and Daikoku dance to a long epic song without masks while other five deities wait in background with faces covered with large head masks.

Bean throwing in 2001

Fukuju-no-mai in 2001

Hari-kuyo

At Asakusa Temple Awajimado 2-3-1 Asakusa

Fishermen in Kishu area used to stay away from fishing on February 8th, and instead, they sank the broken fishing hooks down into the sea to comfort the sea-god. People started to bring needles to Awajima Shrine to pray for the repose of the daily necessity. Women took time to clean up their sewing kit, and brought the old needles on a small wooden stand and the broken ones stuck into tofu or konnyaku to Awajima Shrine to thank their usefulness. Hari-kuyo, memorial service for needles in 2002.

Hari-kuyo, memorial service for needles in 2002.

Mass was held from 11AM