Setsubun, “Seasons’s Divide”
- At February 03, 2022
- By admin
- In Annes Letters
0
Dear Family and Friends,
Japanese love festivals. They have at least one for every month of the year. If there is no big and famous reason to celebrate, there surely are small, local, even private ones. Any excuse to celebrate. In fact, Japanese festivals are the happy glue that holds this traditional culture intact and many communities together.
Setsubun, “Seasons’ Divide”, is the thin, but dangerous crevice that occurs between winter’s dark mysteries and spring’s lightness and hope. It occurs one day before the start of the lunar spring. At that time, Oni demons rise up ferociously and must be chased out of homes and neighborhoods, dispersing all evil as they go.
It is the tradition to throw roasted soybeans at the Oni while shouting, “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (“Out with devils! In with good luck!”) From long ago to now, people believe the world will be purified with this ritual. And then, once again, new life will be given a fair chance to offer its abundance to the earth.
The crowd was small this year. So, folks could easily hold open bags or boxes on their heads and catch plenty of beans.
In the end, people lined up politely to get a ”Lucky Bag” to take home.
Today was a lot of fun. But I seriously hope this traditional festival has hit Oni Omicron hard. We have to hope Oni Omi and her descendants will get the message and allow us a healthy, happy spring. We need Setsubun. We need a purified world!
Love,
Anne
Japanese love festivals. They have at least one for every month of the year. If there is no big and famous reason to celebrate, there surely are small, local, even private ones. Any excuse to celebrate. In fact, Japanese festivals are the happy glue that holds this traditional culture intact and many communities together.
Setsubun, “Seasons’ Divide”, is the thin, but dangerous crevice that occurs between winter’s dark mysteries and spring’s lightness and hope. It occurs one day before the start of the lunar spring. At that time, Oni demons rise up ferociously and must be chased out of homes and neighborhoods, dispersing all evil as they go.
It is the tradition to throw roasted soybeans at the Oni while shouting, “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (“Out with devils! In with good luck!”) From long ago to now, people believe the world will be purified with this ritual. And then, once again, new life will be given a fair chance to offer its abundance to the earth.
Why beans? Because the word “Mame” (“mah-may”) is pronounced the same as “Devil’s Eyes”, but with different characters when written. It is also close to “mame-tsu”, “throw beans”. And of course, beans are healthy, so promise a long life.
Setsubun is not a national holiday, even though it is widely celebrated, both privately and publicly. Until this year, I had always been working, so was never able to attend. But I was curious. So, despite Oni Omicron knocking on many doors at this time, I decided to see what the ceremony was like. I headed to Toshogu Shinto Shrine near my home to find out.
When I arrived, I was met by the droning sound of a priest chanting people’s names. Were they individuals who were ill or having trouble? Probably. After a while, three priests came out and tossed a few beans at folks gathered nearby.
Setsubun is not a national holiday, even though it is widely celebrated, both privately and publicly. Until this year, I had always been working, so was never able to attend. But I was curious. So, despite Oni Omicron knocking on many doors at this time, I decided to see what the ceremony was like. I headed to Toshogu Shinto Shrine near my home to find out.
When I arrived, I was met by the droning sound of a priest chanting people’s names. Were they individuals who were ill or having trouble? Probably. After a while, three priests came out and tossed a few beans at folks gathered nearby.
Later they, plus other priests and people born in this Year of the Tiger, filed out of the shrine and headed to a nearby platform. Their job was to hurl soybeans at the eager crowd. Not surprisingly, catching beans would bring good luck. So would eating fallen beans, one for each year of one’s life.
The crowd was small this year. So, folks could easily hold open bags or boxes on their heads and catch plenty of beans.
People ranged from an exhausted grandfather with a bent back to an infant “Tiger Oni” in his mother’s arms. Youngsters had a ball, and parents participated with as much abandon as the kids.
In the end, people lined up politely to get a ”Lucky Bag” to take home.
They were kind enough to let me have one, too. It was full of useful and tasty treats.
Today was a lot of fun. But I seriously hope this traditional festival has hit Oni Omicron hard. We have to hope Oni Omi and her descendants will get the message and allow us a healthy, happy spring. We need Setsubun. We need a purified world!
Love,
Anne
