Setsubun is a festival celebrated on February 3, the traditional end of winter and beginning of spring. Across the country, homes and shrines are cleaned to sweep out bad luck and welcome in good fortune.

Dazaifu Tenmangu celebrates Setsubun with an energetic bean-scattering ritual to spread good fortune. During the event, Shinto priests stand on a platform and cast small packs of beans to the eager crowds below. The festivalgoers try to catch the beans to secure happiness and good fortune for the year ahead.

After all the beans have been cast into the crowd, the ritual comes to a climax with a parade of ogres. The ogres symbolize evil and misfortune, and the crowd is charged with driving the beasts away with the lucky beans.

The ritual is held once in the morning, and again in the afternoon. Special blessings and amulets are available all day as usual in the main sanctuary and from nearby amulet counters.