Setsubun / 節分

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Jinja(shrine) staffs throwing beans to people (Gunma prefecture)

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Throwing beans.(Tokyo)

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People trying to catch beans to use in their house.(Osaka)

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Setsubun means "the date of separating seasons". So 4 setsubuns in a year.

  • Risshun / 立春 : Around 3rd of February.
  • Rikka / 立夏 : Around 5th of May
  • Risshu / 立秋 : Around 7th of August
  • Ritto / 立冬 : Around 6th of November

Nowadays, Risshun(around 3rd of Feb) is popular in Japan. The evil spirits appear when the seasons change, so people try to rid demons of their house.

Custom

Some events are held around 3rd of February. Mostly those are origined from religious ritual.

Mamemaki / 豆まき

People throw beans from their house to outside. Mamemaki is a wish for good health year by throwing beans to a demon to drive away evil spirits from house.

Eat beans

People eat beans. The number of beans are the same as thier age and one. If you are 20 years old, you shold eat 21 beans!

Eho-maki / 恵方巻

Many Japanese eat "Eho-maki / 恵方巻" to wish for good health year and prosperity. Eho-maki is rolled sushi with 7 auspicious ingredients.When eat Eho-maki, direction is set each year. 2011 is south-south-east.

Setsubun-Obake / 節分お化け

Setsubun-Obake used to be a kind of costume ritual to protect children or aged people from evil, especially for female. An aged female or girl play this by wearing costume. A girl wears costume like a aged person, An aged lady dress like a girl.Now those are exist as a event. People have a fun for wearing costume.You can watch it in Gion(Kyoto) or geisha districts. 

Laugh

Laugh invites good luck. So peple throw beans with smile and laugh.  A Japanese proverb "Warau-kado-niwa-fuku-kitaru(笑う門には福来る)". It is similar to English proverb "Fortune comes in at the merry gate."

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