2020-02-03 Mon

Setsubun is the day before the beginning of spring in Japan. Setsubun has its origins in tsuina a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the eighth century. The name literally means 'seasonal division', but usually the term refers to the spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun celebrated yearly on February 3 as part of the Spring Festival.

In its association with the Lunar New Year, Spring Setsubun can be and was previously thought of as a sort of New Year's Eve, and so was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki or "bean scattering".

The custom of mamemaki first appeared in the Muromachi period. It is usually performed by the Toshi Otoko or male head of the household. Roasted soybeans are thrown either out the door or at a member of the family wearing an Oni (demon or ogre) mask, while the people say "Demons out! Luck in!" (Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!) And slam the door.

The beans are thought to symbolically purify the home by driving away from the evil spirits that bring misfortune and bad health with them followed by to eat roasted soybeans as part of bringing luck in.

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