Stars of the popular NHK drama *Bakabekke* brought a special energy to the annual Setsubun Festival at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple in Osaka on February 3rd. Akari Takaiishi,Tommy bastow,and Takashi Okabe participated in the traditional bean-throwing ceremony before an estimated crowd of 20,000,continuing a tradition of cast involvement with the event [[1]]. This year’s festivities focused on prayers for traffic safety and general good fortune, with a unique chant reflecting the temple’s belief in warding off misfortune rather than demons.
『節分祭』に参加した髙石あかり、トミー・バストウ、岡部たかし（2月3日・成田山不動尊）
Stars of the hit NHK drama Bakabekke – Akari Takaiishi, Tommy Bastow, and Takashi Okabe – brought smiles and good fortune to thousands on February 3rd at the annual Setsubun Festival at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple in Osaka.
The trio participated in the temple’s traditional bean-throwing ceremony, delighting a crowd of approximately 20,000 attendees with energetic performances and cheerful greetings. This year’s festival focused on praying for traffic safety, as well as good luck and prosperity.
As part of the long-standing tradition of having Bakabekke cast members participate, the actors were called out by their character names – “O-Toki-chan!”, “Heaven-san!”, and “Father!” – and enthusiastically responded to the cheers from the audience. Because Naritasan Shinshoji Temple is believed to be free of demons, the customary chant focused solely on inviting good fortune *into* the temple: “Fuku wa uchi!”
The appearance came after a particularly poignant episode of Bakabekke aired on February 3rd, where Takaiishi’s character, Toki, faced harsh treatment from townspeople. Witnessing Toki and Bastow’s character, Heaven, cheerfully throw beans together brought a sense of relief to many in the crowd, with attendees sharing sentiments like, “It was so moving,” and “I was so happy to see them both smiling.” Fans expressed hope that Toki and Heaven would continue to find happiness.
Takaiishi, Bastow, and Okabe were joined by other prominent figures including comedians Katsu Fudantake, Katsu Bunfuku, and the comedy duo Miyakawa Daisuke & Hanako, as well as Ren Murakami from the NHK historical drama Toyotomi Brothers!. Additional performances were scheduled throughout the day, featuring actors from Toyotomi Brothers! and Katsu Shundantake.
This annual event, which also offers free lucky beans to seniors and children and donates a portion of bean sales to a traffic accident victim fund, continues to be a beloved tradition for the local community and fans alike.
