Setsubun marks the beginning of spring in Japan according to the old lunar calendar. The name literally means "seasonal division" and is celebrated yearly on third of February.
It was previously thought of as a sort of New Year's Eve and so was accompanied by a special rituals to cleanse away all bad from the previous year and to drive away evil spirits.
We celebrated at the Yoshida Shrine in Kyoto. The shrine is famous for its grand Setsubun festival which ends with a big fire burning amulets and personal items brought by people while the priests perform a purifying ritual. This festival has been held more than 500 years.
