Next: 3 Feb 2027
Setsubun
The day before spring: beans are thrown out the door with the cry "Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi" to drive out bad luck.
When is Setsubun in 2027?
Setsubun 2027 is on Wednesday, 3 February 2027. Other years: 2026, Tuesday, 3 February 2026; 2028, Thursday, 3 February 2028.
About Setsubun
Setsubun, "the division of the seasons", marks the day before the start of spring in the old Japanese calendar. Families throw roasted soybeans, mamemaki, out of the door or at a family member wearing an oni mask, saying "Demons out, good luck in", and then eat the number of beans equal to their age, plus one for the coming year. In some homes, a sardine head and holly leaves are hung at the door to ward off demons. At shrines and temples, priests and celebrities throw beans to crowds. In the Kansai region people eat an uncut sushi roll, ehomaki, in silence facing the lucky direction of the year. The custom is thought to have evolved from a court rite of purification.
Setsubun dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Setsubun date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 3 February 2026 |
| 2027 | Wednesday, 3 February 2027 |
| 2028 | Thursday, 3 February 2028 |
What is eaten
- roasted soybeans
- ehomaki
- sardines
Also part of it, and being written: Mamemaki (The bean-throwing.), Oni (The demons driven out.), Ehomaki (The lucky uncut sushi roll.).
More marked on Setsubun
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Setsubun" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.