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Setsubun
In Japan,
Setsubun is the day before the beginning of each season. The name literally
means "division of season". Usually the term refers to the Spring Setsubun,
properly called Risshun, celebrated yearly on February 3rd (associated with the
Lunar New Year).
Spring Setsubun is traditionally celebrated by the head
of the household throwing pan-heated soybeans out the door, while chanting "Oni
wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!". The literal meaning of the words is "Demons out! Luck
in!" -- the beans are thought to symbolically purify the home. In the Heian
era, a famous Buddhist monk was said to have driven away Oni (demons or evil
spirits) by throwing beans.
At Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines all
over the country, there are celebrations for Setsubun. Priests and invited
guests will throw roasted soy beans (some wrapped in gold or silver foil), small
envelopes with money, sweets, candies, and other prizes. In some bigger shrines,
even celebrities and sumo wrestlers will join. Many people will come, and the
event turns wild, with everyone pushing and shoving to get the gifts tossed from
above.
Families will also put up small decorations of fish heads and
holly leaves on their house entrances so that bad spirits will not enter.
Source:
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Setsubun".
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