Setsubun (3 Feb, Japan), or the First Day of Spring, takes place at shrines and involves people throwing beans at waiting crowds! It is a unique ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come.
The Sapporo Snow Festival (4-11 Feb, Japan) , also known as Sapporo Yuki Matsuri, is held over one week in Hokkaido's capital Sapporo. It is one of Japan's most popular winter events. The Snow Festival is staged on three sites: the Odori Site, Susukino Site and Tsu Dome Site.
Held in Lim Village near Hanoi, Lim Festival (10 Feb, Vietnam) originally celebrated Ba Mu, who led her life as a Buddhist nun at Lim pagoda. The festival is held on Ba Mu’s day of enlightenment and is famous for showcasing the locals’ unique vocal stylings through Quan Ho folk songs.
Thaipusam (11 Feb, Singapore) is a highly symbolic Hindu festival celebrated by Singapore’s Tamil community with large, colorful annual procession. Starting in the early morning hours, the first devotees carry milk, pots and wooden kavidas with some piercing their tongues with skewers.
The Spring Lantern Festival (12 Feb, Hong Kong) falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Love likes to have the final word, and on the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations, couples spend time together on what’s informally known as ‘Chinese Valentine’s Day’, a title also awarded to the Seven Sisters Festival.
One of the top three most eccentric festivals in Japan. The Naked Man Festival (15 Feb, Japan) sees about 9,000 almost naked men parade through the city. After being "purified" with cold water, they gather in Saidai-ji temple, where at 10pm a Shinto priest throws two sacred sticks ('shingi') and a hundred other lucky ones into the crowd of men.
During the Perfume Pagoda Festival (3 Feb - 27 Apr, Vietnam) thousands of pilgrims make the journey to the Perfume (Hương) Pagoda - Vietnam’s most revered Buddhist pilgrimage site. Travellers can visit Perfume Pagoda at any time of year, but the festival is a unique spectacle to witness.
Yen Tu Festival (7 Feb - 27 Apr, Vietnam) takes place at Yen Tu Mountain in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. This event begins on the 10th day of the first lunar month and lasts until the end of the third lunar month. Following the Lunar New Year celebrations, thousands of visitors flock to Yen Tu to pray for good fortune and health for their families, making it a significant spiritual pilgrimage in Vietnam.
Pasola Jousting Festivals (Throughout February and March, Indonesia) is a showcase for competitive games played by the Western Sumbanese to celebrate the rice planting season. It involves throwing wooden spears at the opponent while riding a horse with two groups of men from different clans or tribes competing against each other.
Starting in 1997, the Hong Kong Marathon (9 Feb, Hong Kong) has grown from just 1,000 competitors to tens of thousands in recent years. A full marathon, half marathon and 10 km run takes competitors past some of the best urban scenery Asia’s world city has to offer.
The Borneo Half Marathon (23 Feb, Malaysia) ) is a running event in Kota Kinabalu, known for its scenic 21km route that passes through the city and along the coast.
The 28th Bay Regatta (19-23 Feb, Thailand) is a celebration started by a group of Phuket-based sailing enthusiasts and a photographer who wished to showcase the stunning beauty of the Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi seascapes.
The spectacular Chingay Parade (7-8 Feb, Singapore) brings together multicultural performers from across the globe with a grand opening, dramatic performances and emphatic closing ceremony. Expect acrobat artists, giant artistic puppets, and dramatic shows.
Le Tour de Langkawi (Early Feb - Mar, Malaysia) is a multiple stage bicycle race held in Malaysia. It is named after the archipelago Langkawi, where the first edition started and finished.
The Giant Puppet Parade (Date TBA, Cambodia) in Siem Reap is an annual event that has been running for over 13 years. It is a community art project that brings together students, performers, and volunteers to create larger-than-life puppets that are paraded through the streets of Siem Reap.
