Setsubun

Today is Setsubun (or Risshun), a traditional event where we mark the end of Winter and the start of spring. Much like the traditions of England of opening doors to let the old year out and the new in at New Years time, Japan likes to ward off evil spirits and bring in good luck. In fact, this date was thought to be ‘New Years’ long ago, and this ritual is reminiscent of other New Year activities.

Setsubun’s main attraction is mamemaki, or ‘bean throwing’. This is achieved by going to a (jinja) temple with dried beans (fukumame, lit. ‘luck beans’) and throwing them to the ground. Then you would shout “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi!” (“Devil(s) out, good luck in!”) and pick up and eat your age worth of beans (i.e. 23 years old = 23 beans). The beans are said to cleanse the bad luck and force the demons with the bad luck out. Eating the beans is supposed to give you good luck. There was also the ritual of cooking sardines and hanging the heads outside the household.

Unfortunately, many of these traditions are not upheld. Some places, especially in the Kansai region, uphold many of the traditions including mamemaki, hanging sardine heads and holy outside the household, eating a long strip of maki-zushi (called ehoumaki) which is said to bring good luck, and going to shines, temples and even events with entertainment. However, in most places substitutions are made, beans (or peanuts) are merely eaten with a meal, the maki-zushi is brought from a convenience store. I had school lunch today where I received some fukumame beans and also had sardine as my entrée.

It’s nice to take part in these events, even if they aren’t celebrated like they used to be. Many of the kids at school seemed confused at getting fukumame, and I think many of them didn’t know what Setsubun was.