Best Places to Experience Setsubun in Japan 2026

Every February, when the last stubborn chill of winter still grips the Japanese archipelago, something joyful and a little chaotic erupts across the country. Roasted soybeans fly through the air. Children scream with delight. Grown adults in demon masks flee from tiny hands. And somewhere, in a quiet kitchen, a […]

Demons Out! Setsubun 2026 Chants and Rituals Explained

There is something deeply satisfying about hurling a fistful of roasted soybeans at a demon. Not a metaphorical demon. An actual person dressed in a terrifying red-and-blue horned mask, crouching on your doorstep while your children shriek with delight. This is Setsubun — one of Japan’s most beloved seasonal traditions […]