Setsubun

Monday was Setsubun in Japan and while it’s not a National Holiday it is still something that is celebrated. It is celebrated on February 3 or 4  which is the first day of spring on the Japanese lunar calendar. The holiday is to purify the home and ring in the new spring season. This is done by warding off the bad spirits and welcoming in the luck.

According to Japan Guide “Some families put up small decorations of sardine heads and holly leaves (柊鰯 hiragi iwashi) on their house entrances so that bad spirits will not enter.”  The smell is said to ward of the demons. I haven’t seen any of these decorations and I’m happier to say I haven’t smelled them either. 

Another way of warding off demons is to throw beans at them. The head of the household (or classroom in our case) dresses up in an “Oni” mask and beats a drum, surprising and frightening the children.

After the children recover from their initial scare they are supposed to throw fortune beans (roasted soybeans) at him and scream “Demons out! Luck in!" (鬼は外! 福は内! Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!

This is done at home, at school, and at temples. The beans are thought to symbolically purify the home by driving away the evil spirits that bring misfortune and bad health with them.

In order to bring luck back in, people (usually children) pick up the beans and eat them. One bean is eaten for every year the person has been alive and sometimes one more for the upcoming year.

Initially this was supposed to happen on a day I would not be at work but as luck would have it I got to witness this event with a class that celebrated a day late. The kids all made Oni masks pretending to scare each other, then the "real" Oni came in and frightened them all to death. 

The event while symbolic was also a chance to scare the crap out of the kids while adults laughed at them and took pictures. Some kids cried so hard and for so long they didn't get a chance to throw anything at the demon. Does this mean a year of bad luck?

The demon is also used as a bargaining chip, similar to the way Santa is around Christmas, only in reverse. For a few weeks before the event children were warned “Oh, you better be good or Oni will come” and after the event the same thing but with more frightened responses from the children. “Oni will come back if you are not good”  

Aside from frightening children and hanging fish heads near your door, other celebrations of Setsubun involve eating Nori Maki. Nori Maki is a special 20cm sushi roll that is eaten in it entirely rather than being sliced. In some areas, the Nori Maki is made with a stuffing of seven colors which represent Shichi Fukujin (seven gods of happiness).  

The roll is eaten in silence while facing the “lucky direction” of the year. Those who can eat the whole thing without saying a word are promised luck with their business, longevity, and freedom from illness.

Clint and I didn’t attempt to eat the Nori Maki though we did see them at the store and they looked quite tasty. We were attending a Super Bowl viewing party and had pizza and other treats awaiting us. In hindsight maybe we should have stuck with the sushi and the hope of better luck for the Broncos.

Better Luck next year Broncos!!