At a shrine in Kyoto, apprentice female entertainers called “maiko” have thrown beans as part of an annual ceremony to pray for people’s good health for the year.
Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto City hosts bean-throwing events on Setsubun and the day before. Setsubun is the last day of winter on the traditional Japanese calendar, and usually falls on February 3.
On Monday, two maiko from the city’s Pontocho entertainment district performed a traditional dance on a stage at the shrine.
They then tossed bags of beans from the stage. Visitors tried to catch the beans, which are believed to bring good luck.
A woman from Osaka said she is so happy she got the beans, and that she has a feeling it’s going to be a great year.
AloJapan.com