At various shrines, temples, and other locations, “mame-maki” (bean tossing) will be held to celebrate the coming of Spring. Those who catch the specially marked lucky beans will receive fabulous prizes.
Kanagawa This Month - Latest Kanagawa Tourist Information
Feburary 2008
Setsubun Festival : February 3 (Sun)
・Kawasaki-Daishi Temple
Location : Daishi-Town, Kawasaki-ward, Kawasaki-City
Mame-maki will be held at 11:30, 14:00, and 16:30.
For details, contact Kawasaki-Daishi Temple (Tel: 044-266-3420)
5-minute walk from Kawasaki-Daishi Station on the Keikyu Daishi Line
・Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
Location: Yukinoshita, Kamakura-City
A ceremony will be held from 13:00 and mame-maki from 14:00.
For details, contact Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (Tel: 0467-22-0315)
10-minute walk from the East Exit of Kamakura Station on the JR Yokosuka Line
・Afuri-jinja Shrine Shimo-yashiro
Location: Oyama, Isehara-City
Mame-maki will be held at 11:00 and 13:30.
For details, contact Afuri-jinja Shrine (Tel: 0463-95-2006)
Take the Oyama Cable Station-bound bus from the North Exit of Isehara Station on the Odakyu Line and get off at the last stop (25 minutes), then transfer to the cable car and get off at Shimo-yashiro
・Hakone-jinja Shrine
Location: Moto-Hakone, Hakone-Town
Mame-maki will be held at 12:00 within the shrine and at 13:00 at Lake Ashi.
For details, contact Hakone-jinja Shrine (Tel: 0460-83-7123)
Take the bus from the East Exit of Odawara Station and get off at Moto-Hakone (60 minutes)
2008 Shunsetsu
: February 6 (Wednesday) to February 11 (Holiday) /
February 16 (Saturday) to February 17 (Sunday) /
February 21 (Thursday)
Location: Yamashita-Town, Naka-Ward, Yokohama-City / Yokohama Chinatown
A splendid event held in Yokohama’s Chinatown to celebrate the Lunar Calendar New Year. On New Year’s Eve (February 6th), a countdown of lively firecrackers and Lion Dances will take place late at night (23:30 / Yokohama Overseas China School yard). “Saichin,” an event to pray for business prosperity where lion dancers visit each shop and take the “goshugi” hung in the storefronts (16:00 – 20:00 throughout Chinatown) will be held on the 7th. On the 8th, a parade including people wearing Imperial clothing and lion dancers will take place from 16:00 (proceeds from Yamashita-cho Park – Kanteibyo Street – Chukagai-odori – Yamashita-cho Park). Traditional performance art (Chinese Opera, Zatsugi acrobatics, Lion Dances, etc.) will be held onstage at Yamashita-cho Park from the 9th to the 11th and from the 16th to the 17th. On “Genshosetsu” (March 21st), the last day of Shunsetu, people write their wishes and dreams on message candles and offer them in an event known as “Genshosetsu Toro-Matsuri” (17:30 at Yokohama Chukagai Kanteibyo Temple).
For details, contact the Yokohama Chinatown Development Association (Tel: 045-662-1252)
Approximately 5-minute walk from the North Exit of Ishikawa-cho Station on the JR Negishi Line or get off at Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minato Mirai Line
> Yokohama Chinatown
> Chinese New Year Festival
Daikokutoe (Asceticism) : February 11 (Holiday)
Location: Zaimokuza, Kamakura-City / Chosho-ji Temple
Approximately 20 Buddhist monks who have completed 100 days of severe ascetic training will stand in the cold wind at the water basin within the precincts of Chosho-ji temple and pour cold water all over their bodies while chanting sutras to pray for world peace and human happiness. Starts at 10:30 in the shrine precincts.
For details, contact Chosho-ji Temple (Tel: 0467-25-4300)
Get off at Chosho-ji on the Midorigaoka or Zushi Station via Nagoshi-bound bus (approximately 5 minutes) from the #3 bus stop at the East Exit of Kamakura Station on the JR Yokosuka Line
Yozuku “One Million Buddhist Prayers”
: February 16 (Saturday) to February 17 (Sunday)
Location: Mukohara, Yamakita-Town / Noan-ji Temple
Yamakita-Town’s Buddhist Prayer Ritual is said to have been practiced for 600 years. This is a unique event not seen anywhere else in the country, featuring rosary beads (approximately 9 m) which are attached to a large pulley and then rotated by robust young men. After Buddhist prayers, Lion Dances and Asobi Kagura dances will be performed. On the 16th, events will be held from 13:00 (rosary bead rotating, prayers) and from 14:00 (Kagura). On the 17th, events will be held from 10:00 and 13:00 (rosary bead rotating, prayers), 14:00 (Kagura), and 15:30 (“Kagari”).
For details, contact the Yamakita-Town Tourism Association (Tel: 0465-75-2717)
Get off at Mukohara on the Yamakita Station-bound bus from Shin-Matsuda Station on the Odakyu Line (approximately 10 minutes) or approximately 5-minute walk from Higashi-Yamakita Station on the JR Gotenba Line
> Yozuku no Hyakumanben Nenbutsu
Tauchimai Shinto Ritual : February 17 (Sunday)
Location: Miyayama, Samukawa-Town / Samukawa-jinja Shrine
The dance performed at Samukawa-jinja Shrine’s festival at the beginning of the year to pray for good crops is also known as “good fortune sowing”. At the main shrine, staff and priests wear old man Noh masks and dance to Kagura music while using implements such as sickles and spades to harvest rice stalks from the fields and pray for an abundant harvest. 10:00 – 11:30.
For details, contact Samukawa-jinja Shrine (Tel: 0467-75-0004)
Approximately 7-minute walk from Miyayama Station on the JR Sagami Line
Itsukushima-jinja Shrine Annual “Nori Festival”: February 17 (Sunday)
Location: Kawasaki-Ward, Kawasaki-City / Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine precincts
This festival is held to remember the nori (seaweed) production that flourished in the seas of Kawasaki until the 1960’s. Includes the chance to experience traditional nori production techniques (“nori-suki,” “nori-tsuke,” and “nori-kawashi”) and tasting. The annual festival of Itsukushima-jinja Shrine (Nori Benten) will also take place from 10:30. In addition, nori cultivation implements will be on display at the Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine local reference room.
For details, contact Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine (Tel: 044-222-3206)
Approximately 3-minute walk from Kawasaki Daishi Station on the Keikyu Daishi Line