Setsubun (節分) is the Japanese festival on the eve of the beginning of spring in Japan.
The meaning of the name is literally division of the seasons, a way of saying goodbye to winter and celebrating the arrival of spring (Risshun), celebrated annually at the beginning of February, is a traditional folk event that marks the official beginning of spring, according to the Japanese lunar calendar.
Although not a national holiday, Setsubun is widely celebrated throughout Japan and is one of the favorite folk traditions of all Japanese children. A day to throw and eat beans to ward off evil and welcome good fortune.
For many centuries, the people of Japan have performed rituals aimed at driving out evil spirits at the beginning of spring.
In ancient times, this date was accompanied by an extensive special ritual to purify the evil of the previous year and to drive away demons that could bring illness in the following year. This special ritual is known as Mamemaki.
Mamemaki at home is usually conducted by someone in the family who has the Chinese sign corresponding to the current year, by the head of the family or head of the family.
Families gather to throw roasted beans at the front door, and one family member (usually the father) puts on a mask of a demon (oni), while children chant Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! (Demons away! Good luck!) as they throw the beans.
Mamemaki is performed by throwing roasted beans around the house and at temples and shrines throughout the country. When throwing the beans, you should shout Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! (Demons out, happiness and luck in). Another superstition on this day is that a person should eat the amount of roasted beans corresponding to their age, that is, if a person is 25 years old, then they should eat 25 beans (after mamemaki). This is a folk superstition to bring good luck to the person. Children and adults have a lot of fun on this day and it is very interesting because it is a very folkloric festival of Japanese culture.
In addition to the grains, people eat a special sushi called Ehomaki (lucky sushi). A long sushi roll that should be eaten while facing the lucky direction of Eho (the god of happiness), eating the whole Ehomaki in one go without stopping or talking so that you don’t cut off your luck. The direction of the year’s Eho is decided by Yin Yang and changes every year as south-southeast in 2013, west-southwest in 2015, north-east in 2019 and southwest in 2020.
Sushi should be rolled in nori seaweed and filled with seven ingredients in reference to the seven gods of luck. You can make suchi yourself at home (the ingredients can be oboro denbu (rose), omelet or datemaki, cucumber, kanpyoo, kooyadoofu, anago or unagi and shiitake). Or you can buy it ready-made; you will see advertisements and pamphlets for Ehoumaki on this date in supermarkets and convenience stores. The person must eat the sushi whole; it cannot be sliced, because cutting it means separation and with that you can cut off your luck.
Like all traditional festivals, setsubun is celebrated throughout the country.
History of Setsubun
The tradition of Setsubun dates back centuries, but the tradition of throwing beans first emerged in the Muromachi period (1337 to 1573). The beans represent vitality and are believed to symbolically purify the home, warding off evil spirits that bring misfortune and health problems. Since the Japanese people like to play with words, the pronunciation of the word beans (mame) is similar to the word for demon eyes, so throwing beans sounds similar to destroying demons.
The origin of Setsubun is closely linked to Chinese customs and beliefs during the Lunar New Year, when the spirit world intersects with our world, allowing spirits to cross our paths and even enter our homes. Some of these spirits are believed to bring illness and bad luck to a family and must be purged from the home before the new (lunar) year begins.